Screeching sound when very cold ?cause

[ColonelKlink]

Hi, I have a 1994 Dodge/Mitsubishi Colt/Mirage. When very very cold, when I get to 15 m.p.h. it starts to make a rr...rr...rr...rr...rr...etc. sound from the left side of the instrument cluster. As I gain speed to 20 mph it gets quicker and louder rrr.rrr.rrr. etc then finally at 25mph it changes to a steady screech sound, so I have to slow down to 10 mph, the screeching stops, but still rr...rr...rrr... keeps going. When the vehicle warms up, the sound is much quieter, and I can go faster, and then finally sound disappears when completely warm. On warm days there is completely no problem.

I ordered the speedometer cable, but the mechanic also said it could be from the head right in the instrument cluster - apparently there is a bushing with a magnet in there - what do you think is right? because removing the whole dashboard and putting it back together takes a whole day and I want to have the right part before starting, otherwise I will have no vehicle for a week - thanks, the Colonel.

 

[Lapham3]

I'd probably pull the cable, inspect/lube first. If no go, ear plugs as I wouldn't r+r a cluster on this-good luck! Dan Mpls. Mn.

 

[JHZR2]

We go through this in the MB diesel world a lot. I'd lube both cable ends and get some wet lube in the bushing/bearing where the speedo cable enters the speedometer.

Sometimes the bend radius of the cable can be adjusted to help with this too.

 

[NHGUY]

I had the same car,did the same thing.I lived with it.Only happened at 0 degrees and below.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: ColonelKlink
Hi, I have a 1994 Dodge/Mitsubishi Colt/Mirage. When very very cold, when I get to 15 m.p.h. it starts to make a rr...rr...rr...rr...rr...etc. sound from the left side of the instrument cluster. As I gain speed to 20 mph it gets quicker and louder rrr.rrr.rrr. etc then finally at 25mph it changes to a steady screech sound, so I have to slow down to 10 mph, the screeching stops, but still rr...rr...rrr... keeps going. When the vehicle warms up, the sound is much quieter, and I can go faster, and then finally sound disappears when completely warm. On warm days there is completely no problem.

I ordered the speedometer cable, but the mechanic also said it could be from the head right in the instrument cluster - apparently there is a bushing with a magnet in there - what do you think is right? because removing the whole dashboard and putting it back together takes a whole day and I want to have the right part before starting, otherwise I will have no vehicle for a week - thanks, the Colonel.


Do you have the fan on blowing heat into the car? That type of noise happens to me when my heater fan is cranked up. If this is the case next time turn off the fan when the noise happens and see if the sound goes away.

Regards, JC.

 

[ColonelKlink]

Hi, the blower motor was changed recently, and there was no effect on the sound. the blower motor is more towards the center, and the screeching only happens when the car start to go to 15-20 mph. turning the blower motor off also does nothing, only slowing the car down to 10 mph stops it from screeching, so i am sure it has something to do with speedometer.

 

[99Saturn]

I had the exact same problem on our Aspire. Tried the cable first as suggested, no luck, ended up being the cluster...good luck, not really thrilled to replace a cluster.

 

[ColonelKlink]

thanks, i found a cluster on ebay with very low miles, so will replace both the cluster and the cable - my mechanic has taken out the entire dash before, it is a whole day job, but since he is retired, he works on it at leisure, and his price is a lot less than taking it into a shop.