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Odometer has gone blank
Hello,
Picked up this “New To Us” Prevost last Wednesday. 1999 XL Entertainer. When we drove it home the odometer was reading fine on the digital display in the speedometer. This weekend we took the bus out on it’s first run and noticed the odometer had gone blank. The digital area lights up with lights on but the display is blank.
Anyone ever had that happen? Does it sound like I would need a new Speedometer and odometer combo??
Thanks,
Paul
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13 Replies
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I can’t be sure of your specific cause for the problem, but on both my XL coaches I had to replace the speedometers. It’s an easy replacement, you will have to calibrate the speedo but the instructions are clear on how to do that.
In both cases the odometer failed.
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See whether it is intermittent. I noticed my odometer display is temperature dependant. When cold, it is sometimes blank or garbled. Next day it is just fine. Keeps miles ok, so it is just the LCD display. Probably a borderline capacitor in the display driver. In any case the Detroit ECU and VMSpc keeps track of miles and hours.
Gerald
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I noticed my odometer blinking in and out the other day. But if the DD control keeps track, other than not seeing how many miles at a glance what does it hurt? I bet Prevost don’t give away those speedos either…
Steve
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If I remember the replacements were a little over $100. While it is nice to have DDEC as a backup to remember your miles, the loss of an odometer you can rely on takes away your ability to track miles and if you use mileage as a criteria for refueling you are stuck with trying to keep track via your GPS.
Our fuel gauges at best are a suggestion. I plan fuel stops based on mileage from the last refueling and for me the odometer is my fuel gauge.
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Never thought of it that way Jon. I am suprised the spedo was that cheap..
Steve
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I forgot to mention one of the real values of having a reliable odometer is except for time related tasks a lot of maintenance is based on miles driven.
I’m going by memory on the cost of the speedo and if I am wrong someone needs to correct the information. The good news is on coaches that use that type of speedometer it doesn’t take more than 1/2 hour to make the swap.
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As an FYI, my Silverleaf system tracks all the engine stats, including accurate gas mileage. I think a number of Country Coach owners use the Siverleaf on their dashes. Mine is just tied into the engine and I monitor it via a tablet.
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Tim,
Must be nice to have all that hi dollar stuff!!!Steve
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I’m not sure how Tim’s coach is set up, but the Silverleaf VMSpc program is a free download from their website, and will run on almost any Windows pc or tablet out there today. The hardware interface required can also be purchased on their website for something under $500, if memory serves. Several options are offered (wired & wireless). Though our current coach is set up with analog gauges, I have the wired VMSpc system setup and running through the cockpit diagnostic plug on a small Asus Transformer notebook/pad. I find that the Silverleaf set up provides more reliable, timely info than the analog gauges because the data is coming directly from the same sensors that provide data to the DD and Allison “brains”. The VDO gauges that CC installed on our coach originally have their own sending units/sensors, and differ slightly with the DD/Allison data because of how/where the sending units/sensors are placed in the various systems monitored. I use the Silverleaf for my primary scan, & should a problem develop with the pc, the dash gauges are backup/secondary. I’ve certainly unfortunately spent a bunch more for alot less in terms of functionality & usefulness. JMO…
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The key is not where you get the data, how you get the data or how it is displayed. The key is reading the data in a timely manner and reacting when something has deviated from expectations.
I won’t get into an argument about analog or digital except to say we all need to have the data displayed so a deviation catches out eye. Otheriwse it is just a bunch of useless, unused historical information that shows what happened right up until the failure.
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Ok, found the invoice for my speedo swap. From Prevost parts dated 9/3/2010, $301.69, part number 090218. The odometer is digital and the mph is analog, and when you cycle the ignition switch it sweeps full right then full left. I think this is calibrating itself. You will get a pigtail adapter to hook it up to your vintage. My vintage is now vintage, yours may be less so.
Oh, I remember it taking about 30 minutes as Jon said.
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Seems as though my speed/odomiter issue is intermittent as Gerald said. It has been working fine for a while now. May have to replace eventually. Thanks for the great info.
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