I need help. Today I started my 2000 Dodge Dakota Sport and right away the parking brake light will not shut off. After reaching the end of the block I realized the speedometer also was not moving at all. I turned the truck off and then back on again and the problem was still there. Drove it about 3 miles to work let it sit for 6 hours and then drove home again. Same problem only now ABS light is on as well. After hitting 30mph the speedometer works. But anything below 30mph and the speedometer drops down to zero. Also when pulling back into the driveway the truck died. Just quietly shut itself down. Pulled back out and went 1.5 blocks and at stop sign it died again. It does start right back up with no problems and I do live in a HIGH moisture area with the humidity very high today so these 2 problems could be unrelated. Either way I am worried. Any help offered would really be appreciated. I have no experience with vehicles.

 

So now the truck is killing/stalling when I am slowing down either to come in the driveway or at a stop sign when I am decreasing speed and I am in Neutral. Today I had someone "reset the computer" But that did not do anything.

 

Freegurl,

It's a bad speed sensor. Do you have any codes? Is the Check engine light on?

Key on (not to start), off, on, off, leave on. Codes will display in the odometer window.

It should be the one on the pumpkin.

 

00DakDan,
I did what you said and the odometer reads:
P done

Is that a code?

Also would a bad sensor be the cause for the vehicle staling? I think I might have 2 separate issues here.

Freegurl

 

00DakDan is correct but I have one question form 00DakDan the parking lamp showing as on should be a switch down on top of the parking brake unless thats another change they made after the 1999 Dakota.

So why is it showing the parking break as on still?

Just asking


freegurl21 look at were the parking brake is under the dash look for lose wires or broken wires. The switch may be bad.

 

Are your back brakes Disk or Drum?

I forgot is yours an auto trans?

Sometimes the switch gets stuck

 

2000 was drum in the rear only.

P Done, no codes.

Usually the rear speed sensor will do the CEL and the speedometer/ABS. It usually sets a code but it is the most likely culprit as it is in common to the speedo/ABS. Above 30 it can read speed via the transmission output speed sensor.

The brake lamp just indicates a fault as well as the ABS lamp.

 

OK guys thanks for everything. I looked for loose wires but did not find any. I have a manual. I will check the rear sensor. As soon as I figure out how!!!

 

rear wheel speed sensor, on top of rear axle in the middle, when ya pull it out look at it. Does it have like metal dust on it?? If so change out your your diff fluid and clean the magnet on bottom of axle housing, it' approx 2" x 2", what happens is the metal dust from your rear gear assembly fills up magnet,stops grabbin dust, gets to flowing around with oil, and that sensor is a lil magnetic deal and grabs all the particles and messes with all sorts of things like the abs light and your speedo, wifes truck and mine did the same thing lol they all do

 

Yup, definitely a abs/speed sensor. Pretty easy to change. Located right on top of the rear differential and a pretty inexpensive part. I believe when I replaced mine it was somewhere around $30-$40.