# Speedometer drop to 0 while driving, RPM remains high, car not in gear.



## marktanck (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi Seasoned Cruze drivers,

I am driving a 2011 Cruze 6AT. While driving on the highway or city roads, my speedometer will randomly drop to zero, and the RPM went up above 3K. There is no power to the wheels no matter how I step on the accelerator. Most of the time I managed to roll the car to the side and power off the engine. After waiting 5mins or so, I start up the engine and the gear shifts fine for a moment then it will behave the same way again.

I encountered the issue 3 times and had struggled to the garage twice, i called for a tow the last time. The first time I encountered the issue was on the highway negotiating some random up and down hill. I felt a hard 'bump' like someone hit me from behind and noticed the speedometer keeps dropping to zero while the RPM remain high. I immediately exit the highway and drove in manual, keeping my gears below gear 4, and managed to reach the garage. The garage claimed my ATF was very old and changed it out for me. Indeed the liquid was dark brown in color. After that i managed to drive some 20KM without issues.

The next morning i was able to achieve another 15KM or so before it acted again while driving down a straight city road. Same issue, same symptom. This time when i tried to shift to manual, it would not let me go beyond gear 2, the check engine light came on and i struggled very slowly to the garage . When i reached the it, i was stuck on a hump entering the garage, the car couldn't move at all. I powered off engine and on again hoping it will recover, but this time the D display kept flashing, i needed some help to push the car into the garage. The car was sitting for a good 10mins before the mechanic came to it, oddly enough when he turn on the engine, it manage to drive normally again. The error code was P0723, so he changed out the Transmission Output Sensor.

After the change, i manage to drive 5km home. The next day, i managed to achieve about 5KM and left it sitting in a sheltered carpark for 2hours. After that i tried to travel downtown, about a 10KM drive. While I turned out from a round-about, just about to reach my destination, i noticed the speedometer drops to zero again! And the RPM gauge remain high at 3k RPM, with no power to the wheels. I rolled to the side and called the tow truck. As i was in town, my rear was blocking cars, so after 10mins i powered on the engine and put the gear into D, it managed to move so I hurriedly parked nicely by the side while waiting for tow. This time I had it towed to a automatic transmission specialist. The error code this time was P0700 and P0722. He claimed it was my PCM board acting up but will run full diagnostic on the whole auto transmission. The car is with him now.

Would like your inputs, why would the speedometer drop to zero? would it be an electronic fault or mechanical? and why did it affect the transmission, it was like the gears drop out into neutral. The 'bump' felt like the gears engaged back into action, similar to what I would feel in a manual car when i kick in lower gears at high speed. Each time i powered off and on after a few mins of sitting, it seems to work again. Would temperature affect electronic works? or would it be something more mechanical?

Please please please give your input as I am lost what to do. I still have 3 years installment on this car and couldn't possible swap it out yet.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

How many kilometres on your odometer?

Do you have an authorized General Motors repair facility nearby?

I’m not sure if Cruze was sold in Singapore as a Chevrolet or as a Holden. 
@*Aussie @Robby*


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## marktanck (Nov 9, 2018)

about 150,000km. No i don't have any authorised GM repair facility. Its a Chevy.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Both P0722 and P0723 point to the speed sensor. It could be a wiring issue or the module it connects to. With the transmission being electronically controlled, I'm not sure what it would do with the loss of the speed sensor. But I'd hope it wouldn't completely shutdown the transmission. At this point, I think it's pointing to an electrical fault in some module.


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## marktanck (Nov 9, 2018)

ChevyGuy said:


> Both P0722 and P0723 point to the speed sensor. It could be a wiring issue or the module it connects to. With the transmission being electronically controlled, I'm not sure what it would do with the loss of the speed sensor. But I'd hope it wouldn't completely shutdown the transmission. At this point, I think it's pointing to an electrical fault in some module.


Hi. Thanks for your input. What is your take on the speedometer dropping to zero and no power to the wheels? Is it electronic (sensor? TCM?) Or mechanical (clutch pack?)


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

marktanck said:


> Hi. Thanks for your input. What is your take on the speedometer dropping to zero and no power to the wheels? Is it electronic (sensor? TCM?) Or mechanical (clutch pack?)


The speedometer dropping to zero suggests an electronic problem. As long as the car is moving, I doubt if the shaft it's monitoring has stopped. The loss of power to the wheels would either have to be mechanical or an erroneous electrical command. Put them together, and I'm thinking something is wonky with the brains or wiring harness. 

As I recall, one of the car's control modules sits under the battery. If it's leaking/has leaked acid, that could cause a lot of problems. I'd suggest locating all the control modules and inspecting the wring.


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## Jignesh (May 21, 2021)

marktanck said:


> Hi Seasoned Cruze drivers,
> 
> I am driving a 2011 Cruze 6AT. While driving on the highway or city roads, my speedometer will randomly drop to zero, and the RPM went up above 3K. There is no power to the wheels no matter how I step on the accelerator. Most of the time I managed to roll the car to the side and power off the engine. After waiting 5mins or so, I start up the engine and the gear shifts fine for a moment then it will behave the same way again.
> 
> ...


Hi,
I am facing same problem at the moment. Did you find the solution??

Regards,
Jignesh


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## akashmishra212301 (8 d ago)

Jignesh said:


> Hi,
> I am facing same problem at the moment. Did you find the solution??
> 
> Regards,
> Jignesh


Yes, I faced the same. Rpm goes 3000 but transmission not shifted, door also not locked and sometimes speedometer doesn't changes sometime shifts but only in second or third gear. But sometimes it works properly.
Engine light remains on.
Is it really speed transmission output sensor fault?


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

akashmishra212301 said:


> Engine light remains on.


Time to scan for codes. There's no obvious connection between the problems, but the codes should give some additional information.


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## akashmishra212301 (8 d ago)

I was talking about auto door lock after car goes above 20kmph speed


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## akashmishra212301 (8 d ago)

P0722-Powertrain CURRENT Output Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal

CURRENT FAULT

P2723 - Powertrain Pressure Control Solenoid E Performance or Stuck Off

CURRENT FAULT

P0500 - Powertrain Vehicle Speed Sensor

P0700 - Powertrain

CURRENT FAULT

Transmission Control System (MIL Request)

P1793 - Powertrain

Tap for multiple descriptions


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## akashmishra212301 (8 d ago)

ChevyGuy said:


> Time to scan for codes. There's no obvious connection between the problems, but the codes should give some additional information.


Please have a look on my case buddy


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

This is for my 2013 shop manual:

P0722-Transmission output speed is 35 RPM or less for 5s

P2723-Pressure Control Solenoid Valve 5 Stuck off: TCM detects an incorrect on-coming clutch gear ratio, or shift flare when the 1-2-3-4 clutch is commanded ON. 

P0500 - Not found

P0700 - The Transmission Control Module requested MIL to turn on

P1793 - Not found

It's hard to say what is cause and what is symptom (other than the P0700). If it's easy to get to, it might be worth looking at the output speed sensor to see if there's any "green crusties" in the connection. Otherwise I'd say it's time to find a good trans shop. Changing oil rarely fixes things, it just keeps working transmissions working.


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## akashmishra212301 (8 d ago)

Can I change the transmission speed sensor? I've automatic Chevy cruze


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

akashmishra212301 said:


> Can I change the transmission speed sensor? I've automatic Chevy cruze


It's not something on the outside. It requires opening the transmission and doing recalibrate with a scan tool. Be sure to get the procedure before trying it.


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