awilson40

The odometer reset doesnt work on my 88 951 while the odometer works fine. How does this reset work?
Thanks

slevy951

Does the button feel right? It's a shaft that pushes a switch behind it. If the switch becomes mis-aligned with the shaft, the reset won't work. If the shaft isn't hitting the switch, it may push all the way in and not come back out. To check this, remove the trim around the instrument cluster. 3 screws above the dials. 1 on each side of the sterring column. 2 on left of vents. 1 on right of vents.

Bob S. 1984 Silver

Reset mechanism is a nasty design by VDO. If the reset button is pushed while the vehicle is moving, it tends to grenade a small plastic gear which renders the odometer inoperative. There is a replacement procedure that someone here came up with, and a replacement part available. I redid mine by a trip to the local salvage yard, found an Audi of the same vintage, and discovered that the internals to the unit were nearly idenical.

Good luck!!

Bob S.

Ahmet

Does anybody know why or how resetting the trip meter cause damage to the gear? I just had mine apart replacing the gear and couldn't see how this could happen?
Ahmet

Legoland951

I think its a myth that reseting the odo will damage gear....they are not connected in any way.

instigator

that line of thinking is more or less for the early models pre 85.5 (been there done that)

hplj123

Well I'll try to keep this short and readable. First there is a common link between the trip meter and the odometer. It is a group of 3 or 4 gears. Secondly there is a possibility that when re-setting the trip meter while the car is moving will break one of the gears. Well here is what I have found about the problem. The gear that breaks has a big gear turned by a worm gear. It also has a small gear that turns a series of other gears, which makes both the odometer and trip meter turn. That is why when this gear breaks both stop. Well as you know the reset is done electronically with a solenoid so the reset happens quickly. When you hit the reset it stops the gear group for a short time and disengages the trip meter and brings everything back to all zeros. This action shocks the gears. The gear that breaks is originally made from a rubbery material and as it gets old it gets brittle. When it is shocked it will either break a chunk out of the larger gear or will strip the smaller one. I have seen both. I have even seen the reset break the gear in 1/2. I have put some pictures in the post. The gear that is yellow brown is the one that breaks. If you go to KLAIndustries.net in the gear sale page are instructions to install a new one. This page has several pictures that will help everyone understand what happens.




I'm the guy that designed the KLA Industries replacement gear. I decided to use a very high-tech manufacturing process that makes the gear from a polycarbonite material that is laser cured. It is very precise and the gear should outlast the car. I hope this gives everyone a better understanding of the failure mode.

Ken

elf89

Through trial and error, it seems that I can only reset my odometer when the car is running (or at least the key's in the run position.) So, myth or not, I turn the car on, and before moving, press the hidden reset button (looks like a vent adjuster.) Usually I have to set it twice so the 0s all line up.

It doesn't make sense to me that the car needs to be on because it feels very mechanical when it resets, but it just doesn't seem to work when the cars off.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Ahmet

hplj123, are you claiming that the KLA industries gear is not effected by resetting the trip meter? From what I could tell the trip reset first disengages the trip odo from main odo, THEN resets it.

I used to reset my 84 while in motion all the time, and that did break however past 120k miles. My turbo recently broke @ 185+k miles, I'm hoping to be able to use the trip meter while the car's in motion again(?) without the fear of breaking it.

BTW, my gear came a little bent though it seems to work. Perhaps you'd like to take a note of that. I will e-mail KLA industries as soon as I can use my rennlist e-mail account again.
Ahmet

Ahmet

elf89, the reset though feels mechanical is indeed operated by an electrical solenoid that only gets power when the ignition is on (as with the rest of the gauges, unlike the early cars).
Ahmet

hplj123

I'll answer both. First the answer is that yes it is reset electrical. If you look at the top and center pictures above you'll see a black rod. That is part of a solenoid. That is the part that is pulled into the coil when you hit your reset. The ignition needs to be on to power the system.

If you look at the center picture you can see that both odometer and trip meter are turned by the same gear. It is the white gear between the odo. and trip. The trip meter mating gear is black and the odometer mating gear is silver.

When you hit reset the metal shaft pulls outward and that lifts the black housing resetting the trip. As you can see from the gear setup it does not disconect from the gears. It does disconect the trip readout but still shocks the gears.

Finally, if you got a gear that seems warped please send it back and I will repay you for the shipping and send you a new one. Keep in mind that this gear turns about 10 RPM but nomatter, they should be straight.

I do not recomend resetting the trip on the fly mainly because the shock into the gear drive can cause a failure. I don't believe my gear will fail but shocking plastic gears is never a good idea.

Ken

Ahmet

I am not going to pull my gauges unless/until the odo breaks again. The warpage seemed small, and I'm not too concerned as I doubt it'll break. I appreciate the offer though.
Ahmet

hplj123

just let me know if you have a problem. I'll stand behind anything I sell. The advantage we have with these gears is they turn 1 revolution per 1/10th mile. Again, if you have any problem just let us know.

ken

awilson40

Thanks Guys, The trip and odo work fine, just dont reset. Must be an electrical problem with the switch or the solinoid.

Ahmet

hplj123, I'm assuming you're with KLA ind. Anyway, what you're offering is pretty much ideal for me as it won't make sense for me to tear into the cluster if everything works.

I must say, I'm very impressed w/customer service thus far. Keep it up!
Ahmet