For some reason(s), the speedometer will work intermittantly. Sometimes it's reliable, other times I know it's registering less mph than I'm driving, and sometimes it just dies completely. From it's behavior, I'm thinking an bad electrical connection. Anyone have some experience or suggestions?

 

It definitely sounds like an electrical signal problem...
Either the sensor itself is bad (highly unlikely), the signal wire is broken/bad or the grounds on the car are bad...
I had a similiar problem with a fluctuating tachometer, which was fixed by checking the grounds and fixing one that was loose.
But in your case, it sounds like a poor connection between the sensor and the ECU or the ECU and the speedometer...

Good luck!

 

does 6th gen accords have VSS???

i thought that might be the problem w/ it, but I couldn't find any for those accords on ebay.

 

if you don't get a check engine light and the odometer is working fine when the speedo isin't then it's the speedo.

 

In my old 94 accord, i had the same problem. It was the speed sensor. You may want to look into that.

-D

 

I am looking inotthe same problem on my 1995 accord, and I have came up with the conclusion that it is the speedometer cluster its self. if you look at the wiring diagram you can see the the output from the speed sensor goes to multiple locations, one of them being the cruise control, and one of them being the speedometer. my speedometer does not work but my cruise control does. so If one thing is getting the signal, unless its a bad crimp or connection to the speedometer the speedometer must be getting the same signal, there for the speedometer is bad. here is a picture of the the diagram.

 

it's most likely the speedo head is bad on the 94-97 actually I have yet to replace a bad VSS but on the 90-93 it's usally the VSS and one tell tale sign is the blinking D4 or CEL with a code 17 stored ..