VDO Speedometer error message?

Are you 100% sure that's not a lower case "t" for "trip"?

I thought that was the "Trip" odometer. Have you pressed the black button on the front of the speedometer to see if it cycles to the "ODO"?

As Robert says, that is the trip odometer. Google  VDO  Speedometer operation manual and you'll find everything there.  That button controls several functions.

Therein lies my dilemma. That's all I get when pressing that button before and while the engine is running. I do not get the"AutOCL" message. Just the now identified trip odometer. The VDO sending unit has the green LED. It's getting signals from the satellites. This is my wife's car. I am used to wiring old Mopars. Those just need a big hammer and clean grounds. Which I did verify the ground is fine. Is this unit toast?

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I was able to find this instruction sheet for one of the new VDO 356 retro speedo units (although it's the one in kilometers). (Click on this link.)

It looks like it's mainly devoted to calibrating the unit (there are apparently a few different ways to do that).

It does contains the following section:

PS: After reading the sheet, it looks like they're being fussy about the ground connection 'not being shared by other electronics'. So, maybe try running a dedicated ground straight to the battery, at least temporarily to see if that makes it more responsive.

PPS: Also, they're specific about separate connections for constant and switched power, so they probably need uninterrupted power to retain settings in memory. Many of the power terminals in the fuse boxes of our cars are 'switched', so you'll need to find one that stays on even when the ignition is 'off'.

Good luck.

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Thanks. That matches what I have. Something isn't lining up. I can press that button until my finger falls off. It's not giving me "AutOCL" or "PuLSE". I have it connected to a VDO 340-786 GPS sensor. I have the sensor configured to send 200k pulses. Tomorrow morning, I am going to try it set at 16k pulses.

I don't have a VDO gauge. I have a Speedhut brand, but it is also GPS.

The constant power is needed for a faster startup(commencement of speed display). If both power leads are hooked up to switched power, it merely takes a couple minutes longer before speed is registered.

The coolest thing? It reads your speed even in reverse, it's funny the first time you notice it!

Houston. We have lift of........sort of. The instructions for this speedometer show a constant hot wire plus a switched hot. I ran both wires as switched and go figure, I get the programming functions as I pressed the button. Set the pulse setting for 200k to match ( in theory ) the sending unit. The instructions state that the indicator should do a full sweep of the dial after everything syncs up. The indicator now seems stuck. You can see where it tries to move, then gives up.  Is the signal from the sender incorrect? Any thoughts?

What GPS sender are you running and if it is not the VDO brand, how is it wired?

You pulse setting will vary (greatly) with the chosen sending unit.  VDOP is 200k pulse, VeeThree is 8000 or 16000 depending on how it is warted.  There are several aftermarket sender that will work as well but have different pulses.

You can find programming and wiring info on my (Beck) website.

As mentioned above you "t" is in trip mode.  A single push should put it back in odometer mode.  Power on and hold should put it in programming mode and you have to toggle off of autodial onto pulse and input the proper pulse.  If you are not getting a gauge sweep it is likely a wiring issue.  When the needle "sticks" it is usually a wiring issue or no communication with the GPS sender.  They are made to default tot he last known speed if they lose signal so if it has an erroneous stored "fault" it may be trying to do that.

We have resolution. I talked to VDO and they confirmed that their 340-786 GPS sending unit is NOT compatible with their 100mm Speedster speedometer. The speedometer sends a signal back through the signal wire and the sensor can't figure out what to do and everything stops. I ordered the Intellitronix S9020 GPS sensor VDO suggested and  I will be selling the now useless VDO sensor.