My mother just purchased a 1990 New Yorker 5th Ave for $2500 dollars. The car looks like new with just a few seemingly minor issues. The car is pristine and was sold to her with 16587 miles reading on the odometer. When she got it home she asked me to take it for a drive with her and I soon discovered the odometer wasn't working but the speedometer is.

I also observed the trip meter was set to 000/0 but was trying to roll to 000/1 which it could not do. It just kept popping back to 000/0.

I am assuming from looking around online that this model car has an electronic speedometer. If that is the case, would I be correct to assume that the problem is in the gear mechanism inside the actual gauge?

If that is the case, is this serviceable or does the gauge have to be replaced? Also, how do I determine the actual mileage of the vehicle? Is this info stored in the computer? As I mentioned, the car is very obviously a garage kept, low mileage vehicle but it would be nice to no the actual mileage.

My mother is a breast cancer patient and also takes care of my 87 year old grandmother. I learned most of what I know about vehicles as I was growing up with her by my side pulling wrenches and getting greasy with me. I would really like to help her with this issue. She's just not able to get out there and do it herself anymore.

 

I forgot to mention that the cruise control isn't working either.

 

Since all the Chrysler Guru's here are apparently slow in getting to this thread I have decided that the problem is probably the gear in the odometer based on what I have been able to glean from the internet. It's a cheap fix and there's even a youtube video or two that shows you how.
I've ordered the parts from a website that specializes in those types of parts so in a coouple of days I will find out if my guess is correct.

(Fingers crossed!)

P.S. I'm fairly certain that the cruise not working is a totally separate issue so if anyone has any suggestions on how to troubleshoot that I would appreciate hearing from you!