speedometer problems?

how do you get a speedometer sensor out

Climb under the vehicle and locate the speed sensor. The sensor is located on the bottom of the transmission, or it may be located on either side of the transmission housing. It looks like a small plug sticking out of the transmission with an electrical plug connected to its end.

Remove the electrical plug by squeezing the release tab on the top of the plug and pulling the connection apart.

Remove the sensor by turning it counterclockwise with an open-end or a crescent wrench.

Install the new speed sensor. Installation is the reverse of removal

Let me look that up for you.

Its supposed to be 190-250 ohms.

So, my VSS terminals' resistance is within the normal range. Does that mean definitively that the VSS itself is good?

Would this mean the problem is most likely an electrical short in the wiring between the VSS's connector and the instrument cluster?

Does Ford have particular troubleshooting steps for this?

Thanks for any assistance here!

Automatic, 130,000 miles. My speedometer and odometer stopped working. I checked all the fuses. I replaced the speed sensor and swapped out the instrument cluster but these efforts did not solve the problem. Is there a second speed sensor?
Help!

Nope only one but it is a common failure. Make sure the cluster terminals are very clean. Maybe a second bad cluster. Good luck

I cannot definitely tell you the problem but I can tell you what it could be
possible causes: wiring, PCM ,transmission drive gear.
Of course you have already indicated the other stuff like instrument cluster, fuse, VSS.

I went to the junk yard and swapped out the speed sensor (again), the instrument cluster (again), and the cruise control box (although it was for an 2000 Escort Coupe verses 1998 Sedan/Wagon). Still no speedometer function. The previous reply mentions a "PCM". What is that?
Thanks,
Pat

I looked carefully at the schematic. The ECM connection is the check engine light and has nothing to do with the function.

The last thing it might be are the cluster grounds. You need to get a digital voltmeter ($20.00) and check for a ground on all the black wires.

12 volts powers the cluster and is on the black and yellow wire from fuse 14. There should be 2/3 inputs. The internal cluster voltage is 7 volts.

A digital voltmeter is your only choice.

Let me know

Losone.
Your analysis was correct and I sincerely appreciate your time and assistance. My friend brought over his volt/ohm meter and we tested the wires from the cluster to the cruise control, to the speed sensor and found that the ground wire was not connected to ground. I could not find the fault so I ran a dedicated ground wire from the back of the cluster to a chassis ground point, and it worked! As an aside my daughter told me the horn was not working and this ground fixed that as well. I laid upside down under the dash and checked all the wires, as well as removed the airbag, and could not find any obvious wire or connector issues. As long as it works I do not mind using the dedicated ground wire as a permanent fix.
Thanks,
Pat

Glad to be of service! losone

I changed the battery for my car and since then the speedometer/odometer quit working.

1. Could it be caused by something in battery change?

However, the engine check light is not on.

2. What could be the problem then?

I am not sure if the speedometer is driven by cable or just electricial VSS. How I could tell or get this information?

If I need to replace VSS, where is it located?

Thanks a lot.

Hi ldhljljq,

Thank you for the donation.

VSS is electrical and located on lower rear of transaxle, somewhere beow the throttle body.

The VSS should not be afffected by the battery change but if the speedomewter needle had overshot, then yes, it is caused by power surge. Returning the needle to its original position should work.

CEL might not show for such problem and the only way to find out if any trouble codes are recorded is to get a scan done.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

https://youtu.be/YV3TRZwer8k

I guess I need to check the needle first. Any insructions on how to do it? Do I need to take out the entire instrument cluster? If so, how?

If the needle is seated at its normal position, then there is nothing wrong with it. If it is pointing to bottom of gauge, then it has overshot.

To do it you would have to remove the instrument cluster, at least the face.

the needle is pointing to 0 mph now and does not drop below that. I think it means the normal position?

By the way, do you have a diagram to show the location of VSS in case I have to replace it?

Thanks a lot.

Yes, the needle is in the normal position. Sorry our database does not have any diagrams for the location of the VSS. It should be somewhere around the red circle.

I just changed this in my 1998 Escort Wagon. It is located just above the right shaft. It was not a fun job because the two different metals welded themselves together. I had to drill and tap and use a slide hammer to get it out! Good luck.