Speed Sensor Problem - Please Help!

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cmoney-law - 29 Nov 2007 18:15 GMT

I have posted a similar question on here before, and sorry for not
sending out thanks to all of those who contributed to the post and
tried to help with my question...but here is my updated problem

I am about to give up on my car ever working again...if you have any
idea what the problem with my car might be, please help! Thanks in
advance for all of your input...here is my problem:

I have a 99 Mercury Cougar and this summer, while driving on the
interstate, the speedometer dropped to zero and the transmission
would
no longer shift properly...I hooked up a code reader and it told me
that my vehicle speed sensor was malfunctioning...I took my car to a
shop and had them install a new VSS...the car worked fine for a
couple
of hours, but then the same problem started happening - the
speedometer would not work (it would only work "sometimes"...very
sporadic) and the car would shift extremely hard...so I decided that
my car was in fact still broken and I took it to another shop in town
(a more reputable one)...after their investigative work, they were
not
able to find any problems with the VSS wiring (which I told them to
check out) and they cleaned off all the connections...the only
problem
they found was that the VSS was not completely installed by the first
shop I took it to (I guess it was not correctly locked into
place)...so they finished the installation...their only other
suggestion was that it might be some other major electrical problem
with my car involving my car's computer???...anyway, after having the
VSS "correctly" installed, my car now works slightly better, and by
slightly I mean that the speedometer and transmission now
consistently
DO NOT WORK the first 10+ minutes of driving, but one the car gets
sufficiently warm (? - just a guess) the speedometer kicks up and
then
follows the transmission shifting perfectly...this now happens very
consistently - if I drive my car long enough, everything works fine.

So there is my problem, do any of you have any suggestions on how to
fix this? I have seriously looked at everything I could on the
internet and I don't really have the $$ to take it to the local ford
dealership and give them a blank check to tear my car apart...I am so
frustrated that I would sell my car right now if I could get any
money
out of it...thanks again in advance for all of your help!

Reply to this Message

Woody - 01 Dec 2007 01:08 GMT

Lets see. You took it to a shop and told them to change the speed sensor and
you still have problems. Try taking it to a good mechanic and give him the
symptoms and let him diagnose the problem.

>I have posted a similar question on here before, and sorry for not
> sending out thanks to all of those who contributed to the post and
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> money
> out of it...thanks again in advance for all of your help!

Reply to this Message

cmoney-law - 04 Dec 2007 23:36 GMT

> Lets see. You took it to a shop and told them to change thespeedsensorand
> you still have problems. Try taking it to a good mechanic and give him the
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

I have already done that...I've been to 2 mechanics...1 simply put in
a new speed sensor...I told the second one what the symptoms were and
he checked the wiring of the sensor and other various things and came
to the conclusion that he was not able to tell what it was without
running more tests...that might not actually give any answers

So, does anyone have any advice other than "take it to a good
mechanic"??? I have done that. I am looking for someone that has
either had a problem like this before or some sort of "expert" that
just understands this stuff.

Reply to this Message

Refinish King - 05 Dec 2007 02:51 GMT

You'll need a sensor simulator:

If you want to spend about $200.00, then by all means, go to an auto parts
store, and buy an OTC sensor simulator and tester.

Set it to wheel speed sensor, then take the plug off of the VSS, and put the
two probes in the plug. Raise the volume like knob, and viola. If the
speedometer works, you see the sensor is either bad, or the gear in the
transmission is loose.

If it doesn't work, then it's either the instrument cluster or wiring. Then
you pissed away all that money on a simulator you will never have a use for
again, and your car still won't be fixed.

RK

>> Lets see. You took it to a shop and told them to change thespeedsensorand
>> you still have problems. Try taking it to a good mechanic and give him
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
> either had a problem like this before or some sort of "expert" that
> just understands this stuff.

Reply to this Message