I've got A 94 F-150. My trans is acting funny so "old paint" suggested it might be my vss (vehicle speed sensor). So I figure its easy and cheap enough to replace so off to the parts store I go. The vss they gave me didn't look at all like the one on my truck, it had an insert for a speedo cable and mine did not. I knew this was not the right part so I went to two other parts places that gave me the same thing. So finaly I take mine off and bring it in along with my haynes manual to point out the paragragh that says "1992 and later models use an electric speedometer which gets its speed signal from the rear antilock brake speed sensor. Therefore, no mechanical speedometer cable is required." So the parts guy finds the part (at least it looks exactly like the part) under 91' anti-lock brake sensor, no speed sensor was listed for 91. Now this is in direct contradiction to my manual and things I have learned from this site, (which by the way is great). So is it even the right part? Am I missing something here. 92' and later means 92,93,94 and so on not the other way around right? Forgive me if im bieng an idiot but this has me very confused.

 

Typical parts stores confusion. They are not the sharpest tacks in the box generally, and sometimes the information they have is in accurate. One time I had to spend 10 minutes looking through a catalog to find the part I wanted. I pointed to it, and said, "Give me one of those."

Rear ABS came out in 1987. There's a sensor in the rear axle that runs this system. In 1992, Ford went to the electronic speedo and just reused the same sensor but called it a VSS. From that point on, the same sensor served both functions.

 

Thanks, from now on I'm bringing either the part or a picture with me.

 

Camstack.... Thats just good practice.

It only takes once to learn that you often know more about your truck than the guy behind the counter. Of course I've been suprised on occasion.

 

Heh, I went in the new local store and asked for "seafoam". They told me it's only available from the dealer. Such a shame-this store is within walking distance, so I'll make sure I have all I need before turning a wrench.