speedometer wire/VSS
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 783
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speedometer wire/VSS
I was wondering if anyone would know the color of the VSS signal wire and where to locate it under the dash. Does ford change the color of it from the vss sender to inside the cab anywhere, would it be safe to just find the color on the sensor itself and look for that color pattern in the cab?
I am going to be installing an aftermarket speedo and need to find the wire so i can do some testing of the output signal.
I am going to be installing an aftermarket speedo and need to find the wire so i can do some testing of the output signal.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Well, similar to another electrical post, I am willing to bet the VSS wire does not even go into the cluster, rather the PCM connector. My shop manual is not handy now, but I will look it up when I get a chance if you get no response. What is wrong with your factory speedo? Why aftermarket?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
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If you could let me know i would be greatful 
. My speedo isn't working. everything else works fine. ABS, shifts, trip/odometer. So i'm 99.999% sure its just the gauge in the cluster. So instead of spending 145 or more for a cluster i picked up an autometer electronic programable speedo for 40 bucks brand new. So to me its worth the try since i could use the rest of the money for a trans temp gauge and a pyro.
. My speedo isn't working. everything else works fine. ABS, shifts, trip/odometer. So i'm 99.999% sure its just the gauge in the cluster. So instead of spending 145 or more for a cluster i picked up an autometer electronic programable speedo for 40 bucks brand new. So to me its worth the try since i could use the rest of the money for a trans temp gauge and a pyro.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Wow. That is super unusual the speedo giving up the ghost. I will look it up tomorrow, oops, today, when I get my shop dvd in the house. I have to say I hate looking up that kind of info because it is not searchable. Hopefully Alan will bail me out. He's much better with that sort of thing. It's almost as if he has Googlized his shop DVD.
On Edit: I bet the speedo is fine and you have a bad connection somewhere.
On Edit: I bet the speedo is fine and you have a bad connection somewhere.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
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yeah thats my luck. I got the truck used 2 weeks ago, it was a work truck. kinda rough around the edges but other that body dings/dents its fine, runs great doensn't use oil. Starts fast. It wasnt working when i bought it but i wasn't all that worried about it. The speedo is the only problem left i have to fix since i got the door ajar problem under control last weekend. It sucks not having a speedo i can't see how the truck is accelerating, and its hard to stay a constant speed to maximize mpg.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 783
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I got it figured out. the signal wire is the red with pink stripe if i rem. correctly i just spliced into it and ran a wire up to the cab since i couldn't find the wire in the dash anywhere and the time i would have spent looking i would have been able to run a new wire. So i still keep the function of the dash trip/odometer, but i have a speedo that works but is duck taped to the steering column until i can make a mount for it.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,405
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Have you tried to change the rear VSS sensor(abs)?
My truck was actually running the speedo off the front abs sensors. Plus the sensor is only 10$. Try that before opening up an electricians nightmare. You might be suprised. Did you get your little speedo to work?
My truck was actually running the speedo off the front abs sensors. Plus the sensor is only 10$. Try that before opening up an electricians nightmare. You might be suprised. Did you get your little speedo to work?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
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The autometer that i just installed today works great you have to recalibrate it but its as easy as having a 2 mile measured distance and pushing a button at the start of the 2 miles and at the end of the 2 miles. I have not changed the VSS because it is sending a signal and that is what i am taking the signal from to run my autometer. So im 99.99999% sure that its not a sensor problem its factory gauge itself that is bad since the autometer is working off of the VSS.
*edit: changing out the vss did nothing.
*edit: changing out the vss did nothing.
Last edited by mustang_gt_350; Jun 13, 2007 at 05:34 PM.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Sorry it took so long to get back Stang. Hope you got it working. I have been very busy with other things. If you need any further electrical diagram info just post it up. I cannot believe nobody else chimed in.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 783
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Tenn,
Thats no problem, the service book i have for the truck is a clymers. It has the diagrams in it but only for a 99-02 with Cruise controll, and i could not find the wire anywhere under the dash. So either its out of view or not there. So i just took the signal right from the VSS and ran its own wire. So the PCM or whatever you want to call it is geting the correct signal from the VSS and the autometer is getting one also so all is happy and good
Thats no problem, the service book i have for the truck is a clymers. It has the diagrams in it but only for a 99-02 with Cruise controll, and i could not find the wire anywhere under the dash. So either its out of view or not there. So i just took the signal right from the VSS and ran its own wire. So the PCM or whatever you want to call it is geting the correct signal from the VSS and the autometer is getting one also so all is happy and good
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,497
Likes: 7
From: Central, Al
The VSS signal is an ABS signal that is fed to the GEM to be sent to the Cluster gauge. With a failed VSS the ABS will still provide a signal to the GEM from the front wheel sensors. There are several circuits that could be shorted causing the loss of speedo and not the gauge itsself. PM me your email if you want the pinpoints to check it out.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,298
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From: Damon (South East Texas)
Since his truck is a '99, it probably doesn't have front wheel ABS. My friend's '00 F350 didn't have 4 wheel ABS, but my '01 does. My friend's speedo doesn't start working until about 40-45 mph. I'm thinking his VSS needs replacing.
New User
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 12
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The VSS signal is an ABS signal that is fed to the GEM to be sent to the Cluster gauge. With a failed VSS the ABS will still provide a signal to the GEM from the front wheel sensors. There are several circuits that could be shorted causing the loss of speedo and not the gauge itsself. PM me your email if you want the pinpoints to check it out.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 833
Likes: 4
My speedo/cruise was not working when I first got the truck. The speed signal wire had a short in it near the frame where the wiring routes up from the speed sensor at the rear axle. I would pull back your flex conduit and check your wiring before doing anything else, especially before trying to wire up a new speedo... if you have a short it wouldn't work anyway unless you ran all new wires. I wasted time/money replacing the sensor and troubleshooting it all to hell before I found the problem, and it was something dumb. Once I found it, I was able to splice it back and get my speedo back up and running in about 10 minutes.
I have an '00 without ABS for what it's worth.
I have an '00 without ABS for what it's worth.
New User
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
My speedo/cruise was not working when I first got the truck. The speed signal wire had a short in it near the frame where the wiring routes up from the speed sensor at the rear axle. I would pull back your flex conduit and check your wiring before doing anything else, especially before trying to wire up a new speedo... if you have a short it wouldn't work anyway unless you ran all new wires. I wasted time/money replacing the sensor and troubleshooting it all to hell before I found the problem, and it was something dumb. Once I found it, I was able to splice it back and get my speedo back up and running in about 10 minutes.
I have an '00 without ABS for what it's worth.
I have an '00 without ABS for what it's worth.