2000 Windstar Speedo 1/2 of actual speed - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

WhuWantzaWinds · 12-07-2011, 13:04

Hello all, new to the forum and hoping someone can shed some light on this one. I replaced the V.S.S that was accessible through the driver's wheel well but the speedo still reads off. Also got a new cluster, but still using the first PC board with PATS from the old cluster, and no effect. There were some cold solder joints on that PC Board and I fixed them too. Alldata shows a second V.S.S on top of the tranny behind the engine but it's not very accessible so I'd prefer somebody verify that that's the sensor that governs the speedo before I go after it. Thanks in advance, Tom

**Bert** · 12-07-2011, 16:58

As far as I know, there's only one VSS and it's where you mentioned. I don't know what you changed.

WhuWantzaWinds · 12-07-2011, 17:20

I replaced the one all the parts stores here stock, and it's listed as the Input speed sensor on RockAuto.com. I'm hoping I don't have to replace the Output Speed sensor because of it's god-forsaken location. Is it common for them to read about 1/2 with a bad Output speed sensor?

**Bert** · 12-07-2011, 19:03

The output is the one that shows the vehicle speed.

WhuWantzaWinds · 12-08-2011, 21:21

I'll order one from RockAuto and put it in, it just really looks tough to get to. Thanks for confirming it for me.

foune · 02-03-2012, 13:29

Well my friend I've been searching this illusive problem for the past year & finally found the culprit today. My 2000 SEL was doing the same thing only reading 1/2 the true speed + the abs light was on all the time. After spending countless hours surfing I paid an online mechanic to diagnose my problem. That cost me dearly because he told me the problem was the abs control module. Spending a good part of a day just removing this part and replacing it to find out the van was still doing the same thing. I cleaned all 4 wheel speed sensors. and still a no go. I was on the verge of replacing the output speed control sensor at the back of the engine ( a very difficult job from what I've read on many other sites I decided to recheck the front wheel speed sensors and found the left side to be faulty thus only giving a half speed on the speedo. I did this by jacking the van & unplugging one speed sensor at a time and running in gear. The right side plugged in & left side unplugged showed the speedo at 1/2 speed but when I unplugged the right side and tried the left one I had no speedo reading at all. So voila I had found the culprit. Picked up new part & installed & presto everything is back to normal. Speedometer is A OK & ABS light is no longer on in dash. I hope this info will help others with 1/2 speed problems. Don't spend a lot of money and time changing unnecessary parts. Try this first it don't cost any thing except a little time and quite easy to do.