Over the last few months I've gotten a CEL 500 code (Vehicle Speed Sensor) four times. No accompanying codes. I clear it, and it doesn't reappear for as much as 3 weeks. Both the speedometer and the cruise control appear to be functioning normally..
My question, for anyone who has experienced an actual VSS failure (as opposed to gauge cluster, etc.): was your mode of failure intermittent (such as I've been experiencing), or completely (all at once)?

 

Hey Curt,I've got the same problem,everything seem find,code keep on coming back,please let me know what you go about fixing it? Thanks!!my Email-jonjon07080@yahoo.com

 

Nobody out there with first-hand experience???

 

i have this problem too with my car

 

So, again, the question is (for those of you who have "actually experienced" a VSS failure), which failure mode did you have?? I've read the threads about tightening screws and checking wiring harnesses, etc., etc., etc. At this point, other than the occassional annoyance of pulling out my OBDII scanner, confirming another CEL 500 code, and then clearing it out, it's just an annoyance - but one that I'd like to clear up if it's not going to be like brain surgery. And if it's an actual VSS failure, it's just a $30 part and 20 minutes to change it out.

 

My mechanic said he had a Similar code. He said that his car would shift erratically, he was getting some sort of speed code, i cant recall which one it was, but he had to replace the speedometer because its all electronic?

 

Many analog clusters have this problem, if your cruise works it is not the VSS. It is the speedo head in the cluster, had this same problem and a new cluster fixed it. If your cruise is not working replace the VSS first and probelm should go away. I even figured out how to roll back mileage if you can't get an exact or close mileage cluster. Take it apart and the wheel that controls the trip on the right, roll it backwards. The mileage will start to roll back, it takes a while but works fine. Going forward is alot easier than going backwards, and it is undectable when done.

 

The point I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to get insight into, "if" the failure mode of the VSS is intermittant (i.e., for only a split second), by the time you first notice the CEL illuminated both the speedo and cruise control my be operating perfectly allright.

 

I'm with you Curt,Anyway how much $$ is a Vehicle Speed Sensor??where can i get one besides going to the dealer,is it easy to install??

 

It's like $30 and change at courtesy nissan (shipped).

 

Hey Curt,Can't find it,Can you post a link to that page(site) for me?THANKS!!!

 

What I have been told if your cruise works all the time with no problems your VSS is fine. These 95-97 maxima/i30 clusters have problems sticking either because of the numbers and/or the little plastic wheels they spin on get stuck temporarly. If your VSS isn't working you can tell by the way it shifts and cruise won't work.

 

OK so I have a similar problem... I have the VSS code but the cruise works most of the time (90%). I replaced the VSS to no avail. Guess I got to go with tightening the screws first then new cluster.

 

http://www.courtesyparts.com/

 

Can't find the VSS on that site,can you post the page with the VSS? THANKS AGAIN!!!

 

Probably easier to go to the dealer, ask and order

 

There's a toll-free number!!!!!

 

I am willing to bet money it is the cluster, they are crap 95-97 maxima/I30s they always get stuck. Take it apart and make sure the plastic wheels spin freely and have that yellow grease on the gears, if not add a tiny bit and spin. Tighten all the screws and check all the connections and wires on the harness. I had the same problem, fixed the cluster and problem was gone. My cruise worked, if yours does not or only sometimes check the connection on the trans and check all the wiring going back for breaks. It is usually the cluster speedo head that is the culprit of this problem.

 

Vehicle Speed Sensor 32702-32U00 (Also known as pinion assembly)
Bolted on top of transaxle, $25 part.

Been there, done that.
Mine was throwing CEL 500, and occasional CEL 600 code, too.
Speedo and odometer continued to work fine, as did the cruise control.
Got tired of staring at CEL, and tired of hooking up scanner and clearing it (kept scanner under seat for convenience).
Started by removing cluster, cleaning it all up, applied DeoxIT and ProGold G100L to the screw contacts and harness connectors, and reassembled. Hello, CEL.

Replaced VSS (32702-32U00). Great!! NO codes, and able to pass DEQ inspection.

Month later, all started over again.
Put old VSS back on, CEL came on within 100 miles.
Put 'new' VSS on, CEL on within 100 miles.

Bought a used gauge cluster (131,000 miles) off flEaBAY, changed out cluster, CEL came on.
Cleaned up the speedo head really well, and tried again. CEL
Seller probably unloading his defective unit (though he stated it worked fine when he took it out months earlier).

After 6 months, tired of looking at CEL and clearing, found and bought another flEaBAY cluster (84,000 miles on this one). Same results . . . CEL . . . obviously I am too-oo stupid to learn from past experience.

Months later, still frustrated, last resort was remove the CEL bulb itself, or simply break down and buy new speedo from dealership.
Arrived in 2 weeks, odo preset to original mileage when ordered (169000).
>>>>>> Dealership will not order without verification of odometer <<<<<<
>>>>>> Tried 5 different Nissan dealerships, all same response <<<<<<

Installed new unit, and CEL never reappeared.
3 months and $340 poorer, but no more frustrating CEL

Got a couple clusters I should sell (Haven't done so yet as I fear doing wrong to a fellow Max.org member) on flEabAY, of course, and a spare speed sensor.

 

Wow...I've never had to go through what you did. I guess I was lucky.

 

Hey MiniMax,Do you get any trouble taking it(VSS) out,cause i'm having trouble taking it out,it's stuck in there,any tips??

 

Well, after starting to get occassional times when the Cruise Control (CC) wouldn't engage, as well as a few time when it would disengage on its own (but no obvious malfunction of the speedo), and throughtout this the only OBDII code I'de gotten has been a 500, I went ahead a installed a new VSS. Within a week I got the code again and based upon the posts to my initial startup of this thread, I started thinking in terms of the speedo connections that guys have suggested as a problem/solution.
Ten days ago I removed the instrument cluster and cleaned up all of the contacts on the back of the speedo, and so far, so good. I did a couple of other things while I had it out, but not wanting to jump the gun, I'll give it a month or so to see if the problem's been really solved before getting into explaining the things I did.
Curt

 

Curt, or anyone that has just cleaned the speedo head, has just the cleaning mamaged to fix the problem?

I am going through the same thing right now with mine. Can't pass emissions because it's pulling a P0500 code. I have a manual so the tranny isn't shifting wierd. I never saw the check engine light come on because it was burnt out the whole time! I brought it to a repair shop and they replaced the VSS. Took the car home and 10 miles down the road CEL comes on. So i brought it back to the shop and he checked the connections, reseated the VSS, and we took it for about a 30 mile trip, no problems. We get it back to the shop, tried hooking it up to the OBD scanner for emissions testing, giving not ready's, but no P0500. So I took it home and was going to put some miles/starts stops on it to collect some data. About 10 miles down the road I got the CEL again!!

Now i am starting to wonder. So i searched and searched and found this thread. But i am not looking forward to buying a speedo head from the dealer!!!

My cruise has been intermitent since i have had the car. Would sometimes engage, and sometimes not. When it would engage it would work fine for a while and randomly stop, with the "Cruise" light flashing at me, and not re-engage. Also a while back when i first got the car, the speedo worked fine, but the mileage wouldn't register. Not a bad thing i guess, but after a few hundred miles it started working again. Never thought about it again until now.

Also for those of you who have had to get the speedo head, did you find any one dealer cheaper than another?

 

Well, my cleanup of the cluster & speedo head contacts lasted about one more week before getting another 500 CEL code. So I picked up another instrument cluster (actually, with 35K fewer miles on it), and it's been about 3 weeks now without throwing a code. Long and short of it is (at least so far), change the speedo.