Stupid Vehicle Speed Sensor
03-22-2007, 03:57 PM
#1
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Stupid Vehicle Speed Sensor
Wow, it's been a really long time since I've actually started a thread...probably close to six months or so.
No real questions just a rant. A year and a half ago my CEL tripped after spending the night after a party. No real reason it seemed, it just came on while driving. Come to find out that it was 0104, the code for the VSS. My cruise control stopped working well, but I could always get it to work. Things like resume accel didn't work though, and it wouldn't set a new cruise without me first cancelling the original cruise speed. I found a used VSS off of a 99 with 50k miles for a good price, since I didn't want to pay close to $300 for one from Nissan.
At first I didn't replace the harness, so when I first replaced just the sensor, nothing changed except cruise might have been a little bit better and less inconsistent. I finally got around the replacing the harness, and it seemed like my cruise control issues had been resolved. The CEL came back though, and I just walked outside my apartment to check it since I had nothing better to do.
I still have the VSS code...
My cruise control works, my speedometer and tach work, the odometer and trip odo work, so wtf is my Maxima whining about? I was hoping that when I go to sell the car this summer, that I wouldn't have a CEL, but looks like I'm just going to have to refer the new buyer to the vbmaxima website so that he knows the code, and can tell all the sht still works.
I was happy though yesterday when I went to buy Redline MT-90 LOCALLY (I've never heard of such a thing) mostly for my 240 but also to fill my Maxima's 5MT up a little, and got it for $7.95/qt...about 2 bones less than you can get straight from Redline (I called since I forgot I originally ordered from myoilshop.com), and I got to save on shipping.
This probably won't get any replies, but I was bored and wanting to vent
No real questions just a rant. A year and a half ago my CEL tripped after spending the night after a party. No real reason it seemed, it just came on while driving. Come to find out that it was 0104, the code for the VSS. My cruise control stopped working well, but I could always get it to work. Things like resume accel didn't work though, and it wouldn't set a new cruise without me first cancelling the original cruise speed. I found a used VSS off of a 99 with 50k miles for a good price, since I didn't want to pay close to $300 for one from Nissan.
At first I didn't replace the harness, so when I first replaced just the sensor, nothing changed except cruise might have been a little bit better and less inconsistent. I finally got around the replacing the harness, and it seemed like my cruise control issues had been resolved. The CEL came back though, and I just walked outside my apartment to check it since I had nothing better to do.
I still have the VSS code...
My cruise control works, my speedometer and tach work, the odometer and trip odo work, so wtf is my Maxima whining about? I was hoping that when I go to sell the car this summer, that I wouldn't have a CEL, but looks like I'm just going to have to refer the new buyer to the vbmaxima website so that he knows the code, and can tell all the sht still works.
I was happy though yesterday when I went to buy Redline MT-90 LOCALLY (I've never heard of such a thing) mostly for my 240 but also to fill my Maxima's 5MT up a little, and got it for $7.95/qt...about 2 bones less than you can get straight from Redline (I called since I forgot I originally ordered from myoilshop.com), and I got to save on shipping.
This probably won't get any replies, but I was bored and wanting to vent
03-22-2007, 04:50 PM
#2
Hey I'll rant with ya Lou. Along with all the other little stuff I need to take care of, my CEL came on today on my way to work for a rear O2 sensor. No one locally has one in stock, so thanks to my 108 mile daily commute I'll probably go through 3 or 4 tanks of $3/gal gas with crappy mileage before I get a new one! Woohoo!
I think I'll stick it on the side of the road tomorrow and see if I can get a quick $3500 for it or something.
edit- Did you get that Redline at Emerson in the city?
I think I'll stick it on the side of the road tomorrow and see if I can get a quick $3500 for it or something.
edit- Did you get that Redline at Emerson in the city?
03-23-2007, 09:18 AM
#4
Speed sensor . . . getting an OBDII 500 and/or 600?
Many have shared your same scenerio . . .
Speedo, odometer, cruise work (sometimes cruise works intermittantly)
OBDII 500, sometimes accompanied with OBDII 600
Replace speed sensor at transmission ($25) . . . problem goes away for a week, then reappears.
It's most likely the infamous speedometer head internal speed sensor.
Replace the speedo head ($400 from Nissan, $50 on EBay), reset CEL, and life is good.
And by the way, m-a-n-y (wouldn't say all) of the gauge clusters sold on EBay are being sold because they were the original clusters that were swapped out (because of CEL) . . . you are buying their flawed unit. I bought 2 off EBay (different sellers), both exhibited same speed sensor flaw . . . ended up buying from Nissan ($370) and problem gone.
Good Luck . . . I DIDN'T sell the defective ones I bought.
I wouldn't do that to another Max owner.
Many have shared your same scenerio . . .
Speedo, odometer, cruise work (sometimes cruise works intermittantly)
OBDII 500, sometimes accompanied with OBDII 600
Replace speed sensor at transmission ($25) . . . problem goes away for a week, then reappears.
It's most likely the infamous speedometer head internal speed sensor.
Replace the speedo head ($400 from Nissan, $50 on EBay), reset CEL, and life is good.
And by the way, m-a-n-y (wouldn't say all) of the gauge clusters sold on EBay are being sold because they were the original clusters that were swapped out (because of CEL) . . . you are buying their flawed unit. I bought 2 off EBay (different sellers), both exhibited same speed sensor flaw . . . ended up buying from Nissan ($370) and problem gone.
Good Luck . . . I DIDN'T sell the defective ones I bought.
I wouldn't do that to another Max owner.
03-23-2007, 09:24 AM
#5
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Thanks for the reply Minimax, and here I thought I wouldn't learn anything new. I'll keep a lookout for a new guage cluster if I feel ambitious. I appreciate the reply.
Edit: I don't run codes using a scan tool, I do the "blinking light code retreival" method. So my code was 01-04 (1 slow and 4 fast).
Edit: I don't run codes using a scan tool, I do the "blinking light code retreival" method. So my code was 01-04 (1 slow and 4 fast).
03-30-2007, 02:25 PM
#7
Hey Fellow Max Drivers,
My cruise quit working yesterday, but speedo, and all that other crap works fine. I got the 0104 code, checked it out, and figured I would just get a NAPA VSS, (27.00 bucks VS 147.00 at the Stealer!) Then I found this thread so now, according to what I am reading here.....seems you guys are saying I may be wasting my time?
Cruise worked FINE until yesterday then I went to re-engage it and it just quit. I did get it to work one more time by romping on the gas once, (I was on the interstate) I figured it was just a screwed up cable or something at the time, really didn't worry about it, but it only worked that one more time, soon as I dis-engaged it, it would not re-engage again. Whats the general opinion on this problem?
I did read a thread about a NISSAN TSB on a cable bundle that says the VSS wires are in that particular bundle, (along with some other sensor wiring), and it was suggested to put a meter on the wires prior to buying a VSS as it's known to be a problem cable (90 degree turn in it). I also found my main grounding cable from the battery to the block to be in pretty bad shape and am going to replace that too just on general principle. ANYWAY any suggestions on this problem? (other that what is already here?)
Thanks,
John
My cruise quit working yesterday, but speedo, and all that other crap works fine. I got the 0104 code, checked it out, and figured I would just get a NAPA VSS, (27.00 bucks VS 147.00 at the Stealer!) Then I found this thread so now, according to what I am reading here.....seems you guys are saying I may be wasting my time?
Cruise worked FINE until yesterday then I went to re-engage it and it just quit. I did get it to work one more time by romping on the gas once, (I was on the interstate) I figured it was just a screwed up cable or something at the time, really didn't worry about it, but it only worked that one more time, soon as I dis-engaged it, it would not re-engage again. Whats the general opinion on this problem?
I did read a thread about a NISSAN TSB on a cable bundle that says the VSS wires are in that particular bundle, (along with some other sensor wiring), and it was suggested to put a meter on the wires prior to buying a VSS as it's known to be a problem cable (90 degree turn in it). I also found my main grounding cable from the battery to the block to be in pretty bad shape and am going to replace that too just on general principle. ANYWAY any suggestions on this problem? (other that what is already here?)
Thanks,
John
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