2000 windstar cluster problems or vss problem

[skiter29]

i just bought a 2000 ford windstar everthing seems to be ok but cluster or vss sensor this is what up . abs light is on trac off light is on ok so when i drive the tac seems to be ok temp ok speedodomer will almost hit 40 but will not go any further than that thought that was it but the odometer is off just drove to a town that i know is exactly 15 miles from where i live when i got there the odometer was off by about 7 miles and trip odometer was off by that much not a mechanic at all but doing some reading what am i looking at also not sure if its related or differnt problem but seems to miss sometimes and sometimes not

[tomj76]

A faulty VSS usually causes transmission shifting issues as well.

If your 2000 has an electronic instrument cluster, then the odometer is counting the pulses sent out by the VSS while the speedometer is measuring how many pulses per second.

The cruse control uses the VSS output as well.

I don't remember if the ABS does.

[skiter29]

The cruise works dosnt seem to have transmission shifting issues

[tomj76]

If the cruise works OK, then my guess would be to look at the cluster unit. I don't know the details of what's inside the cluster, but my guess is that there is a circuit board that takes the VSS signal and processes it for the odometer and the speedometer.

There could be a broken/intermittent connection the VSS signal, or the circuit itself might have a problem. Sometimes re-flowing the solder connections on the board (if you have the tools to do that) can correct a problem like this.

[scubacat]

It's a bad ABS sensor. The front two ABS sensors are actually what report the speed to the speedometer, not the VSS. Hook up a scan tool that can read that ABS code and it'll tell you which one it is. I had the same symptom, myself, and that's exactly what it was.

If you don't have the correct scan tool, just drop by an auto parts store and they'll scan it for you for free.

[tomj76]

"The front two ABS sensors are actually what report the speed to the speedometer, not the VSS." Interesting. I think that's a change from the '96 model year, which is the model year of my vehicle and documentation.

Thanks for the clarification.

[scubacat]

It could be different. A LOT changed from the gen1 (95-98) to gen2s (99-03)

[wiswind]

My '96 was mechanical (cable) for the speedometer and electronic for the computer.
I had the shifting issues and a blinking OD light on the gear select lever when my VSS went out. Not an easy part to get to to change out!