Back to Basics - P0500 Vehicle Speed Sensor

[BlckCat]

Maybe I'm just confusing you with uneducated answers, I apologise.

The reading comes from plugging in to the OBD11 and reading the CEL that came up, further than I do not know.

I'll plug a sensor in and see what happens.

Is it in anyway possible that this lack of speed calculation is leading to the levelling complication too?

I'm so exasperated with this.

[Searayjba]

Not sure if this helps but I have a 1999 Cat and have the factory manuals. They indicate the speed signal for the speedo, TCS and ABS come from the VSS located on the transmission, through the ETBCM. I also got the 0500 code on my code reader. Replaced the VSS on the trany without success. Now looking at the ETBCM.
If your speedo doesn't work and you have TCS and ABS lights on I would start looking at the ETBCM.

[BlckCat]

I absolutely do appreciate the advice, all of it, but sadly, thus far, I have been through 2 refurbished EBTCM's, (the second under warranty) and a new transmission VSS.

The upshot is I no longer have an ABS light out, just TRACS and all things speed related, but the P0500 code.

No one will ever persuade me this did not stem from the fitment of a remote starter, but, I have no means of knowing that.

OK my dumb question of the day, could anything have been knocked loose, in terms of feed to the speedo, behind the dashboard, ok ok, well I did say it was dumb.

I'm trying a new rear ABS sensor on thursday to see if that changes it, but I have little faith in anything Catera right now.

Thanks again!!

[Marks DTM Calib]

The manuals you have are wrong then.....the TIS software for this vehicle clearly states that the vehicle speed signal is derived from the rear ABS/TC sensors to avoid the requirement to have to setup the speedo etc for different gearbox/diff setups....

...this is backed up by my own findings in the last few years.

The biggest probelm you seem to have with this car is a lack of knowledge from the people fixing it (i.e. the repair agents)....I am not convinced they are reading the correct fault codes.

I would not be surprised if the new rear sensor fixed the fault and was the route cause of the trouble.

[BlckCat]

Mark,

Doing exactly as you suggest, and the sensor will be replaced, well when the offending one is located by testing the new one.

One question which came to mind, if the rear ABS sensor is the cause of the problem and you are absolutely spot on about the lack of knowledge base on this particular car by my very nice local mechanic, would the ABS light not be out as well as TRACs, or is that not necessarily the case?

Thanks again for all your help!!

Mick

[BlckCat]

One day to sensor countdown, and hopefully to resolution!!

Given the frigid weather here, I am waiting till the car is inside and up on a ramp before I investigate the levelling connector on the trailing arm.

As an aside, having discovered that the EBTCM was fine and being in receipt of 2 refurbished and warrantied units, I will head over to the classifieds to help both myself and someone else out I hope.

Fingers crossed on the ABS sensor.

[BlckCat]

I give in, I'm defeated and at a time when I needed to start thinking about selling the car because of moving back to the UK...

EBTCM - done

VSS - done

Rear Sensor - done

TRAC light - ON
Speedo - NONE

I hate this car with a passion now