Last try...

[BOOYAHGRANDMA]

Hello guys/gals I am gonna give this forum one last try. I have searched for the answer and done my home work and still can not figure this out. I own a 1998 ford ranger 2.5 5 speed , I am getting code P0500 and also have a speedo and odometer that are not working. I have changed the sensor on the diff with no change of curant problem. Testing the with an ohm meter I am getting 1.08 out of the diff sensor and 1.40 out of the wirring pluging into the sensor , also checking under the divers side door I am getting 1.40 out of the cab. , all the fuses have been checked with a test light and they are all fine , also have swaped around relays and still nothing. both the code and non working speedo and odometer came to life after the battery was disconted to reset an after market viper alarm. Any help at all to point me in the right directiong would be awsome...

 

[Mark_88]

Since I don't have OBD on my truck I'm at a loss as to what the code means...but if you contact a Ford Dealership they will be able to tell you what the code means...not sure where else you can get a list of the codes because I've never needed to check them...

However, having said that...when my Zuki had a busted speedometer cable I got codes and CEL because the speedo was connected to the computer and was required to give proper feedback for the sensors...so my first guess (I'm allowed three, actually) would be the code means your speedo is throwing your computer off and needs to be fixed...

Short of that...I hope someone who knows the codes can chip in for you...

 

[flaminranger]

try here:http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/

 

[BOOYAHGRANDMA]

^^Thanks for the link... but really does not help

 

[trail B2]

The code is vehicle speed senser a.Sorry I don't know more.

 

[feellnfroggy]

Like he said, find the vehicle speed sensor and check it out. Not the gear that goes in the tranny, but there should be a sensor attached to that gear somewhere along the line. It most likely needs cleaned or replaced.

 

[Bryan22]

book says 98 and later models don't have a vss on the trans, but i'd look anyways. If you don't have one on the trans, it could be a wiring problem from the vss to the PCM or a problem with the PCM itself. good luck.

 

[BOOYAHGRANDMA]

^^ Good try on trying to help but my truck only has one sensor, and that sensor is located on the rear of the diff. earlier models have two sensors , one of which is gear driven and one that is not , but 98 and newer do not have two sensors unless you refer to the 4wd models. I understand that p0500 is a speed sensor malfuntion i am just trying to figure out where and whats causing it?

 

[scotts90ranger]

take the sensor on the axle off, stick your finger in the hole and make sure you feel the tone ring, if it fell off or something that would make it not work...

 

[BOOYAHGRANDMA]

^ Tone ring seems to be fine , but if it would of fallen off or broke I think that the ABS light would of poped on and the rear end would be making noise. also just to make sure it was in working order I pulled the pigtale off the sensor on the diff and indeed the ABS light does come on , with it all pluged back in no abs light....

 

[Kenneth S]

I'd look into that alarm system, those things allways seem to cause more electrical problems than anything. There's no telling what wires got screwed-up by those "installers".

 

[satan]

Well... both systems share the same fuse and get data from the ABS module. And since your ABS light isn't on, I'd say that the sensor itself would be working OK (or your ABS fuse is torched), just not for both of the systems that use it (good for ABS data, but no speed interpolation for the dash) ; also, I'm not reading anything about driveability ... VSS data from teh ABS is fed to the GEM and is used for some of the engine/vehicle load calculations (if you had an auto this would be even MORE noticeable) -- so, here's a few thoughts from my garage:

I'm sure that you've checked the fuses, since this started as a power-reboot (right?), and everything including the alarm is functioning perfectly. (I'd suspect that whatever wire the alarm uses to sense power in the "run" position has caused your fault.

Additionally, the P0500 can relate to the Ignition switch not fully returning" to the "run" position after moving to start. There's a TSB (012113) on this, but related to a sitcky key-in switch in the ignition cylinder, so it's likely not your issue, but the shared symptom does again point to a missing "run" voltage...

Question: does your ABS light illuminate at startup (you know, that self-check / lamp-test) ??


If the sensor was bad or faulty - you'd see an ABS fault light. (no mention of it, so I'm assuming no ABS fault light) -- The ABS data feeds te GEM, which drives your Speedo and Odo... If there is NO power to the ABS, the GEM sees no VSS data (P0500 code from the GEM) -- so checking the ABS fuse and other "power on" fuses is relevant --

Since this comes from a battery spike (reboot), it could also have messed-up the GEM, if this was done with the key in "Run" position.


Just thinking out my fingers here, but a good look into the alarm connection (for power in the RUN position) may help you to track this down.


Good luck, eh


EDIT -- Just re-read and saw that you DO get an ABS light with the sensor out -- so look instead at the signal path from the ABS to GEM ... and chase that damned alarm wiring!)

 

[BOOYAHGRANDMA]

^^ Thanks for the input , I will get back into it tonight and see what I find relating to the alarm set up. Other than the trucks speedo and odometer not working averything else seems to be in fine working order. Testing from the rear of the truck all the way to inside the cab where it plugs into the GEM I have the same ohm reading 1.4 what is messing with me a little bit though is opposite the GEM behing the radio bezel there is the ABS modular , with it unpluged I get 1.4 going into the GEM but once its pluged back in the reading drops to .06 , I will retest later today to make sure I was not over looking something upon my last ohm reading. Thanks again for the input everyone its helping...

 

[modelageek]

Hello guys/gals I am gonna give this forum one last try. I have searched for the answer and done my home work and still can not figure this out. I own a 1998 ford ranger 2.5 5 speed , I am getting code P0500 and also have a speedo and odometer that are not working. I have changed the sensor on the diff with no change of curant problem. Testing the with an ohm meter I am getting 1.08 out of the diff sensor and 1.40 out of the wirring pluging into the sensor , also checking under the divers side door I am getting 1.40 out of the cab. , all the fuses have been checked with a test light and they are all fine , also have swaped around relays and still nothing. both the code and non working speedo and odometer came to life after the battery was disconted to reset an after market viper alarm. Any help at all to point me in the right directiong would be awsome...

I vaguely remember reading something about harness under the truck affecting this issue......there are 2 wiring harness under the truck right buy the fuel filter. take a look and see if anything looks strange?.....

 

[runningslow]

I had an issue with my '97 (still with a VSS on the tranny, unlike your '98) where the speedo and odometer didn't work. In my case, it appeared to have been a bad ground. I cleaned up all the grounds from the battery and the ECU and the problem was fixed. I sanded all mine down as best I could and slathered everything with some dielectric grease.

If I read the original post correctly, you said things worked again (even just briefly) after the battery was disconnected. You might want to check that all your grounds are making good contact.

EDIT. Oh yeah, and when my speedo/odometer were acting erractic, I didn't have any other problems. All other gauges were fine.