# Psycho Speedometer (Vehicle Speed Sensor?)

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** escort, speedometer, ford\
**Created:** [January 11, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262 "2008-01-11T00:49:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BigSeester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BigSeester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BigSeester)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262/1 "2008-01-11T00:49:55Z")

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Hi All:  
  
  
  
 I have been having a problem with my 97 Escort. Based on some reading I have done on this board, I think my VSS is dying on me. (The speedometer will drop to zero, and then fluctuate randomly, regardless of how fast I am actually traveling.)  
  
  
  
 My questions are as follows:  
  
  
  
 1. How expensive a fix is this?  
  
 2. What would happen to the car if I didn’t fix it immediately?  
  
  
  
 3. When this happens, and I have to stop (at a traffic light for example), as I get REALLY slow (probably 10 MPH or lower) the car will give a little jerk. This is a gear related jerk, nothing to do with the brakes. Is that part of the same thrilling issue, or is it something totally unrelated?  
  
  
  
 Any help you can give me would be much appreciated!  
  
  
  
 The Big Seester

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**Author:** ![Opera\_House](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@Opera\_House](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Opera_House)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262/2 "2008-01-11T04:08:04Z")

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Not familiar with the Escort, but Fords of this age do use the VSS to control the transmission.

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**Author:** ![BigSeester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BigSeester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BigSeester)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262/3 "2008-01-11T14:15:03Z")

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OK, so no transmission would be bad, I’m pretty sure.

Any ideas on the general cost of the repair? Are we talking $200, $400, $1000???

Thanks for any feedback!

The Big Seester

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**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262/4 "2008-01-11T14:58:55Z")

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i took my mazda p up in and it was 145 if i recall. 30 for the part, 115 for labor. BUT, different brands may cost different. then again, when you take it in, it may be diagnosed as something different.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/psycho-speedometer-vehicle-speed-sensor/9262/5 "2008-01-11T19:20:33Z")

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I’m not sure exactly how it’s set up in your escort, but usually even with the electronic speedos there’s still a regular mechanical speedometer cable, which is more likely to be faulty than the sensor itself.