1998 mercury sable I need to replace the vss and need to know of any way to do it without taking down the y-pipe to the converter.the car has alot of rust on bolts and i dont want to have to go and replace them.also,can i do this without a carlift.and last of all where is it exactly?a diagram would be helpful

1997 Mercury Sable LS VSS Vehicle Control Sensor ...

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Jun 1, 2012 - Uploaded by Trevor Harris
I am trying to replace my Vehicle Control Sensor on my 1997Mercury Sable LS 3.0 Liter. Here's the ...

I would check the V S S or v Vehicle Speed Sensor

• OPERATION
• TESTING
• REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Print

OPERATION

See Figure 1

Fig. Fig. 1: VSS with connector and driven gear
The Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) is a magnetic pick-up sensor that sends a signal to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the speedometer. The sensor measures the rotation of the output shaft on the transaxle and sends an AC voltage signal to the PCM which determines the corresponding vehicle speed.

TESTING

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Disengage the wiring harness connector from the VSS.
3. Using a Digital Volt-Ohmmeter (DVOM), measure the resistance (ohmmeter function) between the sensor terminals. If the resistance is 190-250 ohms, the sensor is okay.

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
3. Remove the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
4. Unplug the VSS electrical connector.
5. Remove the VSS protective heat shield.
6. Remove the retaining bolt from the VSS.
7. Lift the VSS out of the transaxle.
8. Remove the driven gear retainer and the drive gear.

To install:

1. Inspect the O-ring on the sensor and replace if necessary.
2. Install the driven gear and the retainer.
3. Place the VSS into the transaxle.
4. Tighten the retaining bolt to 36-53 inch lbs. (4-6 Nm).
5. Install the VSS protective heat shield.
6. Attach the VSS electrical connector.
7. Install the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
8. Lower the vehicle.
9. Connect the negative battery cable.
ehichle speed sensor.

Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) Removal

1. Raise and suitably support vehicle.
   

1. Remove dual converter Y-pipe from exhaust system. -
   
2. Remove heat shield from transaxle.
   

1. Disconnect vehicle speed sensor (VSS) electrical connector.
   

1. Remove VSS retaining bolt and remove VSS from transaxle.
   

Installation

1. Follow removal procedure in reverse order.
   

1. Tighten VSS retaining bolt to 5-8 Nm (45-70 lb-in).
   
   
   
   

Hello wsarah03,

There is a Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) mounted on the transaxle, that is a good place to start. The VSS tells the powertrain management system when and how to shift the transmission and also gives the speedometer it's signal.

From your description that the speedometer quit working at the same time I would suspect the a faulty VSS.

Regards,
netvan

You're going to need to replace the harness.

You will, in all probability have to get under the car to see it-you have one in front of the catalytic converter (each side) and one behind the cat (it doesn't really affect how the car runs, it only monitors the car efficency)-the O2 sensors are perpendicular to the exhaust pipe and have a 4-wire harness connected to it. they look like this:

http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1998/ford/taurus/fuel_injection/oxygen_sensor.html

On the transmission.

Removal & Installation 3.0L (Except SHO) To Remove:

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
3. Remove the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
4. Unplug the vehicle speed sensor VSS electrical connector.
5. Remove the VSS protective heat shield.
6. Remove the retaining bolt from the VSS.
7. Lift the VSS out of the transaxle.
8. Remove the driven gear retainer and the drive gear.

To Install:

1. Inspect the O-ring on the sensor and replace if necessary.
2. Install the driven gear and the retainer.
3. Place the VSS into the transaxle.
4. Tighten the retaining bolt to 36-53 in lbs. (4-6 Nm).
5. Install the VSS protective heat shield.
6. Attach the VSS electrical connector.
7. Install the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
8. Lower the vehicle.
9. Connect the negative battery cable.

This is what it looks like:

VSS with connector and driven gear

Here's the steps on getting to it and replacing it:

Removal & Installation

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
   
2. Raise and support the vehicle.
   
3. Remove the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
   
4. Unplug the VSS electrical connector.
   
5. Remove the VSS protective heat shield.
   
6. Remove the retaining bolt from the VSS.
   
7. Lift the VSS out of the transaxle.
   
8. Remove the driven gear retainer and the drive gear.
   

To install:

1. Inspect the O-ring on the sensor and replace if necessary.
   
2. Install the driven gear and the retainer.
   
3. Place the VSS into the transaxle.
   
4. Tighten the retaining bolt to 36-53 inch lbs. (4-6 Nm).
   
5. Install the VSS protective heat shield.
   
6. Attach the VSS electrical connector.
   
7. Install the catalytic converter Y-pipe.
   
8. Lower the vehicle.
   
9. Connect the negative battery cable.
   

first of all, the power steering pump doesn't stop working and then start working usually they are just bad. second of all it shouldn't take 3 hrs to change speed sensor, and last the vss could cause all symptoms, if the car has variable assist steering the speed sensor could effect this

Check the transmission fluid first. it sounds like one of the clutch plates is sticking.

If you shift into second after you've stopped, can you get the car moving?