wel that's odd...do i have a VSS1? Speedo/tacho/odo failed, rest of cluster ok.

[theizzardking]

i woke this morning, started the truck, let her warm up for about 5mins and dropped it into reverse hear something snap and watched my speedo/tach and odo die... gas/4wd and battery instruments are still doing fine, from what i can find there's a sensor on teh back of the t-case that needs to be replaced, but that was mentioned on a '95, i haven;t seen anyone with this issue on a 3rd gen, you guys got any ideas as whats going on and if this is what i really need to do, this sucks, i can no longer do 5mph over, i'm having to cruise in the middle lane to keep my speed in check!

diagrams,links anything would be of help, this seems to be a very odd thing since google is keeping the results limited...esp with the mention of a 3rd gen ....

 

[Doc2012]

I can tell you from personal experience the ODO/Speedo work off the ABS. I plan on doing a write up on my experience, just need to get around to doing it.

You need a VSS from a NON-ABS Taco.

As for the Tach, I have no clue man.

Sorry I can't be much more help than that.

 

[theizzardking]

I can tell you from personal experience the ODO/Speedo work off the ABS. I plan on doing a write up on my experience, just need to get around to doing it.

You need a VSS from a NON-ABS Taco.

As for the Tach, I have no clue man.

Sorry I can't be much more help than that.

no worries keep me in the loop, anything is better than nothing ;-)

even just you saying VSS help to confirm that i'm heading in teh right direction, i'm used to crappy little plastic gears being broken off in the NPxxx series of t-cases in the jeeps....i think i'd prefer that right about now....

 

[Doc2012]

I know that '99s with ABS do NOT have a VSS. You'll have to get one out of a Taco without ABS, and wire it into the speedo.

If you notice your gas gauge going all squirley, like dropping when you hit the brakes and floating all over, it's because the speedo isn't working.

Don't ask me why. It just does that. I fixed my speedo, and it fixes the tank.

Is the truck shifting alright? You can either use a GPS or your phone. I had to for about 2 months. :/

 

[J-money$$$]

No 3rd gens with abs have a VSS. All the speedo works on is the abs system. You can retrofit a tacoma VSS into a 3rd gen. look at some SAS builds on Pirate for the infer on that. good luck

 

[theizzardking]

No 3rd gens with abs have a VSS. All the speedo works on is the abs system. You can retrofit a tacoma VSS into a 3rd gen. look at some SAS builds on Pirate for the infer on that. good luck

i guess this leads me to ask, what's really going on and what do i erally need to replace, you guys are obviously telling me to retro-fit for a reason, i;d just like to know why, how hard is it and how $$$$ to fix the stock issues if i just fix what's already there, why are people seeking out the vss sensor from a taco instead of just fixing the issue....whatever that maybe, i'm not sure as how the abs pulls the speed, it obviously has to be with the abs ring somehow but is it a sensor or a mechanical gear that picks this up?

 

[Doc2012]

Sent ya a PM. If you want to call, I can explain it easier.

 

[Doc2012]

Ok, so I thought about this, as well as your questions.

I'm not telling you that you NEED to add a VSS. That is an option for you.

I NEEDED a VSS because I lost my ABS. When I did the manual hub swap and the manual t-case swap, I lost the front ABS, and when I did the 8.4 and Chevy swap I lost the rear ABS. Before I did the rear swap, my ABS would work, except when I hit a large bump. Then the speedo would stop working, I'd shut the truck off, start it back up, and it'd be fine.

The ABS sensors also run the speedo, by way of the ABS ring. It's a dual system. Why Toyota did that, I don't know, but they did. There is a wire that runs to the back of the speedometer, that also runs to the ABS computer. The wire is a grey wire with a yellow stripe, IIRC.

Now, there could be a couple reasons you lost your speedo. The sensors could have broke, gone bad, or you could have lost a wire somewhere. Something could be grounding out. Or you could've lost your ABS computer, located under the passenger left kick panel.

Is your ABS light on? Does the ABS work correctly? Any check engine lights? If your speedo isn't working, you should be throwing a code for the speedometer and the ABS. If not, then it very might be something with the gauge cluster and not the electrical system.

The VSS is an easy way to bypass the ABS system running the speedometer. If you're running a different gearing, you'll need a Dakota Digital speed corrector, which is 85 bucks.

I hope that helps ya out. If you've got any questions, you've got my number, give me a call and we can see what we can do to trouble shoot the problem.

 

[theizzardking]

Ok, so I thought about this, as well as your questions.

I'm not telling you that you NEED to add a VSS. That is an option for you.

I NEEDED a VSS because I lost my ABS. When I did the manual hub swap and the manual t-case swap, I lost the front ABS, and when I did the 8.4 and Chevy swap I lost the rear ABS. Before I did the rear swap, my ABS would work, except when I hit a large bump. Then the speedo would stop working, I'd shut the truck off, start it back up, and it'd be fine.

The ABS sensors also run the speedo, by way of the ABS ring. It's a dual system. Why Toyota did that, I don't know, but they did. There is a wire that runs to the back of the speedometer, that also runs to the ABS computer. The wire is a grey wire with a yellow stripe, IIRC.

Now, there could be a couple reasons you lost your speedo. The sensors could have broke, gone bad, or you could have lost a wire somewhere. Something could be grounding out. Or you could've lost your ABS computer, located under the passenger left kick panel.

Is your ABS light on? Does the ABS work correctly? Any check engine lights? If your speedo isn't working, you should be throwing a code for the speedometer and the ABS. If not, then it very might be something with the gauge cluster and not the electrical system.

The VSS is an easy way to bypass the ABS system running the speedometer. If you're running a different gearing, you'll need a Dakota Digital speed corrector, which is 85 bucks.

I hope that helps ya out. If you've got any questions, you've got my number, give me a call and we can see what we can do to trouble shoot the problem.

thanks for this post it gives me a bit of diagnostic work to do, no lights in the dash no code lights at least...., yet odo still displays though it looks skewed , and gas and battery gauge is solid... i'm going out to fool around with the abs at one point today to see if it's still working .

i would have given you a ring last night but didn't get home till to late for you,

 

[theizzardking]

so the truck is now at the shop because i was driving in to work this morning and she just up and died on me, managed to limp 100 yards at a time to the shop, still no lights in dash as if code has been thrown or anything , i will report back....sucks because i was going to look at it tonight when i got home...it was driving fine for the last 2 days with this issue, and then all of the sudden a little sputter and then dead......ffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

 

[Doc2012]

Hmmmm. Maybe a fuel pump or something.
Maybe your ECU going bad?