Vehicle speed sensor

[stapo69]

Whilst driving into work this morning my speedo stopped working, needle dropped to 0 for about half a mile, then popped up and worked fine the rest of the way. Read the fault codes when I got here, brings up 16885, which is a vehicle speed sensor fault, my question is where is the speed sensor on my 98 S4? Cheap part, worth changing now? Or expensive, so just clean the connections etc. and keep an eye on it.

 

[Blue_Thunder]

I think the sensor is on the gearbox.

I noticed my speedo needle flutter a bit when cruising on the motorway a few months back. Hasn't happened since, but like everything on the S, i'm expecting it to break eventually!

 

[Siena]

The VSS is on the final drive cover - passenger side of gearbox, just above and in front of driveshaft flange, and reachable from engine compartment.

Not too expensive, sold a couple recently, but not sure exactly how much, will check. By all means, check the connector - it is a 3-pin plug, though the sensor only has 2 pins in it. Easy to replace too, just hope (and pray) it's not a faulty (cracked) magnetic pulse ring in the differential, though not expensive, replacement requires stripping down the driveshaft, (n/s) removal of drive flange, draining of tranny oil as the differential cover has to be removed to gain access...

 

[stapo69]

Smashing.....you can bet what it'll be then knowing my luck! I'll see if I can locate it later, see what's what and keep an eye on it, only happened the once so far, going for a long blast this afternoon so she how she fares then.