Toyota Camry: VSS – Circuit Malfunction

P0500 This OBDII code is used to troubleshoot the Toyota Camry‘s Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS). The VSS sends a signal to the engine’s computer letting it know how fast that the vehicle is going.

For many car functions, the Camry relies on this signal. It controls the transmission shifts as well as ABS and cruise control. It should be fixed as soon as possible.

Toyota Camry P0500 symptoms

Specific symptoms can vary depending upon the year of your vehicle and other factors. These are some of the most frequent symptoms for P0500.

• Tempoometer failure– Without a properly working vehicles speed sensor, the speedometer will not register any speed. It’ll just sit at 0 MPH while you are driving. It's the Odometer It may not be possible.
• Cruise Control failure– When a vehicle is not getting a signal from the VSS, it’ll not let the cruise control engage. This makes sense since it can’t control the speed when it doesn’t know how fast it is going.
• Harsh Shifts It is possible for the transmission to shift in a different way than usual.
• Anti-Lock Brakes– The Camry’s ABS may not work or could be compromised. VSS, one part of a more complex set of sensors keeps the wheels locked under high break pressure.

Toyota Camry: P0500 Causes

• Bad VSS– More often than not, when P0500 is thrown, replacing the Vehicle Speed Sensor will remedy the problem. They're It's also quite affordable.
• The Wiring Problem– Due to the location of the VSS, the wiring harness going from the vehicles computer to it can often become damaged and open/short out. The Camry may not be able tell what the VSS reads if this occurs. You can look at the harness from a safe distance. It should be plugged in every step. You can then check to make sure that no frayed wiring exists. Here’s How to Check for a Short (YouTube).
• Tires– On some vehicles, P0500 can be thrown if the tires have been swapped to a size that is different from the factory setting.

P0500 is the main reason that the code has been thrown almost all the time. The ECM/PCM could be bad. This is not the place you should be looking, but the final.

The wiring harness that leads to VSS can sometimes fail due to its location. Replacing the wiring harness without first inspecting can lead to a costly mistake.

Fixed Price: P0500

You should inspect the Wiring Harness first. If everything looks fine, you can take a closer look at VSS. Is there any visible damage to the VSS?

After you do that, (or before, if necessary), Good scan tool) it’s time to test the sensor and see if the VSS signal goes up and down with the vehicle speed. If it doesn’t, replacing the sensor could fix the problem. If it does, you’ll have to test the rest of the circuit.

Conclusion

It can be difficult to diagnose P0500 on a Toyota Camry. Don’t skip checking the wiring harness first. You are welcome!