free website stats program Speedometer malfunctioning - VSS Issue | Harley Davidson Forums

Speedometer malfunctioning - VSS Issue

TQuentin1

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Moderator
Tachometer malfunctioning - VSS issue

Looks like my the VSS (vehicle speed sensor) on my '03 UC is failing. The speedometer has started to indicate wildly swinging MPHs with no change in speed, reading high, dropping to zero and then bouncing back up, and other malfunctioning behavior. So I am pretty sure it is the VSS that on my bike is located on the trapdoor. I had changed out my tranny for the SE 6-spd, and HD had relocated the VSS to the trapdoor from the tranny case in that design.

I think I have a spare one, so I will just replace it rather than try cleaning the current sensor. Will let you all know if this does the trick.

TQ
 
Last edited:
Re: Tachometer malfunctioning - VSS issue

VSS shouldn't be tied into the engine RPM? I thought the tach signal was from the crank sensor..
Curious to see what happens.
 
Re: Tachometer malfunctioning - VSS issue

VSS shouldn't be tied into the engine RPM? I thought the tach signal was from the crank sensor..
Curious to see what happens.

You are absolutely right!! It was the speedo that was acting up. I have fixed my original post above.

Replaced the VSS, and problem solved. There was not much in the way of metal fuzz on the old one, but there was a very thin film of metal shavings that were fine so it just looked like gray paint. Since I had a new VSS in the parts box in the garage, I just swapped it out.

But that brings up a point that really irritates me about the way HD does stuff. In order to route the wire from the VSS to the point under the seat where it attaches, I would have had to pull the starter!! So that would have meant getting into the Primary. Rediculous!! So I just routed the wire so that I could get to the plug WITHOUT having to remove more than the seat AND the Battery!!! Have to pull the battery so the plug end will fit up under the seat. Holy smokes. What should be a 10 minute job ends up taking an hour or so!!!

TQ
 
I would wonder if the people that design these bikes have ever had to work on one
Or is it the clean wire free look that is the current obsession that has all the simple stuff routed so that access is difficult
Or perhaps built in extra time for the dealers to charge for commonly replaced parts

Brian
 
EXACTLY they place those sensors in places that are hard to remove... my VSS is burried under my oil hoses and is very difficult to remove without taking the bike apart
 
Back
Top