2003 Manual, Prerunner - Speedometer, shifting issue.

Hello, I'm a relatively new Taco owner. Always wanted a 4 door and finally got one this year.
2003, double cab, 2 wheel drive. (EDIT) It's an auto, don't know why I wrote manual in title. 154k miles on it. Runs great, or did at least until recently.


CEL pops on. PO500 VSS
Reset it, and after 20 or so miles, CEL pops back on, same thing.

I drive on this for a bit hoping it will correct itself. Soon (200 or so miles) after the speedometer starts bouncing all over the place. Seems consistent with a bad VSS.

Then, suddenly, shifting starts going a bit crazy, oddly changing gears and revving when speedo bounces. Ok, I purchase a new VSS on eBay. Replace it.

This did not correct the issue. I've google this endlessly. Some folks suggesting a bad cluster, but I've not seen the shifting issue associated here. Really bums me out, I like the truck and not ready to pour a ton of money into it, but is what it is.

Anyone had similar issues? Thanks very much for the advice. I plan to hang around here. Really love these trucks and especially the 1st gen body style.

 

One other note: The odometer if functioning correctly.

 

This morning I noticed that half of my instrument cluster lights are out. The side with the speedometer?
Could this all stem from a bad cluster? A fuse potentially?

 

Just a bump in case anyone missed that may have an idea.

 

Just doing some reading, I think the issue is either a faulty ECM or a bad cluster.
Anyone know of a good way to determine which it is before I have to purchase both?

 

I am surprised no one has jumped in yet. Maybe @Empty_Lord , @Speedytech7 , or @BartMaster1234 has an idea

 

Was the VSS a factory part? good chance its a fake.. if they go out they can cause tons of weird issues with tranny shifting because the transmission doesnt know where its at.

 

Was not a factory part. An eBay $40 job. Likely need to purchase something more reputable?

 

I would try a factory part. Toyota electronics are picky, if you want to be sure a scan to should be able to see the vehicle speed the ecu is seeing.

 

The cluster going bad would not cause erratic shifting, a bad vss would

 

Good to know. This is consistent with the code I was getting.
I appreciate the insight. Will update with a new VSS

 

When I did a 3.4 swap into a 95 the ECU got the speed from the cluster. The cable drive was converted to ECU signal in the cluster, so it absolutely could be the cluster.

 

well i do stand corrected, ive gotten so use to working on the new toyotas that i completely forgot that fact.



so yea. @JMiller maybe look into the cluster, my bad

 

Great. Thank you guys.
As it appears my Odometer is still working, would it be more likely my cluster is bad than the VSS?
Ive been operating under the assumption that VSS also feeds the odometer.

 

Possible. The odometer is speedster from the Speedo. If you locate a new cluster swapping the odo over is as simple as one ribbon cable and 2 screws


The stepper motor on the speedo may be faulty

 

Alright. New VSS ordered from dealership ($300+ ouch).
If that doesn't pan out, refurbished cluster is next.

 

Ok, little update here.

Ordered new VSS, installed, did not fix the issue. This IMO narrowed it down to the cluster.

I reinstalled the old VSS, had local mech check signal/voltage from the original VSS, he said it was working so I returned the VSS, ordered a refurbished cluster from Ebay.

Local mech installed the cluster for me. Bingo! This fixed the issue. Shifting returned to normal, no CEL.


... for about a hundred miles. Now the newly-installed cluster is slowly getting worse. CEL back on. Shifting problems slowly returning like new cluster is dying.

Any thoughts as to how to proceed? I really like this truck, but I need fixed.