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2005 SUBARU FORESTER
2.5L H4•AWD•AUTOMATIC•gas
1 active safety recall on this vehicle — view recalls
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Repairs0Labor493Torque1479Fluid9DTC1768Battery1Maintenance0Recalls1
P1540moderate severityPowertrain

Vehicle Speed Sensor Malfunction 2

on 2005 Subaru Forester 2.5L H4 · AWD

What this code means

The PCM has detected a malfunction in the secondary vehicle speed sensor or its circuit. Subaru uses multiple speed inputs for comparison and verification.

Symptoms

  • Check Engine Light
  • Speedometer may be erratic
  • Cruise control may not work
  • Transmission shift points may be incorrect

Common causes

  • Faulty vehicle speed sensor 2
  • Wiring issue in VSS 2 circuit
  • Damaged VSS connector
  • Tone ring damage or debris
  • Instrument cluster speed signal fault

Diagnostic steps

  1. Monitor VSS 2 signal on scan tool during driving
  2. Compare VSS 1 and VSS 2 readings
  3. Inspect VSS 2 connector and wiring
  4. Check for debris on VSS tone ring
  5. Test VSS 2 output signal

Repair notes

Replace the vehicle speed sensor 2 if it is not providing a correct signal.

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