[rob_macca67]

Guys, checked the Fault Code on my '93 Vitara EFI wgn and it came back with Fault Code #24 - which is Vehicle Speed Sensor. The vehicle drives and performs normally and the fuel economy is what it roughly should be...

Question - Is this a common fault and what are people doing to rectify it?

Does this effect vehicle performance / economy by any chance?

If it's costly to fix, what damage can happen (if any?) to the Engine if it's left as is?

From what I've read online, the issue seems to be behind the instrument panel but I'm yet to find the time to remove it...

thanks in advance

[fordem]

First - is your speedometer working? The VSS is a reed switch in the back of the speedometer, if the speedometer cable breaks, it'll report a VSS problem.

The cost of repair will vary depending on the cause and your skill set - a broken speedometer drive gear in the transfer case (unlikely, but possible) could be expensive if you have to take it to a shop. If the speedometer is working, the problem can be either the reed switch, the wiring or the ECU itself, the reed switch can be replaced by a reasonably skilled electronic hobbyist, in which case sourcing it becomes the challenge.

If left unrepaired, there is an impact on fuel economy that will probably be too miniscule to measure, it won't cause any problems with the engine, however, the CEL will stay on and you will not be alerted to any new faults that may arise, and could cause problems.

[rob_macca67]

Thanks for your reply….
Yes, Speedo is working but the Tachometer is not working - I gather this a separate issue? I do have a spare instrument cluster that I could swap out but obviously I would end up with a different odometer reading…

On a side note, what would cause the Tachometer to fail and what is the fix for this? Is it easier to simply install a seperate tachometer gauge instead of trying to fix the OEM Tacho?

[rob_macca67]

OK, I've pulled apart a spare instrument cluster from a 93 Vitara EFI to see if I can see anything relating to this VSS sensor that can cause a fault code 24 to come up. I had a reasonable close look and there is no electrical connection between the actual speed until that u can remove and the PCB on the back of the instrument cluster.

can anyone give me some helpful info on what to look for & possibly fix?

[fordem]

https://www.suzuki-forums.com/threads/c ... it.280713/

Have a look at the discussion above.

[rob_macca67]

fordem wrote:

First - is your speedometer working? problem can be either the reed switch, the wiring or the ECU itself, the reed switch can be replaced by a reasonably skilled electronic hobbyist, in which case sourcing it becomes the challenge.

Any idea what this looks like?

[fordem]

rob_macca67 wrote:

Any idea what this looks like?

There's a picture of a reed switch in the discussion that I provided a link to.

[rob_macca67]

Strange thing... I took the car for a drive up the Highway for a couple of hours and the Engine Check Light Disappeared.. Don't understand that??


I'll see if it returns when I head off to work tomorrow

[Sausager]

Was your speedo cable plugged into the back of the cluster properly when you removed it the first time? If it wasn't plugged in fully then you'd get this fault code.