P0500: Vehicle Speed Sensor A Malfunction

Short answer: P0500 means “Vehicle Speed Sensor A Malfunction”. It is a standard OBD-II code, so the basic meaning is the same on every car. Below is what it means on each of the 8 cars we cover, with a link to the full page for each car.

Standard OBD-II code Same meaning on all cars (SAE J2012).

P0500 on each car

Symptoms

1. Check engine light on
2. Loss of anti-lock brakes
3. The "anti-lock" or "brake" warning lamps on the dash
4. May be lit
5. The speedometer or odometer may not work properly (or at all)
6. Your vehicle's RPM limiter may be decreased

Likely causes

1. The Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) is not reading (functioning) properly
2. There is a broken/frayed wire leading to the vehicle speed sensor
3. The vehicle's PCM is not correctly configured for the actual tire size on
4. The vehicle

What to check, in order

1. Read the code and freeze-frame data with an OBD-II scanner
2. Check the connector and wiring of the part named in the code
3. Test the part with scanner live data or a multimeter, using the values in the repair manual
4. Fix the cause, clear the code and test-drive

Causes and checks above are the general meaning. The exact test steps and values differ by car: open your car’s page.

All fault codes