1999 Passat VSS Wire

First find your E C MThen find the 10 Pin Connector plugged into itThen Look at plug and find # 9 wire that should be Brown / RedPosition 9 means that the BROWN / Red wire is found in the E C M  Plug at # 9 position in the plug.  MO

Don't Learn from Others Mistakes

You Might Be the One That Knows.

Well, it turns out that it was on a 10 pin connector, but it was on pin #10 of that connector and not pin #9. However, the connector I'm talking about is on the chasis which is visible if you lift up the ECM. There are 5 plugs with varing numbers of wires on each. I think two of the plugs had 10 wires. The one closest to the exterior of the vehicle had the BROWN / red wire on it. I had to have my wife verify this because I'm color blind and couldn't find the wire. ;( Even though I'm color blind, I have 20/20 vision and I could clearly see the marking next to each wire and the BROWN / red was clearly next to pin #10. My wife also confirmed that the color of one of the leads out of the actual VSS sensor (too far to reach and splice into) was BROWN / red while the other one was brown. I found that with german cars the brown wire is typically ground.

Whadya do??MO

Don't Learn from Others Mistakes

You Might Be the One That Knows.

You can also find a very usable VSS under the rear seat. On each side, there is a small harness that contains a twisted pair of wires that breaks out of the main harness and disappears through the floor under the seat. These are the ABS wheel sensors. Use the wire that isn't black. Gus PS: ECM not so easy to get at... also, there are only 2 connectors on the ECM itself... both with waaay more than 10 pins on them.... closer to 50 each. If you can find the ABS module, then the VSS is available as the non common wires in the 4 similar twisted pairs coming from each of the wheel sensors. Or, head for under the rear seat as mentioned above, and get it there. Wherever I go, that is where I end up......

> PS: ECM not so easy to get at... Actually, the ECM isn't that bad to get at.   All you need is a small 1/4 inch ratchet connected to the correct screw bit to get up below the windshield gard. > also, there are only 2 connectors on the ECM > itself... both with waaay more than 10 pins > on them.... closer to 50 each. If you lift the ECM up and out of the case (remove strap first), you will see that the other end of the wires (not the end attached to the ECM) go to 5 connectors. A couple of those have 10 pins and this is where I found the BROWN / red wire that is the VSS. It is easy to route this through the firewall because if you put a flashlight on the driver's side floor you have a direct line of sight from under the hood to the drivers side carpet. I then routed it under the molding along the driver side into the trunk where the hide away module is for my system.

Yup, my bad.... forgot the ECM for the Passat lives above the factory wire chase... heh. I usually grab VSS under the rear seat on the driver's side from the twisted pair heading to the driver's rear wheel sensor... it is really easy. Gus Wherever I go, that is where I end up......