Speedometer- Toast??

[schlepper65]

I have a '97 Explorer XL 4-dr with the 5-speed manual and 4x4 and just under 200,000 miles. She runs like a top, however recently I noticed that the speedometer/odometer has been acting up intermittently. I'll be driving along, and all of a sudden, it will drop to zero, and sit there, no matter what speed I am going. Then sometime later, or the next day, it will work normally again. Recently it went an entire week working again, but then tonight it was intermittent again. All of the other gauges/indicators are working/reading normally..

Is the speedo/odometer head something that can be fixed? The dealer says the head needs to be replaced with another one from a junk yard, but I would hate to replace it if it could possibly be looked at and fixed. Any thoughts?

 

[1992fordgreen]

Don't sweat. That is your VSS. Located at the tailshaft of the tranny, less than 20 bucks, 5 minute fix.

 

[schlepper65]

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the VSS, and who would be best to fix/replace this? (I assume not the dealer?)