2003 Sable trans issue or VSS?

eckell3 · Mar 23, 2014

Hello Folks,

How are you? I have a trans/VSS issue question. My folks own a 2003 Sable wagon with the Vulcan 3.0l engine and the 4F50N(aka the AX4N)transmission. The car drives fine when cold but after it warms up the transmission seems to slip going from 1st gear into 2nd and will also having a slipping sensation if you start coming to a stop and having it go back into first and then accelerating again(i.e. due to traffic or slowing down for a red light and having it change to green before you stopped etc) It used to do this on occasion and intermittently but now seems to do this more and more.

I have read the forum postings and the interwebs and it looks like the issue is a bad VSS(or OSS since it is a 2003) The car shows no other issues(like a non working or jumping speedo or it not shifting at all etc) and there has been no check engine issues.

As mentioned I suspect it is a VSS issue. My question on what to get. On autozone/Napa/Advance Auto/ Fordparts.com etc There is a listing for Input trans sensor and output trans sensor. Which one is the VSS and located on the passenger side of the trans?

Also what is a good price for these? I see prices running from $35.00 to $70.00

Thanks

sheila · Mar 23, 2014

The oss (vss) is the tranny output sensor. The tss (turbine shaft speed sensor) is the tranny input sensor.

eckell3 · Mar 24, 2014

Thanks for the reply.

I went to NAPA earlier today and they did not have the VSS/OSS in stock at that store but said it could be delivered from another store by 11am the next day(Monday) so I bought it.

I had given them the year and and the engine (Vulcan VIN U) but not the letter code under TR on the door sticker as i thought the AX4S trans was phased out in 2002 and assumed that the trans in the car was the AX4N/4F50N. It was only afterwards while looking to see how to change this part out, I noticed that the AX4S was still around in 2003.

The TR code on the door sticker says X which looks like the trans in the car is AX4N/4F50N

It looks like I got the correct part according to the Napa website and my receipt but wanted to confirm with you folks,

The VSS/OSS I bought from NAPA is VSS795. In the notes it says:
w/ 19 Bolt Transmission Pan

NAPA AUTO PARTS

They also list one for the AXOD/AX4S by Delphi

So for those that bought the part from Napa, is VSS795 the correct one for the AX4N/4F50?

I would love to do the job correctly the first time around.

Thanks so much for all your help

The White Falcon · Mar 24, 2014

The AX4S was phased out in October 2002, so a few 2003 models got out the door with them but not a bunch. It was just to finish off what they had left in the plants.

sheila · Mar 24, 2014

^ Yes, if your TR code is "X", you have the 19 bolt pan AX4N/4F50N.

cwl111286 · Jul 29, 2015

2003 sable duratec same issue

Hey my sable with an AX4N just started this. On my way home sitting at a stop light and all of a sudden no go. I shifted it to 1st manually and it seemed to be better then got up to speed and shifted to D. at every stop had to do the same thing. Any suggestions?

2003 Sable trans issue or VSS?

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