Pulling my hair out on this one.. So I have a 98 ES300 which is throwing a P0500 for the speed sensor. Seemed simple enough to replace the sensor until I noticed that I don't have the usual two that are supposed to be located on the top of the transmission. From what I understand there are two different types of transmission that came with the car / 1MZ-FE. According to the pictures I've seen in the forums there is a speed sensor directly on top of the transmission (this is actually a clutch sensor) and another one offset on top that is located directly under the battery airbox; and this one is the actual vehicle speed sensor.
After removing my airbox and battery I see that I must have the "other" transmission because the vss is not there. This is bizzare to me as when I've gone to the salvage yard to grab a handful of sensors to try, ALL of the cars I dug around in were configured the same with both sensors where I expected them to be on a 1998-2001. This leads me to look at the info sticker on the driver door and I see that my car was manufactured in 11/1997, which probably made it a 98 effectively, but this must have also been the reason for the different transmission.
Question is where would the second speed sensor be on this car? I looked and researched but this is eluding me something serious.

tldr, Have a 98 es300 which turned out to be a 97, and because of that can't properly locate the speed sensors because of the slightly different transmission (at least one of them)

 

What is the transmission code listed on the door sticker?

https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/servic...tion_date.html

In this example, it is A140E

Does your cruise control work? Does the speedometer currently work? Is the ABS light on?

 

1998 model was manufactured between 08/1997-08/1998 you have a 1998 model. I see two speed sensors but there is much confusion about this
http://www.japan-parts.eu/lexus/us/1...transmission/2

Put your VIN into the above site to get an exact parts listing. Your car has the A541E verify this by looking at the sticker on the drivers door. For a P0500 the FSM says:

• Open or short in speed signal circuit
• Open or short in speed sensor circuit for ABS
• Combination meter
• ECM
• ABS ECU

Go to page 105 of this document
https://www78.zippyshare.com/v/icZyfaSf/file.html

 

Thanks, Fortitude. In my case the transmission code is A541E.

Cruise control does not work. Speedometer does not work. ABS light is NOT on. It seems that the speedometer is the only thing on the instrument cluster that is not working (counter is blank as well though).

 

Thanks for the reply Lexus2000. As you said my transmission is the A541E. This also means that the 5 or so salvage cars I dug around in have something different than the A541E and i never noticed this until trying to troubleshoot this P0500 speed sensor issue: The top-most sensor is in exactly the same place, but the one thats supposed to be directly under the airbox/battery isn't there on my transmission.

I'm having a little trouble with that document download, I cant seem to get it.

 

I put the file as an attachment hopefully that works for you.

 

I got the file. Thanks a lot for that.