2004 BP Legacy "Error 55/SS"

[thorns]

Hoping to get some advice on this above error code. From a bit of googling it seems its to do with a speed sensor in one of the wheels.

Has anyone had any issue with this as well? Its just come on after had the car serviced, had a front left axle replace, and new tyres. Is it most likely a connection has been bumped during this process which has brought this on?

At the moment, the following dashboard lights all come on:

ABS

Traction control

Cruise control is flashing

CEL

So with the CEL the car is not revving above 4k RPM, found this out the hard way pulling out to overtake a slow car/trailer only for the engine to effectively cut out at 4k RPM.

So my plan at the moment, is inspect and maybe replace the front left speed sensor and see where we are after that. Does anyone have any other suggestions to look at at the same time?

It seems there is more than one location for the speed sensor though, in the hub, and one on the gearbox? Is that correct?

[McDoof]

This is an ABS sensor issue. I had the same error last year some time.

It disables ABS, Cruise control etc. Mine is a manual car so the symptoms were a little different.

The speed sensor sits in the main hub assembly. You can see the cable for it clipped into your front struts. The rears come in along the trailing arms. I'm not aware of any ABS sensors in the gear box.

There are 2 types of failure that cause this.

1. The sensor has failed. Fairly simple. replace the sensor. It's an easy job and only requires a 12mm and 10mm socket to undo.

2. The magnetic tone ring has been damaged. This is part of the hub assembly and is integrated into one of the wheel bearings and will require a whole new/second hand unit.

I ended up taking my car to Subaru to identify which it was. You could try using a VAG com cable and FreeSSM.

In my case the Left rear sensor was completely dead. I got a used replacement from Strong for Subaru. $140

[Kiwi_Fozze]

Take it back, tell them they were last in that corner, now its throwing sensor faults, plz fix at your cost kthxbai

But no seriously, service work was done in that corner, it is reasonable to accept that a sensor fault is related to recent sercixe, particularly speed sensors when hub is played around with,they are stupidly fragile

[boon]

Yeah they will have damaged the tone ring integrated into the hub, or the sensor, or the wiring. As above.

I'm currently battling this issue myself, have replaced the sensor and hub, final resort is replacing the ABS ECU (part of the pump) before setting fire to the whole thing

EDIT: At the very least you should connect the diagnostic connectors, almost certainly tucked in by the fuse panel by your right knee, hit the trip counter button while it's doing the gauge sweep, keep pressing it to scroll through stored codes, it will tell you which corner has the problem and what sort of problem it is.

[thorns]

Thanks for the help so far, will have a chat to the mechanic and see how that goes.

In regards to reading fault codes, will this method also work?

http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/index.php/topic/134423-retrieve-fault-codes-on-facelift-spec-b-without-obd-reader/#entry687915

Or do I need to go into the fuse panel?

[McDoof]

Only works on post facelift models unfortunately.

[thorns]

Okay pulled the codes and got

P0500- speed sensor

C0023- left front abs sensor circuit open or shorted

So seems I am lucky and got two issues, not just the one part to fix. Or would they just be the same unit?

[thorns]

Codes were from hereby the way, think these are correct

http://www.bedug.com/pics/Subaru/obdcodes_Subaru.txt

[McDoof]

I would say both those errors are related to the same fault. Looks like the sensor is not well. Just replace it with a used spare. Much cheaper than new.