DTC P0501: Vehicle Speed Sensor (M/T): Description
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 6 other vehicles, including the 2002 GMC Savana Special, 2002 GMC Savana Camper Special, 2002 GMC Savana, 2002 Chevrolet RV Cutaway, and 2002 Chevrolet Cutaway. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The speed sensor circuit consists of a magnetic induction type sensor, a vehicle speed sensor buffer module and wiring. Gear teeth pressed on the output shaft induce an alternating current in the sensor. This signal is transmitted to the buffer. The buffer compensates for various axle ratios and converts the signal into a square wave for use by the speedometer, cruise control, anti-lock brake and Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The buffer sends two different signals to the PCM.