Have a 2010 mini cooper clubman with a code of P0503 (vehicle speed sensor inconsistent/erratic function...intermitant).....indicates connections...

Have a 2010 mini cooper clubman with a code of P0503 (vehicle speed sensor inconsistent/erratic function...intermitant).....indicates connections or replace sensor. Bought one from parts store and it looks like nothing we find on the car....we received the revolution sensor according to you tube and that we should have a gear operated sensor that runs off the transmission output. Can you clear up which sensor we need and even the part# if possible. Where is it located on the car & how do we test it prior to replacing? I called mini parts & they say there are a variety of sensors from very expensive to expensive....want to do this right the first try.

We are not here on weekends, therefore, this is the first time that I`ve seen your response. The picture that you posted looks nothing like what we were sent.  Your note states "that this is a speed sensor" and is your note intended to mean " this IS THE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR that you need for your car & IS the speed sensor that would be required to correct the code P0503 if in fact you need one at all??"  Your next sentence says to unhook the battery for 5 minutes. I can do that, however, the code and the cause are inconsistant by nature. I will do that, but I would prefer to replace the sensor if it is in fact identified as the one you displayed....I`ve owned this place for 36 years & am now semi-retired....I always looked to finalize the on-going nature of trouble codes positively if possible before letting the vehicle go and this vehicle has to be delivered by Oct.1st.  I try never to leave a " drive it and see how it goes" situation if at all avoidable. Please verify the specific sensor and provide a part #-----maybe an idea on cost-----  Thank you                         Curt Brooks

No, not that we`ve seen.   No symptoms outside of the trouble code & when we looked up P0503, it says connections and/or" vehicle speed sensor".  The local store sent me a sensor that does not go to the car, but it is referred to as a "revolution sensor" whereas the "vehicle speed sensor" was identified as a sensor normally run off a gear" off the output of the transmission and its function is to report directly to the ECM consequently setting off the light----it seems that it is not that it doesn`t function---it is that it has intermittent function----and the car doesn`t exhibit identifiable driveability issues yet----but the light goes on occasionally and off of its own accord----and won`t accept "delete" from the scan tool, but does go off when it is functioning properly anyway......when it is on it doesn`t accept a delete command.

The part that you`ve listed says VW/Audi------The BMW/Mini Cooper  use the same part??

Sorry< I missed your question about is that the part that we have----no it`s not----we have part #VSS1015 from NAPA Echlin.  They sell it as a vehicle speed sensor, but research showed it to be a "revolution sensor" and more known to be the repair of the P0700 trouble codes, not normally associated with P0500 codes, but I have no sensors hanging out of the transmission resembling what we bought.

That is exactly the sensor that NAPA auto parts furnished.  We see nothing like it on the transmission----maybe we overlooked it perhaps.  If so, we are back to my very first question---where precisely on the transmission is it located.  We think that we followed the wire from all of the plugs to the sensors on the transmission and every sensor from the transmission back to the plugs and didn`t find a similar sensor head sticking out of the transmission......might still have missed it.  But if you`ve found nothing referring our sensor as a P0700 repair and not as a P0500 repair bearing in mind that this sensor is referred to as a "revolution" sensor, not vehicle spped sensor....we`ll braille the transmission and wiring again and thank you for your help.   I will hit the OK button, but please do address my original question....WHERE IS THIS SENSOR PRECISELY LOCATED??....and I will not only pay, but include a tip.