A system and method for determining the speed and direction of rotation of a wheel in a vehicle are provided. The system includes a tone wheel configured for rotation with the vehicle wheel and a wheel speed sensor facing the tone wheel. The sensor generates different pluralities of phase-shifted signals responsive to rotation of the tone wheel depending on the direction of rotation of the vehicle wheel. A controller receives one of the pluralities of phase-shifted signals from the sensor, receives a direction signal indicative of the direction of rotation of the vehicle wheel from a source other than the sensor, and associates the plurality of phase-shifted signals with the direction of rotation of the vehicle wheel indicated by the direction signal in a memory.