Help?! Can a digital odometer be "rolled back", by replacement?

[Margappy]

Again I need advice. The Autocheck report on my 1997 Town Car is now, after titling, showing a 30K mile discrepancy! The man that sold it to me worked at a Ford dealer. can the odometers (digital) be reset, replaced, or reprogrammed to change mileage? Thank you.

 

[Town]

Hi Marg,

Yes, but Ford takes that responsibility seriously. There is a tech shop that sets the mileage for replacement odometers and they usually need some kind of supporting documentation. It may be possible to bypass the controls. But changing the mileage by 30,000 miles does not seem worth it.

If you have the documentation to prove the car's mileage is not correct and you have documentation that shows a dealer is complicit in the change then probably complain to Ford.

Good luck.

 

[Margappy]

What would happen if it was replaced with a salvaged part? ie, bought from a junk yard or simliar. Would the odometer work in different car? (assuming this person did not care about breaking law)

 

[All2kool]

What would happen if it was replaced with a salvaged part? ie, bought from a junk yard or simliar. Would the odometer work in different car? (assuming this person did not care about breaking law)

The digital Odometer gets the numbers from the computer; they are not stored in the Odometer itself. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I've read this many times on many sites.

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[Town]

Hi Marg,

Does your Instrument cluster display an S near the odometer reading?

The Instrument Cluster is a computer module as All2kool says where the mileage is stored in its memory and accumulates even if the display is broken. Attached is the replacement procedure for the Instrument Cluster that does not appear to require the unit to be programmed to the particular car (this error was corrected in the 1998 and up models). So it appears the Instrument Cluster could have been replaced from another car, but not likely a new replacement from Ford since they have the special unit that deals with Instrument Cluster replacements.

Note that the car's mileage is protected by Federal law, so there is recourse if as above noted you have the documentation. Ford or the Ford dealer that sold you the car would still be your first contact point I think.

Good luck.

 

[Margappy]

Thanks to you all! The seller was NOT a dealer, he was "just" a salesman at the dealers lot. But he claimed to have been using their service center for all repairs etc, and the deal was "done" at the dealership back parking lot. As of now, he is "thinking' that DMV, made a mistake...could happen, except the title I have just rec'd from GA shows correct. There were just so many things wrong with this car that he stated in EBay (what can I say) were 'perfect". But to find the Auto check report changed AFTER the sale, really upset me. (originally the report said it was a "35" on the AutoCheck score, now its 12, and odometer discrepancies noted. I have filed complaint with Ebay, so guess I'll see what happens.

 

[Town]

Hi Marg,

That is so disappointing. Since Ford are not involved then you should talk to the DMV since mileage tampering is an offence.

Good luck.

 

[TABBOOMA]

The digital Odometer gets the numbers from the computer; they are not stored in the Odometer itself. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I've read this many times on many sites.

I don't believe that is the case on a 97 and here's why:

From the FLM Service manual.

The odometer range is limited by the instrument cluster memory space.

-- The English units range from 000000.5 to 925691.9 miles. (The display will freeze at this value.)

-- The metric range is from 000000.8 to 858993.4 km where the value will roll over to 000000.0 and continue accumulating up to 622113.6 km (the equivalent of 925691.9 total miles).

If the mileage on the original odometer is unknown, the replacement odometer will show no mileage. Then the S symbol is always displayed when the electronic instrument cluster is turned on (except during the OFF portion of prove out).

If the actual vehicle mileage can be verified, an authorized service center can program the replacement odometer to reflect actual mileage (without the S symbol).

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[Town]

I think what All2kool is talking about as the odometer is the display and the computer as the Instrument Cluster module and its memory. The Ford service unit can retrieve the miles (or metric equivalent) from the Instrument Cluster module in cases where the display has failed and the car has been driven farther. Using that interpretation then he would be correct. If his view is that the computer is the PCM, etc then not so much.

Just a thought

 

[TABBOOMA]

Whatever !

I guess he will have to tell his definition of computer. I took it as the ECM/PCM.

 

[HandsOn]

Interesting subject timing. We just had a major news story locally here on Thursday and Friday about 3 guys that got busted for lowering odo readings on dozens, if not hundreds of cars.
Said something about them having sold over 350,000 dollars worth of cars in the recent past, and all are going to be looked into.

It only came to light because a guy that bought a used Toyota 4-wheel drive pickup had his engine go south a week after he bought it. So only THEN did he do a Carfax and found out the mileage had been tampered big-time.
The truck looked great, but had huge mileage on it. Forget who he went to for the complaint, but it didn't take long to get to the bottom of it.

It's evidently rampant and a huge problem. Especially around here and a few other states. Probably the ones with the largest car populations.

Paul