Is it possible to have odometer fraud with the digital odometers on these cars? I’m looking into buying a 2000 Trans am with 10,700 miles, and just want to make sure there’s no way to roll it back. I know they could just disconnect the speedometer, but is there any other way? Thanks.
Dan

 

Not sure about the GM cars , but at least on some newer Mopars you could just pull a fuse and the digital odometer goes blank, as well as gas gauge and some other stuff, but you can still drive it without racking up mileage.

The reason I know this is that a friend of mine is a manufacturers rep for a conversion van factory and is driving all around FL with the fuse pulled.

TS

 

You can do the same on new VW's as well. I have a buddy who leased a new beetle and has at least 150,000 miles on it, but he pulled the fuse at 10K. He plans on putting the fuse back when right before he turns the car in next year.

 

If you're buddy really thinks he's going to get away with that he is an idiot, like they aren't going to tell the differnece durng an inspection.

But for this question, i would believe that a 2000 Ws6 could very well possibly only have 10000 miles, a lot of people buys these cars as a occasional driver, just check it out and make sure it ain't beat.

P.S., there is no real way to fool a digital odometer, you see, there are 2 on the cars, one that readsout and one that is hidden. you don't actually think the manufactures are that stupid do you?

 

there is a way to get a different amount of miles...people just buy the whole cluster from a recked 2002 fbody with lets say 10k miles and then attempt to sell their car for more...i have seen this getting done......

 

Yes, it is very possible to reset the odometer but the inspection should tell.

 

Thanks for all the help, I will definitely have it checked out and ask they guys who do it to check on that. From my visual inspections, the paint really is spotless, and it looks to be garage kept because the firebird on the back is barely faded(although that could have just been replaced). The engine and compartment is clean as a whistle, as is the interior. I took a look at a 2002 with 31k miles, and comparing it to this car, there is an obvious difference. The leather seats are just a lot less worn, few marks ect. And the rest of it is spotless as well. Basically, I see nothing to make me think it has more then 10k on it, but I want to make sure. Thanks again.
Dan

 

I never said my buddy was bright, or smart, or having anything that resembles intelligence its just what he had done.

 

lmao.....

 

Autotap or a dealers diagnostic tool will show the mileage as recorded at the PCM. This records mileage even if you disconnect the fuse to the instrument panel. The discrepancy would be easy to detect.

However, I'm not sure what happens if you get a different PCM from a different car. It's nothing I've looked into since it is a federal offense, and punishable by up to several thousands of dollars in fines. But I'm sure that's not a deterent to those that are less than ethical or willing to chance it...

 

you can go into details...ibet someone else is putting a new cluster in and wants to CORRECTLY display their miles.....

 

if u mess with the odometer on the LS1 it will say ERROR on it..ive seen it before i used to work in a goodyear and i got to work on a 1999 pontiac formula to do brakes and when i look to see how many miles were on it, it said error on it, the owner knew about it, he said that his kid was messing around with yet..i was like sure..

 

how could u mess it up?????and how can u fix it???

 

Another thing that a dishonest person could do on our cars is to buy a HPP3, and tell the computer that you have shorter gears than your really do. If you've got an A4 with 2.73's and used the hypertech programmer to make the computer think you've got 4.10's, you would put almost 40% fewer miles on your car.

I don't really think there is a way to counteract this, you've just gotta take the salesman for their word.

 

Pull the passenger side kick panel ... the side panel where the passenger's feet are.

Look for a wire loom and if it has been breeched and then repaired. There is a single wire in there that disables the signal from the sensors to the ECM, which then feeds the instrumetn cluster.