2-part digital speedometer question

[Alpo]

Had Ford gone to digital in 2002? In the story it mentions that the 2002 F150 is showing a 140000 on the clock. Newest vehicle I have ever owned is an '86. It is still analog, and goes to 99999.9

 

You could suspect, from looking at my odometer which shows 72000 and something, that it had rolled over at least once, and was actually 172000, or maybe even 272000. You would be wrong - I have less than 75,000 miles on that truck - but you would certainly suspect it.

 

The digital odometers I have seen, though, have six digits, and can log up to a million miles (999999).

 

I believe I have noticed that on the digital odometers they no longer list the tenth of a mile.

 

That's the second part of my question. Have they quit showing the tenth of a mile, or am I hallucinating yet again?

 

I guess we have a 3-parter. Can you turn back a digital odometer? I don't see how you could do that, short of reprogramming the computer. But I am often amazed at what I do not know.

[Sixgun Sheridan]

Ford used five-digit analog odometers back then because nobody expected them to still be on the road past 100,000 miles.

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

ON my 2019 Tacoma, the main odometer does not show tenths, but the trip odometer does.

 

If it is digital, there is some way to hack it.

[Pat Riot]

My 2002 Chevy S10 had a digital odometer that did go 6 digits to show over 100,000 miles. It do not show tenths unless you switched it to the Trip Odometer. 

[sassnetguy50]

Ford offered digital and analog displays over the years.  Possibly the trim level or optional package gave it a different cluster.

2002 F150 Lariat

 

[sassnetguy50]

1998 F150 XL

1993 F150 XLT Eddie Bauer

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Digital odometers re easier to manipulate than mechanical ones. However in addition to the dash display, a separate register in the computer module independently stores the mileage as well. This one can only be read by diagnostic software.  Takes more skill to change both registers. 

 

A gotcha for those that alter odometers are companies like CarFax. They collect data from many sources including dealers, oil change shops, State motor vehicle departments, and some independent repair shops. Running a report on a used vehicle before purchasing would likely reveal that the odometer had been tampered with.

 

The feds will prosecute those that alter odometers as the perpetrators typically alter more than one car and often in combination with other types of auto related crimes.

[Sawhorse Kid]

I know Ford was still using odometers with the tenth of a mile in 2011. 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I sold a’72 once and asked how the dealer knew it had 1xx,xxx miles on it instead of 2xx,xxx. He said the wear on the pedals (3).

 

 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Odometers still get set back, certainly on leased vehicles.

[Alpo]

My father-in-law told me one time the easiest way to set an odometer back was actually to run it forward. Disconnect the cable, then chuck it into a drill motor and spin it. If you wanted your 96000 mile car to read 47000, just spin the cable until the odometer rolls over at 99999.9 and keep going for another 46842.3.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I think they just put the car on jackstands a run it in reverse for 30,000 miles

[Sedalia Dave]

9 hours ago, Alpo said:

My father-in-law told me one time the easiest way to set an odometer back was actually to run it forward. Disconnect the cable, then chuck it into a drill motor and spin it. If you wanted your 96000 mile car to read 47000, just spin the cable until the odometer rolls over at 99999.9 and keep going for another 46842.3.

 

That would take about 500 hours or 21 days to accomplish assuming the drill was simulating a constant 100 MPH.

 

I know someone that tried it one time and damaged the speedometer by running the drill too fast.

[sassnetguy50]

9 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

I think they just put the car on jackstands a run it in reverse for 30,000 miles

Gas was cheap back then, electricity was cheaper.  Come home after work, put the drill on to reverse the odometer.  You could zero an odometer after enough nights.  

 

Or if you just needed to take off one nights milage.  You could drive to Sally's house like normal and back the truck all the way back home. Then siphon gas from the tractor to put the 3 gallons back in the truck (burns a lot more driving in reverse).  Did it take longer? Yes.  Was my hide tanned when pa got home? No.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

1 hour ago, sassnetguy50 said:

Gas was cheap back then, electricity was cheaper.  Come home after work, put the drill on to reverse the odometer.  You could zero an odometer after enough nights.  

 

Still cheaper than the charge for being 10K miles over on on a lease.