I was given advice to be careful when purchasing used cars (when i was buying my TL-S) to make sure that the milage (odometer) was not rolled back. Hmmm... I'm confused.

How can someone roll-back the odometer if it's computer controlled? It's not like there is a dial you can physically roll-back these days. Does anyone have a clue what this guy was talking about?

 

That is just a general advise to make sure you go through your inspection list. It is like "don't buy a stolen car"- make sure the vin# is matching with the pink slip. In our car the odometer can't be rolled back; it is recorded in the computer chip.

 

Its just as easy to get a cluster from a junkyard or on ebay and swap em in. But there's not really any way to check on that.

 

Sure the cluster would say one thing but the true mileage would be in the computer.

 

Not a worry with the TL. Very few people can reprogram the EEPROM.

 

a guy up my street did it on his accord. he wired a switch, when its off it doesnt record mileage, but all his guages turn off too.

havnt you guys heard of clusters being replaced under warranty? the mileage goes back to 0

 

Yeah, but they put a sticker on the new cluster with the mileage of the previous one. And if someone decided to take it off, it would be the most expensive sticker they will ever do so.

 

Ok.. you guys are freaking insane with your knowledge. How the hell do you all know this stuff? So here are my STUPID questions:

1. What is the cluster?
2. What is an EEPROM?

 

I knew a couple of people in Florida that had little switches installed in out of the way places such as air vents, that would stop the mileage from accumulating when you hit the switch. One person had it in his BMW X5 and a ford escort I think, somone else had a switch in their honda accord. I think that if someone wants to alter their mileage, it can be done on many vehicles and if these few people had it, I'm sure there are many more out there that have done it as well.

 

Just 'cause we manipulate votes and rig up the machines doesn't make all of us floridians bad people... was "Katherine" or "Jeb" the people you are talking 'bout?

 

i heard you can tap the drive train and roll back...

 

Can someone tell me where I can get info on installing one of these switches ?

 

I see the coming.

 

Nope cause thats Illegal

 

? It's illegal just to talk about it?!

 

Its illegal. And it will not be discussed here.

 

As for the original post:

One way to verify the car's mileage is to do a Carfax based upon your vehicle's ID and compare the DMV records to the car's mileage. Look for anything suspicious.