berto46

Many thanks Bigcheif and Bucko,

Me and the missus had a look over the BCA report that came with the truck which flagged up an "odometer" reading of 92K US back in the middle of 2008, we didnt know whether this will be in miles or KM, we contacted the dealership (Chrysler Maple Ridge) over the whole incident and explained our findings. To their knowledge they where none the wiser but they did say that it would have been illegal for them to sell us the truck with incorrect miles/ kilometres. They are going to do a full investigation on the truck and give us a report on Monday.

We didnt take out a warrenty due to the fact that the miles where so low for the age but are now going to push for 3 years warrenty with the threat that if they dont then we will notify the tabloid (press) on how they are treating customers etc etc.

Will let you know how it goes on Monday.

Thanks again.

thump

If the thing actually had 92K miles back in mid-08 then I'd make them take it back.

Question for others - doesn't the computer still keep track of mileage somewhere besides the odo? If not, then what stops folks from going to a junkyard and switching out with a low mileage cluster before selling/trading in a truck?

bigchief2472000

ive wondered that too.

mustlx90

Hello,
I've read the older Fords stored the mileage in the PCM. The 04's and up store it in the odometer itself. When I swapped my XL's gauge cluster for an FX4, I had to send the cluster out to get the odometer "flashed" with the correct mileage. If someone swapped out a cluster with lower mileage on it, it would possibly trigger a CARFAX alert or at the DMV especially if the mileage now showed lower that the last time the truck was registered. It sounds like berto's was swapped. I'm having the same issue with mine as far as the interior lights not coming on when you open the doors since the swap. I'm still searching for the cure. I'll check to see if the dealer will look at it, but I doubt they'll touch it since I swapped the gauges myself.

bigchief2472000

from everything that ive been told, getting the as-built data flashed back into the truck is supposed to fix it.

berto46

Thing is Thump is that the truck is a really nice lump of metal. We also had a BCA check and the thing is mechanically sound however its only the miles that have pissed us off.

Judging by the Carfax report, we think that it was 92 KILOMETRES instead of MILES. In other words, I think the cluster was changed at some point inbetween. Anyway, all will be discovered tomorrow.

If we get an extended warrantee with the full powertrain etc covered then that will be enough im my eyes. We got the truck for a cracking deal in my eyes even if the truck has done 100K.

I will post up in 24 hours to let everyone know the final result.

P.S. As for the person posting up about changing the cluster via "do it yourself", I suppose there isnt any reason why anyone cant do it. After all, I wouldnt have known any of the wiser unless you guys had helped me out which I am obviously more than happy with!

berto46

UPDATE:

So as far as the truck goes, it was US registered and was showing close on 55K miles which equates to roughly 80K odd km. It has been found that on pages 7/8 of the car fax there is at least 150K on the kilometres. The car was sold to the dealership by a guy called "Bible" who in turn bought it off a guy from the US called "Lord". I almost lmao when I heard about the 2 previous owners!! One of them bought the truck at 31K miles which added to the above, is roughtly OVER 200K mark, after me and the missus thought that is only had 80KM.

What they have done so far is investigated the whole thing, previous owners/ border control etc and they are going to have a selection of trucks lined up for us to view at exactly the same price (if they dont have equal then they said they will offer better). Originally they said they werent going to go after the guy who traded this POS in at the dealership but now that they realise they have a truck they cant sell on the lot and they have been swizzed out of a truck worth alot more than the one I have they have decided to persue and to get the traded truck back. It has now come about that the cluster has been changed TWICE.

The thing that has pissed me and the missus off the most is that the original car dealer at the garage hasnt even phoned to apologise over the whole thing but EVERYONE else knows what is going on. We only recieved pages 1-6 of the carfax and the extended miles where on page 7/8 so im wondering if the guy knew about the whole deal and just wanted rid of the truck and hoping that we didnt find out the the miles had been clocked?? Either way, its a little spineless and I for one cant wait to see his face later today to see what he has to say for himself.

I will post up again to let you all know what kind of trucks they were offering to replace the ringed one we have!!

Cheers

Mod (Ret.)

Nothing stops an owner from doing this (installing a cluster with lower odometer readings). And no, there's no other location in the 04 - 08's that would store the odometer reading, otherwise this dealership would be checking it for "berto46".

Just like there's nothing from stopping you from removing your existing cluster, and having it flashed by a speedo shop. When I had the cluster I bought from an XLT model flashed with the correct (my old cluster's mileage reading), the speedo shop asked me for a notorized letter stating the mileage I was asking to be set on the new cluster was correct. He also provided a sticker/decal that I was told to place in the top of the cluster indicating the mileage was "changed" on this cluster. I kept the sales receipt from this business, and plan to provide it to the next owner (private or dealership) when I sell the truck.

I could have told the shop anything in the way of the mileage reading to flash, and a notorized letter is easy to obtain.

This is why most Ford dealers (if not all) will NOT FLASH YOUR CLUSTER...they will require that they verify the mileage on your existing cluster, remove it, then send it in on a trade for a new cluster. My Ford dealership would not let me buy and flash an XLT cluster for my STX, but rather said they would do an STX for STX.

There may be a VIN flashed within the cluster as well. I've heard folks say this, but I have not proven or documented it yet. If your VIN is indeed flashed within the clusters EPROM, then this would be one way to prove the cluster has been changed, and therefor the mileage may not be correct.

ford4wd08

what shop did you end up getting your speedo flashed at, i was thinking of doing this to my truck as well

Daveh370

Sorry to hear you got the smelly end of the stick, but glad to hear that the dealer is going to make things right by you and your missus. Good luck.