Unless you're Ferrari
Altering milage on instrument cluster
- Thread starter Jono
- Start date
I did look into it a couple months ago. It is, apparently, easier with a brand new cluster. But the problem is that VW would only fit a new cluster the same as the old one. Plus a new cluster is around £500-600, compared to £150 second hand (the 160 mph highline cluster I have only cost me around £35). So they wouldn't put a highline clock into a car with a midline, apparently. So either way, I need someone else to code it in. The other problem I have is that my car is of an age when they changed the security on the clusters / immobiliser. So mine needs a specific, genuine tool which costs thousands of pounds to do, rather than if it were just a few months older, and could be done with a cheap Chinese cable. Or else I'd already have the 160 mph cluster in mine while I decided if it was worth looking for a 180 mph cluster anyway. I'm not sure I want to pay out £50 or so to have the wrong cluster put in my car.
That said, I'm sure almost nobody would notice the difference in mph on the cluster. And that is the only difference.
Soldato
- Joined
- 25 May 2008
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- 4,069
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- North Wales
This can be genuine, my old DC5 Integra being a jap import read in KM originally, on coming into the country it had a converter box fitted so the clocks read in MPH so they calculated what the odometer should be in miles and then set it to that. Otherwise it's like my current jap import Impreza in where the first 104,000 were in KM and it's since been converted and is now recording in miles so it reads 113,000 even though the real mileage is something like 75,000 miles.
Yeah, see I couldn't live with that sort of inconsistency. It must be the OCD in me. Whenever I got the cluster changed to miles, I'd have to get the odometer redone too to be accurate.
I had an instrument cluster fault a while back on my CLS which weirdly manifested as the steering wheel buttons no longer working. Rather than pay the ~£2K for a new one, I got hold of a second hand one from a breakers for about £100 and had the mileage reset by a local(ish) company for about £80 i think it was - took less than a day. When installed and set with STAR, as you say, the ECU then sets the 'virgin' cluster mileage to match the vehicle and job's a good un.
Not entirely sure what would happen if the mileage wasn't reset but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be happy!
Ive done it quite a few times, all on imports. Speedo converter fitted, clocks re-done to show miles. Copy of receipt and evidence taken for resale just in case, but never had any issues.
I had a debate with Hyundai about it on the GF's car as her speedo failed. They replaced the speedo so it was zero'd and said they could match the mileage when replacing.. in the end they didn't and I had quite a heated battle with them as I expect the car to lose value/be suspicious to any new buyer. Anyways, not that it matters as its being run into the ground anyway
I had a debate with Hyundai about it on the GF's car as her speedo failed. They replaced the speedo so it was zero'd and said they could match the mileage when replacing.. in the end they didn't and I had quite a heated battle with them as I expect the car to lose value/be suspicious to any new buyer. Anyways, not that it matters as its being run into the ground anyway
Id be interested to get the details of who reset it and coded it for you? I'd love to replace my cluster with a newer one, they are available on eBay rather reasonably. Mercedes want a ludicrous 4 figure number.
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
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- 12,660
Perfectly legal. See it on bikes all the time with the old flicker counter, even used today on modern models.
Most spares dealers will supply new dash units, but insist on at least a photo of your old one, whereupon they set the replacement to match before posting it to you.
Unless there's a different gear assembly or something that you can just swap in to read correctly, like bikes have. Wheel off, old one out, new one in, wheel back, and there's your MPH.
Some vehicles need things recoding and all manner of CANBus jiggery pokery, especially if the replacement has additional functions. I looked into it when I was in the market for a MkIV Golf and was going to put in a full FIS display MFD for radio info and fuel tracking.
Several eBay places offer the electrickery service along with the cluster itself, including fitting it if you take the car to them. Obviously check rep on forums, though, but most seem reasonable.
I had the reset done by these guys: http://www.clusterrepairsuk.co.uk/ dropped it off one day, picked up the next but I think they do postal services too.
And the fitting/coding done by these guys: http://www.comand.co.uk/ who are always highly recommend on the MBUK forums.
I guess I could have tried the coding myself but on something so awkward with the potential to cause issues, I felt better leaving it to them - they certainly knew what they were doing with it and have always been really helpful and knowledgable.
Actually I have been tempted to change my cluster to the *63 one as you get extra menus and gauge(s) and I think they look a little sleeker with black backing and white illuminated numbering rather than the standard *55 white illuminated backing and black numbering. Just haven't convinced myself it's worth the hassle and cost...