Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading!

kippu · 30th July 2015, 00:35

Hi all,

My first car - a Chevy Spark - was unused for a while and the battery died down. When I started it today, I found 10k kms missing from the odometer. It came down from 17000 odd to 7000!!

How do I fix this? I was actually hoping to sell it off this month, so how do I explain it to the buyer / dealer where I hope to sell it off ?

Please help.

Note from Mod : Please use proper capitalization + punctuation. Make sure you see THIS THREAD before continuing. Thanks.

Jeroen · 30th July 2015, 09:00

I assume you have some sort of digital display? In most cases the km get stored on the ECU. In any case you can read the real mileage with most OBD readers. To change them you typically need some special SW, because for obvious reasons, the manufacturers have made it a bit difficult to change the mileage to easily.

If nobody had messed around with some reader, changes are that it is indeed one digit that is playing up or some other weird electronic problem. First thing is to check with a reader. If you find your original mileage embedded somewhere in the electronics the next steps would be to start checking the display/wiring etc.

Good luck

Jeroen

condor · 30th July 2015, 09:28

Is it that the specific two segments are not lighting up ? ( Like if the LCD display is faulty).

PapaBravo · 30th July 2015, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor

Is it that the specific two segments are not lighting up ? ( Like if the LCD display is faulty).

+1. I think the 5 digit LCD display would have gone Kaput if the meter is digital.

ani_meher · 30th July 2015, 12:08

Congrats on a sudden increase in resale value

I too think it could be a matter of faulty display than with kms reading.

MunnabhaiMBBS · 2nd August 2015, 11:57

Kippu,

Since it is not your fault, you do not owe an explanation to buyer / dealer. A clarification would suffice. However, get it diagnosed, repaired & restored before the sale. Also request you to share the post analysis observations for the benefit of other BHPians.

hitman1980 · 28th July 2017, 09:01

Hi Everyone,

I have this weird issue on my Chevrolet Beat odometer (2010 Model). Yesterday evening after a few kms drive, when I parked my car the odometer was showing 34617. But today when I started my car in the morning, the odometer was showing reading as 34615. Which is 2kms less than the previous one.

Can anyone suggest what has gone wrong with the car ?

Lately I have seen drop in the mileage, hence I was keeping an eye on the odometer reading for last few weeks. The car was filled with 15 litres petrol on 14-Jun-2017 @ odometer reading 34539, and it showed low fuel indication today.

Please advise.

hemanth.anand · 28th July 2017, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hitman1980

Hi Everyone,

I have this weird issue on my Chevrolet Beat odometer (2010 Model). Yesterday evening after a few kms drive, when I parked my car the odometer was showing 34617. But today when I started my car in the morning, the odometer was showing reading as 34615. Which is 2kms less than the previous one.

Can anyone suggest what has gone wrong with the car ?

Lately I have seen drop in the mileage, hence I was keeping an eye on the odometer reading for last few weeks. The car was filled with 15 litres petrol on 14-Jun-2017 @ odometer reading 34539, and it showed low fuel indication today.

Please advise.

Beat has a digital Odometer.
The low mileage, the low fuel warning are all connected to this faulty ODO-meter reading
Car electronics act weird and are always difficult to diagnose. In your case it can be anything from a Faulty odo memory chip or a bug in the ECU program. the Service centre guys with their OBD readers may be able to read if any error is registered

30th July 2015, 00:35	#1
kippu BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cyberabad / hyderabad Posts: 146 Thanked: 58 Times	Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading! Hi all, My first car - a Chevy Spark - was unused for a while and the battery died down. When I started it today, I found 10k kms missing from the odometer. It came down from 17000 odd to 7000!! How do I fix this? I was actually hoping to sell it off this month, so how do I explain it to the buyer / dealer where I hope to sell it off ? Please help. Note from Mod : Please use proper capitalization + punctuation. Make sure you see THIS THREAD before continuing. Thanks. Last edited by GTO : 2nd August 2015 at 11:11. Reason: Please take a look at the mod note that has been added to the end of your post.
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

30th July 2015, 09:00	#2
Jeroen Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 8,101 Thanked: 50,871 Times View My Garage	re: Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading! I assume you have some sort of digital display? In most cases the km get stored on the ECU. In any case you can read the real mileage with most OBD readers. To change them you typically need some special SW, because for obvious reasons, the manufacturers have made it a bit difficult to change the mileage to easily. If nobody had messed around with some reader, changes are that it is indeed one digit that is playing up or some other weird electronic problem. First thing is to check with a reader. If you find your original mileage embedded somewhere in the electronics the next steps would be to start checking the display/wiring etc. Good luck Jeroen Last edited by Jeroen : 30th July 2015 at 09:13.
	(2) Thanks

30th July 2015, 09:28	#3
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 15,864 Thanked: 16,014 Times View My Garage	re: Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading! Is it that the specific two segments are not lighting up ? ( Like if the LCD display is faulty).
	(3) Thanks

30th July 2015, 12:08	#5
ani_meher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 1,931 Thanked: 3,825 Times	re: Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading! Congrats on a sudden increase in resale value I too think it could be a matter of faulty display than with kms reading.
	(1) Thanks

2nd August 2015, 11:57	#6
MunnabhaiMBBS BHPian Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: - Posts: 340 Thanked: 803 Times	Re: Odometer suddenly started showing a lower reading! Kippu, Since it is not your fault, you do not owe an explanation to buyer / dealer. A clarification would suffice. However, get it diagnosed, repaired & restored before the sale. Also request you to share the post analysis observations for the benefit of other BHPians.
	() Thanks

28th July 2017, 09:01	#7
hitman1980 Newbie Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 22 Thanked: 3 Times	Odometer (Weird Behavior) Chevrolet Beat Petrol Hi Everyone, I have this weird issue on my Chevrolet Beat odometer (2010 Model). Yesterday evening after a few kms drive, when I parked my car the odometer was showing 34617. But today when I started my car in the morning, the odometer was showing reading as 34615. Which is 2kms less than the previous one. Can anyone suggest what has gone wrong with the car ? Lately I have seen drop in the mileage, hence I was keeping an eye on the odometer reading for last few weeks. The car was filled with 15 litres petrol on 14-Jun-2017 @ odometer reading 34539, and it showed low fuel indication today. Please advise.
	() Thanks