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Odometer rollback

PeterUSA

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I recently purchased a used 2016 RAM 3500 Limited dually at a dealer with 45000 miles. It came with an extra tank, air suspension and B & W gooseneck and fifth wheel package. The purpose of my purchase was to haul trailers across the country. Since purchasing, I exchanged all the fluids, engine, transmission, differentials, cooling, steering, etc and after riding some miles, the engine light came on. Checking my onboard computer, I realized that there is a function called trailer trip and it reads 176000 miles! I assume that the previous owner also hauled trailers across the country, because of the setup and only half the miles are trailer hauling, so now I have the doubt that the truck instead of having 45000 miles, it might have 8 to 10 times that much. I called an attorney and he said, that the fact that I bought it from a dealer, does not necessarily make the dealer responsible. I also called the dealer and he basically claims, that they did not roll back the miles, that the previous owner might have. Now I owe 40k to a bank and the truck might be worth 10k. I would love some constructive feedback. Thanks.
 

Grape_Ape

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I'd be happy to run the VIN for you through clearvin if you'd like? May not help much but it's a start. I've got some left over credits I don't mind using.
 

WXman

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How does one go about rolling back the odometer on a modern truck that keeps a digital record in the cluster AND onboard computers? You'd have to be really good at tuning to do this, and no tuning company is going to do it because of liability.
 

Slumlord

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There are a few modules that track mileage in Ram trucks. I'd take it to a dealer and have them scan for the true mileage.
 

Grape_Ape

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I did a quick Google search of this and it's actually seemed to happen to several Ram trucks over the past decade. One person reported taking it to the dealer and the dealer said all the mileage logs had been reset to zero in the computer.
 

sppb32

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I'm pretty sure the mileage log is only retained in the gauge cluster, and or maybe in the front control module, replacing the cluster with a lower mileage one will do, if the state that the truck was registered has emissions test there should be a mileage track but since it's less than 5 years old no emissions test and no way to prove if the cluster was swapped.
 

HSKR R/T

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I'm pretty sure the mileage log is only retained in the gauge cluster, and or maybe in the front control module, replacing the cluster with a lower mileage one will do, if the state that the truck was registered has emissions test there should be a mileage track but since it's less than 5 years old no emissions test and no way to prove if the cluster was swapped.
If there was ever any maintenance done at dealership during that five years, the dealer should be able to track mileage that way.
 

Bluesurf

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How does one go about rolling back the odometer on a modern truck that keeps a digital record in the cluster AND onboard computers? You'd have to be really good at tuning to do this, and no tuning company is going to do it because of liability.
It is quite easy, one uses a laptop with several different plugs for different car makes. The laptops have every car manufacture listed in their settings. They are sold out of China for at least the last 25 years. They call them re-calibration units. Shops will charge ~$400-$600.00 for this service and make the change in well under an hour. In the trucking and leasing business people go before to shops for a set back, before going for there annual state inspection. By doing this is is impossible to find fraud. People that know what they are doing can buy their own units. It should be a Federal Crime however its not due to wording. "re-calibration" WHAT A CROCK!
This is why you ALWAYS want to buy a CPO vehicle!
 
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HSKR R/T

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It is quite easy, one uses a laptop with several different plugs for different car makes. The laptops have every car manufacture listed in their settings. They are sold out of China for at least the last 25 years. They call them re-calibration units. Shops will charge ~$400-$600.00 for this service and make the change in well under an hour. In the trucking and leasing business people go before to shops for a set back, before going for there annual state inspection. By doing this is is impossible to find fraud. People that know what they are doing can buy their own units. It should be a Federal Crime however its not do to wording. "re-calibration" WHAT A CROCK!
This is why you ALWAYS want to buy a CPO vehicle!
It is illegal to perform odometer fraud, even if the devices capable of doing it are available to purchase. Get caught once and you probably won't be doing it again.

Not sure the full capabilities of the device, but it would have to be able to clear out the PCM, ABS computer, and odometer. A lot of the newer transmission even store mileage in the TCM. Which makes it harder to do as most people only think about the odometer, as what seems happened with OPs vehicle. And since he bought it from a dealer, even if the dealer didn't actually roll back the odometer themselves, they could still get in trouble for selling it without verification.
 

markwendy74

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It is illegal to perform odometer fraud, even if the devices capable of doing it are available to purchase. Get caught once and you probably won't be doing it again.

Not sure the full capabilities of the device, but it would have to be able to clear out the PCM, ABS computer, and odometer. A lot of the newer transmission even store mileage in the TCM. Which makes it harder to do as most people only think about the odometer, as what seems happened with OPs vehicle. And since he bought it from a dealer, even if the dealer didn't actually roll back the odometer themselves, they could still get in trouble for selling it without verification.
I instument cluster and information center went out in my Ram and it was out of warrantee. I replace the instrument cluster with a with one I found on ebay. The new cluster had 5 miles on it and the old one had about 56,001 on it a few days before I changed it out. My question, is the mileage stored on any of the computers in the truck? Because I cannot verify the mileage, I may have a problem because the good ole Ram 5.7 Hemi exaust manifold is leaking and I'm not sure they will fix it under warrantee because the mileage is in question. I can give them the mileage withing 300 miles and I kept the old cluster but if the mileage is stored on another component in the truck it would really help me out. I can have my dash programed when the exaust repair in made.
 

HSKR R/T

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I instument cluster and information center went out in my Ram and it was out of warrantee. I replace the instrument cluster with a with one I found on ebay. The new cluster had 5 miles on it and the old one had about 56,001 on it a few days before I changed it out. My question, is the mileage stored on any of the computers in the truck? Because I cannot verify the mileage, I may have a problem because the good ole Ram 5.7 Hemi exaust manifold is leaking and I'm not sure they will fix it under warrantee because the mileage is in question. I can give them the mileage withing 300 miles and I kept the old cluster but if the mileage is stored on another component in the truck it would really help me out. I can have my dash programed when the exaust repair in made.
Yes, it should be stored in the PCM and TCM
 

Andrew1117

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Hey man , I’m have a very similar situation with my 18’ says 32k on odometer but trailer trip is at 90k , what ever happend with your truck? Was it a roll back or an electronic failure? Thanks
 

coolie

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Hey man , I’m have a very similar situation with my 18’ says 32k on odometer but trailer trip is at 90k , what ever happend with your truck? Was it a roll back or an electronic failure? Thanks
Where are you from or where did you buy yours? I just got scammed the same. my 18' 3500 says 32k miles as well, I found out a few weeks later it really has over 312k. Carfax data wiped all high miles off with multiple service entries except last auction where is was rolled back to 32k. I believe there is conspiracy with odometer fraud involving several people - dealers, service centers, carfax, and car auctions , trucking companies. PM me if you can
 

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