Odometer did "magically" reset to 0 miles Vectra on Freightliner chassis

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DutchEagle

DutchEagle

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Posts
358
Location
Woodbury Minnesota USA
I was due for my yearly oil and filter change and made an appointment at a Freightliner truck center close to where I live. To record the mileage in my documentation, I looked at their bill and noticed they printed the odometer at 3692 miles. I knew this was not correct. I checked the next day on my odometer and indeed it was around that number but it should be about 50000 more. I also checked the (almost unreadable) info panel and the same amount of miles came up in the display. I'm sure it was not a trip-meter mileage as I checked the info center manual several times how to get the Odometer mileage.

So whatever "magic" happened 3692 miles ago has reset my Odometer to 0. I never record my mileage except for maintenance and repair. The last time I wrote it down was last year around the same time. After that maintenance, we traveled around 6000 miles So the reset has not been caused due to maintenance. (I looked into my RVtripwizard trip planner for total mileage we traveled since that maintenance.)

It's not a problem for driving and operating unless I want to sell the RV. I did read several posts on the internet that tells me it will be a pain in the rear to get that fixed, Freightliner sends you to Cummins and they send you back to Freightliner.

Does anyone have a clue what caused it and more importantly knows a fix or a procedure to follow?
 
This will be no help to you (sorry) but I had a similar issue with my Spartan chassis. My speedometer quit working accurately and had to be replaced. First one arrived with zero miles and I refused it. Spartan ordered a second and it to had zero, with an explanation from the sole supplier that it couldn?t be set. I refused that one. Finally, the right person with, apparently, the only doohickey on the planet that could do it (borrowed from the Smithsonian no doubt), got a third set correctly. My rig sat in the shop for nearly a month if I recall.


So it can be done. I?d tell Freightliner you need a new speedometer (or reset the old one) and don?t take no for an answer. I believe you are correct that it will affect a sale. Without fixing it you will need an official odometer statement  - perhaps someone knows the process for obtaining one.
 
^^ Yup ^^

My odo has been running backward for years. The "fix" is a new dash (or MMDC multi-mode data controller?) but get this: it is against the law for the odo setting on a new dash to be changed to reflect the correct mileage. This is from the Freightliner Oasis dealer I use in Tolleson (Phoenix.)

You can pull the correct odo reading from a scanner.
 
John Canfield said:
it is against the law for the odo setting on a new dash to be changed to reflect the correct mileage. This is from the Freightliner Oasis dealer I use in Tolleson (Phoenix.)
Click to expand...


I don?t believe that?s true. I was not far away at Empire Cat at 43rd & 10 when I had my issue, and heard that line at some point in the process, from Empire and Spartan. There is some sort of certification they have to do to swear it?s the correct mileage, but I was able to get my speedo replaced with the new one reflecting the proper mileage. I mighta said something like, ?this coach isn?t moving until you get this figured out?. So it sat for a month while they did.
 
A replacement odo can be set - it's only against the law to alter the mileage to something other than true mileage, not to install the correct mileage. The gotcha is that it has to be a veritably correct mileage, so the dealer or shop cannot just arbitrarily plug in the miles you or they think is correct.  The distinction between "tampering" and "making correct' is a fine line and most shops won't mess with it for that reason. 

Here is one company that will set the mileage to a correct value. Note that they require a notarized mileage statement or other verifiable document to establish the true mileage.
https://www.instrumentclusters.com/mileage-correction


The engine computer in the Freightliner probably has the correct mileage stored and it should be legal to set the new odometer to that value. Suggest you contact FCCC Custoer Service for advice on that.  Have the last 6 digits of the VIN handy and call 1-800-FTL-HELP.
 
When my MMDC had to be replaced pre-delivery the new one had the mileage set to match the old one.
 
That conflicts with what the dealer told me.
Click to expand...
Yeah, and we all know that dealers are infallible oracles, right?  ;)  Besides, it's more like an amplification of what he told you.  Whoever sets the mileage assumes some legal responsibility for making it factually correct.  It's only illegal to change an odometer value to something other than its true value, i.e."tamper" with it.

Realistically, the dealer's people have probably been told simply that "it's illegal" and that's what he passed on to you. It's the only legally safe position for them to take and avoids the need to wrangle with customers over what constitutes tampering. 
 
When my Cat 330 engine computer died (the board was burned) back in 2016 all information was lost. A new computer was installed . The cat people had to install the the engine data by hand and I was asked what the miles were. I gave my best answer and that was used. When I got home and checked the paper logs I found out I was off about 150 miles too low. So mine is off about that much. Close enough I say. As far as I know the information is only stored in the computer and nowhere else. The cost was about $3200.
 
Thanks for all your input, food for thoughts and links to some solutions,

I think I keep limping for a while and check some wiring to the MMDC first. I'm in no way even thinking of selling the rig so it is not a priority unless other MMDC functions start to act up. It is difficult to find out the real mileage I understand. I do not have any diagnostic tools like a scanner. The one for my car is ODB2 so that does not work also a TripTek is not on my rig as far as I know.

I understand that the real Odometer mileage is still available via diagnostics or maintenance settings of the engine computer but only accessible via a Freightliner dealer. 

Like John I will watch the Odometer go backward :)

I did find an interesting tread that is a few years old with some troubleshooting that I can try:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26871567.cfm
 
I think it is new now.  Something with a parallel universe. ??? ???
 
If the information is available in the engine computer you might buy a Silverleaf VMSpc. You can install it along with your computer and all the information you are looking for will be available. There are many other readings that are also available. You can get the Silverleaf from another source than Silverleaf at a better price.

I have all of this equipment installed above the driver where it can be viewed on a 22" pc monitor by just glancing up. Works great. I also can see where I am with Street Atlas.
 
^^ Yes!  :)) ^^ another vote for Silverleaf VMSpc. It will display a variety of engine details including actual mileage. I've had Silverleaf VMSpc set up ever since the coach was new.
 
The best price for the Silverleaf system was found at RVUPGRADES.COM, if you are interested.

A friend found that purchasing the Silverleaf system was cheaper than buying a couple of replacement meters.
 
Like others suggested I'm getting interested in the Silverleaf system after reading the specs, to get the real mileage and as a big bonus monitor the engine. Sounds like a good investment.

I have a big heavy laptop that I do not want to use for the monitoring, I'm more thinking of a tablet. Here are my questions;

*When I buy a Windows tablet with an 8-inch screen would that work to have a good overview while driving?
*What connection do I need for the 2005 Vectra, is the 6 (J1708) or 9 pins (J1939)?

Great info, as usual, thanks, guys. Hardware is around $300 at RVUPGRADES.COM, great tip!
 
You can see my laptop and VMSpc setup on one of my RV upgrade pages, link in my signature. Silverleaf has, I think, Bluetooth capability and is tablet friendly now but it's been years since I've looked at their capabilities. When you buy the hardware (software is 'free'). the cable comes with it - should be a standard OBDII port for your rig.
 
DutchEagle said:
Thanks for all your input, food for thoughts and links to some solutions,


I understand that the real Odometer mileage is still available via diagnostics or maintenance settings of the engine computer but only accessible via a Freightliner dealer. 

I did find an interesting tread that is a few years old with some troubleshooting that I can try:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26871567.cfm
Click to expand...

Our ODO suddenly picked a number from somewhere many years ago when I started the coach one day. I now have about a 52.2K difference between what the ODO states and what the MMDC says. I log in to the MMDC in diagnostic mode periodically to see what the latest delta is.

I have a letter signed by the service manager in Gaffney, SC stating what the real mileage was when Gaffney looked at it. That was many moons ago. At that time a new MMDC was quoted at about $400.00
 
In case someone finds this via a search (Google or otherwise) in the future, I called Freightliner support and they now have determined (confirmed with the tech on the phone) the following:

1) The MMDC for these affected chassis/units reset the dash odometer to 0 (zero) miles EACH time the odometer hits 50k miles
2) The process for obtaining the actual ECM based mileage vs the dash without any scanning tools is:

(this applies to coaches with the black/charcoal information panel with the "T" - "Red Dot" - "H" on the left and "Up Arrow" - "E" - "Down Arrow" on the left design; unsure of others....call Freightliner :) )

Turn the key to the Run position
Using the information center buttons (I had to start the engine and wait for the air bags to come to min pressure before I could get beyond the low air pressure alarms)
Hit the Home button ("H")
Highlight "Service" and hit Enter ("E")
Highlight "Diagnostics" and hit Enter ("E")
Password is always "8127"
Hit the "Up Arrow" TWICE on the "I/O Screen" to see the "ECU VS IP ODO DIFF" screen
Top number is the ECU mileage
Bottom number is the dash odometer mileage


Again, HTH someone - happy travels  8)

    -Patrick
 
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