Odometer tamper light on PPI

[mtdwye0]

Hey folks,

Having a PPI done as I type on 97 m3/4/5 with 106000 miles. Shop said the odometer tamper light is on and to ask the owner about it. Searched on forums about replacing the odometer and/or gauge cluster and that light going on if everything isn't synchronized. Wanting to hear feedback about what the owner *could* say that would be reasonable vs BS story and just walk away. It is summer car, carfax reported 13000 miles in past 3 years, 15000 in previous 2 years, 37,000 2 before that, 16,000 in two before that. I'll plan to ask owner about light and driving only 13,000 in past 3 years. Thanks. Matt

[svginferno]

ask if the cluster was ever replaced? if it was, they may not have recoded the cluster, as that's a pretty expensive procedure, not because it's hard. the gauges on these cluster seem to fail randomly and a replacement is often the easiest/fastest/cheapest solution. ask for maintenance records about if it was changed, so you can gauge the chassis mileage. if you don't feel comfortable, walk away, or you can use this as a bargaining chip. congrats on whatever you car you end up getting.

[themadrussian]

The tamper dot will not come on if the cluster is removed/replaced - only if the coding plug in the back is swapped out/in with one that does not match. Synchronizing them is very simple and cancels the tamper dot.

The question is why the coding plug was swapped out/in - did someone swap in a used cluster with approximately the same mileage and swap in their coding plug and then not synchronize the cluster to the plug?

Seems odd. The tamper dot is a rare sight on these cars, and 95% of the time, cars WITH odometer fraud do not have a dot.

It's extraordinarily easy to commit odometer fraud on the E36, because all you need to do is swap in a lower mileage cluster. Nothing complex at all.

[bmwpowere36m3]

The tamper dot just means the milages between the cluster and coding plug don't match... however it'll display the higher mileage of the two anyway. So the mileage you see is the highest recorded by the car. There is a simple procedure (TEST 9) to eliminate the tamper dot.

The first M3 a looked at buying had suspicious mileage as well, the cluster wasn't "recording" any mileage and the owner said it happened recently I would ask the owner what's up, if you really wanted to get away with it you'd just swap in a whole new cluster w/ coding plug and log the miles. Then later you put back your original cluster, boom no racked miles... You can also use the procedure to determine if the cluster is original (TEST 1) will give you a Chassis Number, the last seven of your VIN.

[Xiphos]

My cluster stopped working when the original owner had the car. He took it in to the dealership and had it fixed. Had all the paperwork for it from the dealership. I had no concerns with it. Hopefully you can get some type of documentation for it.

[mtdwye0]

Thanks folks, good feedback. The owner, who I tend to believe, says that when he bought the car (1998), the dealership noticed a small crack in the gauge cluster plexiglass and that they changed ONLY the plexiglass, that the light has been on since that time, and that the owner only later realized what that little light meant. And that it wasn't a big deal for him at the time because he knew the odo readings were correct. It is now only a problem because he is trying to sell the car.

Probably not going to buy due to car having two visible but small rust spots on it (lower trunk and driver's side door) AND the shop where I got it inspected is not telling me much about the extent of rust on the car, if those spots can be fixed by sanding to metal and painting or if it needs to be cut out. The car is in Chicago and I'm in NC, so not up for taking those chances.

I'll let the owner know about how to reset the light though--thanks for the info! Matt

[themadrussian]

The tamper dot just means the milages between the cluster and coding plug don't match... however it'll display the higher mileage of the two anyway. So the mileage you see is the highest recorded by the car. There is a simple procedure (TEST 9) to eliminate the tamper dot.

The first M3 a looked at buying had suspicious mileage as well, the cluster wasn't "recording" any mileage and the owner said it happened recently I would ask the owner what's up, if you really wanted to get away with it you'd just swap in a whole new cluster w/ coding plug and log the miles. Then later you put back your original cluster, boom no racked miles... You can also use the procedure to determine if the cluster is original (TEST 1) will give you a Chassis Number, the last seven of your VIN.

Yep. However, synchronizing the coding plug also sends over the SI data (service interval) and the chassis number. My Euro cluster (which obviously is from another car) now shows my correct VIN, since I have synchronized the mileage properly (using test 9).

[StarvinMarvin]

Yep. However, synchronizing the coding plug also sends over the SI data (service interval) and the chassis number. My Euro cluster (which obviously is from another car) now shows my correct VIN, since I have synchronized the mileage properly (using test 9).

Sorry to bump an old thread, but this was where my search led me.

I'm wondering if there is anyway to use a combination of Test 1 and Test 9 to determine if the odometer or cluster has been removed/replaced.

The way I understand it is this: Test 1 displays 6 different pieces of information. One being the part number of the cluster that is currently installed in the car. How can it then be determined if this is the original cluster?

Or do I have it confused: Does Test 1 display the information of the cluster from the original car on which the cluster was installed?

Test 9 will update the odometer to display the higher mileage between the cluster and coding plug and remove a tamper light if one exists. What exactly is the coding plug?

What does it mean when the SI is "sent over?"

Thanks,

Buying a low mileage car and think this might help put to bed any odometer concerns.

[MasterKwan]

Run a carfax too.

[StarvinMarvin]

Run a carfax too.

Already have. And Autocheck, but neither are air tight. Carfax missed an owner.