I know this is not really the way it should be done but here goes: My brother has a 2001 F150 that is lowered and modded and he is running 15 " tires with DOT slicks. The problem is he is adding miles to the truck with the 15" tires that should not be there, is there anyway to turn off the digital odometer for a while to make the odometer match whats truly on the truck? I told him to get a hypertech and correct the tire ratio but thats not going to help with the 4000 miles thats on the truck that should not be there. He doesn't want to roll it back he just wants to turn it off until he can make up the miles that he put on in the last 2 months. Thanks!

 

Don't think there is a way to do that.

You can take solace in the fact that a lot more people put bigger tires/wheels on their trucks. So, in the end it all balances out.

 

Yeah there is a way. Take out the fuse to your column. The only problem is that the guages wont work. So basically, you will need to guess how fast your going and keep your gas tank full at all times. My friend did that once, it was the funniest thing ever.

Officer: Do you know how fast you were going?

Friend: No sir, you see my speedometer is having problems and iam on my way to get it fixed.

Police officers never believe that but when they see the guages not working they get the idea.

 

GASGUZZLER007:

Do you by chance know what the fuse would be labled or know the number? I thought of that and tried two that were labled cluster but they did nothing for his problem. Thanks!

 

No sorry I dont. Take a look at your owners manual. It should tell you. I never did that myself but my friend had. He didnt have an F150 though.

 

I found my Expeditions manual and the cluster fuse should be #2 and #29. Take a look in your manual. I think that will take care of it. Iam not sure though so try it on your own risk

#2 Instrument Cluster, Trip computer

#29 Auto lamp module, instrument cluster, transmission control indicator light

Keep in mind that this is from a 1997 Expedition so the fuse box might of been rearranged since then

 

I would be very surprised if there was a easy way to "suspend" the odometer.

It would be a good way for some of us "unscrupulious" types to add an "extension" to our factory warrenty, lol

I would think Ford would go to great lengths to prevent this.
But, let me know if the fuse thing works, that would be way cool.

Habibi

 

I would think that the big boys would make it much harder than pulling a fuse too, but on the late model dodge trucks the cluster has a fuse that if blown the dash goes dead and the odometer stops recording until replaced. I found this out the hard way after my radar shorted out and I had it hard wired to that fuse. He may be stuck out, but it sucks that he put 6000 miles on the truck in two months since the tire change and the few months before he was putting 1600 to 1800 a month.

 

it seems to me that the cluster was just a display, the auctual mileage is stored in the computer.

 

Fella's does this mean since ive been running the next size up of tires that the mileage on my truck is completely wrong?
I thought it just effects the speedo gauge and not the mileage meter. OH CRAP!

So let me get this straight, since i have been going every 3000 miles then going for an oil change i could have been going well over 3000 or well below 3000 ? Somebody please clear this up!

 

Are you just assuming it will be off because he has 15" wheels? The only way it will be off is if the actual overall diameter of the tires changed. Also just to let you know that this is also illegal to change the odometer reading. Even if it is overstated mileage you can't adjust the odometer, its illegal.

 

Yes its wrong. The odometer and the speedometer run off the same vss gear (97-98 model trucks) or off the computer (99-present trucks). Since you went up in tire side your gauages will run slow. The difference depends on what the difference in tire sizes are. Like for example I had 255/70/16s and now I have 315/75/16s. My guages are off about 15% (low) so when my speedometer says 50 I'm really doing about 60. The way you correct this is getting a new VSS gear on 97-98 trucks which goes in at the rear output of the transfer case with the right difference in teeth number (for mine I need 15% more teeth I believe) or if you have a 99+ you have to take your truck to a dealership and they hook up to the computer and change it (goes for about $20 or so) Since you only went up one size of tire you're not looking at a very significant difference.