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VDO odometer on the fritz
my VDO speedometer has a digital odometer. As we are making our way home from Texas my odometer starting going haywire. The numeric display went to full incomprehensible mode. It flashed letters & numbers but unreadable. Checked it after full shutdown last night (cut out switches off) no luck. The analog speedometer still works just the odometer is bad.
Any ideas?
I can replace with another VDO but I’m worried about the mileage. I just went over 130k and I want the odometer to reflect it.
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6 Replies
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Until I got the XLII I had to replace the speedometer / odometer on my previous coaches. They have been so unreliable Prevost actually has a kit for replacement. The digital display was supposedly the replacement for the drum type odometer version. One Prevost owner did put the old mileage in the digital display but he had to build a “pulse” device to give it a signal and if I recall it took a long time (days or weeks) until it got to the desired mileage.
On both of mine I just made a log book notation of the miles shown when I replaced the originals. Anything will work such as a tag with the miles near the driver’s seat or noted on a label in the engine area.
The mileage is always retained in DDEC.
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thanks Jon & Tom. I’ll work this when I get home. I believe Old analog odometers are still the way to go. I don’t like digital stuff like this.
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Tom
the last paragraph, on the link you gave, may be the solution. I’ll find out if the capacitor is at fault when I get home.“The later digital mileage VDO speedos can certainly develop anomalies. Most often a replacement is less frustrating and cheaper than attempted repairs. However, VDO will check it out for you for free if you indicate that you will be purchasing another if it turns out bad. If they find nothing, then take the time to locate the little capacitor behind the speedometer. It is very small and hidden in a wire shroud. This capacitor can become defective and will have the speedo give bizarre readings. Replace it, it only costs a few dollars”
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Tom,
I reviewed the linked document, and it seems to apply to calibration, not to setting the (original / desired) starting mileage for the odometer.
Is there another document that might explain how to start a new odometer with the actual mileage rather than zero?
Thanks,
Mike
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When I had to change my speedo/odo, I was faced with the same problem.
I was told that the odometer reading had to be set by some special piece of equipment that the dealer would make arrangements for it to be done. He did and it was and that is probably what you will have to inquire about. It seems reasonable to me that the odometer reading is just short of sacred and they wouldn’t want us messing around with it
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