MOT Certificate

[CaptainBlue]

Just bought a Range Rover HSE 1999. Went on line to check the MOT history and on one MOT from 2008 the mileage reads 109,929 and on the next MOT 3 months afte the mileage reads less, 84,956.

Does the odometer reading follow the engine ? Seems as if the engine has been changed, what do you think ?

[David Sparkes]

You are swimming in dark waters with this query.

As standard, the 38A stores the mileage in two places, the BECM and the instrument console. They normally check with each other, and if one is lower it increments to the higher value. Note there is no built in priority according to the equipment, the priority is the higher reading, wherever it is found.

I understand this check and update doesn't happen immediately the car powers up, but neither does it wait 3 days.

I understand that if someone wants to try a spare BECM as part of a faulting technique, the safety step is to leave the instrument pack disconnected while the test takes place.

From this you can see it's 'impossible' to push the odometer reading backwards; officially.

Where there is money to be made, by selling a 110k mile car as a 80k mile car, then men will find a way of making the change.

I have no idea if there exists software to so this to the 38A, but the software will exist for other cars, so possibly exists for the 38A.

OTOH, you suspect the engine has been changed. Possibly this came from a lower mileage car, when it would be a 'simple' matter to replace the BECM and instrument cluster as well as the engine.

Do you have an EKA? Does it work? How many remote fobs do you have, and do they all work?

The EKA will be programmed into the BECM, as will the remotes. If the BECM has been changed, without it being notified to Land Rover, then any attempts to get new remotes (key fobs) will fail, because Land Rover will supply remotes to match the original BECM, not the new one.

There is an expensive software module from Blackbox (AKA Rovacom) which can access the BECM and enable changes to be made, but I don't know what this does to the mileage. Trade people on here may have this software, and` be able to shed a brighter light on the possibilities it makes available.

HTH

[CaptainBlue]

Thanks for your reply mate. It looks suspicious. The only mot I got with the car was the last one. Luckily you can check the history. I have only one key fob and that works OK. I don't have the EKA because the registration docs come 2 days ago. I'm going to try and get the EKA from Land Rover. I'm away from home for a few weeks at a time but I'll check the engine no. against the registration as soon as I can. That will tell me if the engine has been replaced and it's been registered.

It's hard to understand why someone in may 2008 at 109,929 gets a pass on the MOT and less than 3 months later puts the car in for a new MOT with a pass, at a different mot centre, but showing 84,956. The difference in money for selling a 110k car compared to a 85k can't be much, seems hardly worth the bother. I hope the EKA works or I'm in trouble.

[landmannnn]

The two possible reasons are change of engine or that it is a ringer. Does the chassis number match the paperwork?

[CaptainBlue]

The two possible reasons are change of engine or that it is a ringer. Does the chassis number match the paperwork?

Will check the chassi number as well. I will never learn.