Can I Repair or Replace A Cluster If I Don't Know The Mileage?

If an instrument cluster breaks and stops displaying vehicle mileage, can it be repaired?

Can you repair or replace your instrument cluster if you don’t know the actual mileage?

You Can Always Repair or Replace An Instrument Cluster, Even If You Don't Know The Mileage

If you have a broken instrument cluster, you can always repair or replace it - even if you don't know the vehicle's exact mileage. All you have to do is provide an estimate of the mileage when the cluster is repaired.

However, if you estimate mileage, you'll need to disclose it. When you sell or trade-in a vehicle with estimated mileage, you'll need to say that the "true mileage is unknown" (TMU).

Estimated Mileage Is the Same As True Mileage Unknown, or TMU

Anyone who buys or sells a vehicle in the United States or Canada is required to disclose the vehicle's mileage. Most of the time, the disclosed mileage is the same as the mileage shown on the vehicle odometer.

If a vehicle doesn't have an accurate odometer - or if the odometer was replaced and the exact mileage is not known - then the mileage disclosure is "TMU." TMU stands for "true mileage unknown."

For newer vehicles (less than 10 years old), most vehicle buyers expect to know a vehicle's exact mileage. But for older vehicles that often have 100k+ miles on them, exact mileage is less important than condition. A very well cared for vehicle with true mileage unknown (TMU) may have more value than a worn vehicle with exact mileage.

Still, if you're forced to estimate mileage when you replace an odometer, you'll want to keep the disclosure requirement in mind.

Isn't A Vehicle's Exact Mileage Stored In the Engine Computer?

Many vehicles store the vehicle's exact mileage in the engine control module (aka ECM or ECU) or body control module (aka BCM). Some engine scanning tools can read this mileage, and if you have one of these tools you might be able to get the exact mileage instead of estimating.

• In many GM vehicles and some Japanese vehicles, the mileage is stored in the instrument cluster, so if the cluster has failed the mileage is often lost.
• In some cars, the mileage is stored in the ECU.
• In some cars, the mileage is stored in the BCM (body control module).

When We Repair A Cluster, We Can Sometimes Retrieve The Exact Mileage

When you work with ISS to repair your instrument cluster, your mileage won’t be reset. We always try to keep/maintain the exact mileage when we repair a cluster. In most cases, even if the instrument cluster doesn’t display the mileage, we can still pull it from the cluster.

If you're not sure about the mileage when you place an order, you can enter "999999" or "000000" and we can contact you to discuss the correct mileage.

What If My Estimated Mileage is Wrong?

If you replace your instrument cluster and you have to estimate the correct mileage, it's best to be as accurate as possible with your estimate. If you intentionally underestimate your mileage, that's considered rolling back the odometer. Intentionally understimating mileage is a crime, even if the vehicle is sold with a "true mileage unknown" disclaimer.

So, if you're fixing an instrument cluster because the odometer has failed, it's best to provide as accurate of an estimate as possible.

ISS Automotive Repairs And Replaces Instrument Clusters

Whether you decide to fix or replace your cluster, we can help. We offer instrument cluster repair services and replacement instrument clusters. We specialize in GM instrument clusters, but we offer services and replacements for other makes and models, too. We've been doing this for more than 70 years - we are experts. If you don’t see your make and model in our inventory, you’re welcome to contact us to see if we can help you.