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From: wmartin@brl-vgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Electronic odometer rollback?
Message-ID: <1997@brl-vgr.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 14-May-84 10:10:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-vgr.1997
Posted: Mon May 14 10:10:03 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 16-May-84 07:29:38 EDT
Organization: Ballistics Research Lab
Lines: 14

Local TV stations' news features have been dwelling on the "odometer
rollback" issue lately, for some reason. This, combined with a description
of the electronic display on a luxury car in last weekend's "Motorweek"
program on PBS, inspires this inquiry. For cars with electronic odometer
displays, is there a mechanical backup unit somewhere in the car for
security and verification of the electronic reading? After all, can't the
electronic reading be changed by reprogramming or replacing the
memory of the onboard microprocessor, or even by current surges or
power-supply glitches? Of course, the "rollback wizards" can easily
alter the mechanical unit, but it leaves some detectable traces when they
do (scratches, marks, etc.) -- even this is gone with the electronic
version.

Will