Is it possible to make an odometer not rack up miles? Found a 1996 ram 1500 with only 40,000 miles and looked excellent on website pictures, but was disappointed seeing it live. Driver side seat was already split open. the heater didn't put out, but could've been the old brown coolant. Just wondering?

 

Only way would be to physically disassemble it, and put it back together. Would have to be fairly talented to do that successfully though.... I would look for a tag stuck on it somewhere regarding speedo replacement.... if there is one, it would be in the drivers door frame somewhere. Either that, or pull a carfax report on it, and see what it has to say. If there are reports with over 40K on them..... it's been tampered with.

It sure SOUNDS like it has more than 40K on it though.....

 

Yes, there are several ways. On the '96, I believe the speedo/odometer are still controlled by a cable. The cable can be disconnected. Another way is to have the odometer altered. In this area, there are several places that can do that for a 'fee'. As was stated, Carfax may show the truth, but Carfax is only as good as the data that is presented to it - if there are multiple owners of the truck, the truth may show up. Bottom line is if the truck doesn't look like a creampuff ('96 truck with 40K kept out of the weather), then it probably isn't

Just curious - is this truck being sold by a private owner or a car dealer?

 

96 speedo (at least, on mine...) is driven by a VSS. No cable.

 

Dodge dealer about hour drive away.

 

Both my 94s are VSS too

 

could have been an in towm fleet truck the 90 chev fleep truck i drive has 80 thou on it but it takes long trips every so often

 

You reckon it is a million and 40,000 miles.
Might be a record.

 

On any 1995 and newer they do not use a speedo cable. They all use a VSS. Now you could disconnect the odometer wire BUT AFAIK the PCM won't let the vehicle start then.

 

95 and newer eh? i wonder what the electric speedometer in my 91 and 93 have to say about that. i think 89 would be the last year you would find a cable in a ram. anything 90 or newer should have a electric speedometer. you could probably unplug the speed sensor in the trans but you would get crappy gas mileage without overdrive which would not work with the speed sensor disconnected. now i don't know about 96 but on the 90-93 rams you could cut the wire that pulses the speedo so your speedo don't move but overdrive should still work.