Community Forums

sc3283 · 03-01-2012, 08:28 PM

Towed should be towed with the speedo working..the vehicle is in motion so it is getting miles put on it. Yes the engine and exhaust are not but the majority of the rest of the vehicle is. Selling a towed and not disclosing towed mileage is as wrong as speedometer roll backs........isn't it?

Mr_D · 03-01-2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Most newer toads will not register towed miles because they have an electronic speed sensor which is not active with the ignition off.

For the mechanical speedometers, they used to be a disconnect you could add to the car.

Ken

But some vehicles, the CR-V and our '05 Odyssey for instance, require the ignition key to be on and they still don't register miles.

Federal law now prohibits the disconnecting of odometers on cars, BTW. Not that the odometer police are going to check!

wa8yxm · 03-02-2012, 10:06 AM

Odometers fall into two groups. Back in the 80's they were usually mechanical driven off the transmission drive shaft. Those rack 'em up any time the drive shaft turns.

Modern ones are electronic and won't register less the ignition is on.

NOTE: SOME cars are not designed to tow 4-down, On these cars you add a device to them to make them towable. There are 3 devices.

1: Lube pump, With this device the drive shaft (or equivlent for front wheel drive) turns and the odometer works according to the above terms.. NOTE that the pump is an active device and those have been kown to fail.

2: Drive shaft disconnect (For rear wheel drive vehicles)
3: Axle lock (Front wheel drive)

These devices,,, when activated,,, turn your car into a trailer, the Drive shaft DOES NOT TURN and thus the odometer does not.. do anything. Als there is NO wear on the tranny. (Though the differential is still working,, but not very hard)

These devices use a much older technnology, I have never heard of an alxe lock failure, or a failure of the technlolgy used on them save for one case were a techniucian messed up.

I have heard of issues with the drive shaft disconnect. but frankly also think it was installer error more often than not.

distaff · 03-02-2012, 02:58 PM

The easiest way is to run the route on google maps and just keep a note of the miles. It will only affect you tire and axle/axle bearing wear, but I have not seen an axle or axle bearings fail in 40 years of vehicle ownership.

rpasetto · 03-02-2012, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derh2o

it sounds like maybe i am worrying about nothing. we have not purchased a towed yet, but are seriously considering a Honda CR-V. We want an automatic, would like 4WD or AWD and a small SUV. That really narrows our options as far as i can tell.

I used to tow an 05 Honda CRV. I put in a battery disconnect... no fuses to pull, no mileage to register, i had a charge wire to the battery and the aux braking electric connection on the batt side of the disconnect switch.

danf7 · 03-02-2012, 06:58 PM

My Honda Fit does not register miles either. It's a great toad and with the fold down seats gives plenty of storge in the back for a little car. I would suspect that most of the new cars do not add miles when towing.

Dan