I realized really early my cars odometer counted miles too quickly, and figured the computer was just messed up or something. I was thinkin today on the highway while looking at the kilometer reading on teh speedometer and performed a simple little test. I would clear my trip meter, and drive at 120km/h until my trip meter read 2, timing the entire process. The results were what i expected taking approx 30 seconds to hit 1, and around the minute mark, it hit to (i allowed some room for driver error since my ccruise control currently isnt working and speed varied).

I was actually really pleased to find this out because when i bought the car, the mileage(?) read 90,000 what i thought were miles but were indeed kilometers, puting my actual mileage around 60000

Is this a common thing for Us market volvos to count their mileage in kilometers?

 

I am guessing the car came from Canada if its in km.

 

Interesting. I'll have to check mine. I've always found it weird that the temperature sensor reads the ambient temp in Celsius. I wonder if my whole car is metric...

 

my car came with the ambient temp in celcius too. the clock is also in military time, super european. My speedometer though, still has miles as the primary readout, with km in smaller writing underneath.

I originally bought the car from this guy who owned a really cool garage that specialized in fixing up classic exotics such as ferraris, lambos, jaguars etc. He also had alotta other cool classics such as minis and whatnot. He told me the previous owners special ordered the car, since they wanted something with a manual transmission. idk if that has anything to do with it, but regardless i think its pretty cool

 

Although I'm not from the US, I've read here a number of times that a manual transmission was not available in the US. The car sounds imported. If the dash is the original one, its not from Canada as the primary readout has to be km with secondary being miles. Sounds like its from Europe assuming its all stock and not pieced together.

 

if the car is a turbo, it did NOT come with a 5 speed if it's a US model, if everything i have read is correct.

 

Hello , I 've seen this happen before especially on the volvos with the diagnostic connectors under the hood . If someone incorectly trys to reset the service light with the push button method they inadvertantly change the speedometer coding from US to Europe . It is easy to change back with the Volvo factory scan tool in instrument cluster coding . It is possible to reset it with a push button method at the diagnostic plug - a bit awkward however . Someone with the factory scan tool should do it for less than $100 .

 

your owner's manual tells you how to set time and temp back to US . I think you hold both clock reset buttons in at the same time for a couple seconds .

 

My son's 850 has a broken odometer which I will fix when he sells it to me. But he claims you can read the actual mileage through the diagnostic system. True?

 

yes , the volvo scan tool can read the actual mileage in the instrument cluster memory . there is a proceedure on the web with pictures showing how to replace the odometer gear (available from odometergears.com - great people) . there are about 60 screws involved . it's not difficult , just take your time and keep track of everything , take your own pictures as you disassemble - have fun , vtech

 

95 and lower model 850's have a small diagnostic tool built into teh engine under the hood. its got 1 button for inputs and 1 light that flashes to communicate with you

 

really? i messed around with teh diagnostic tool a but, but followed instructions pretty closely, i dont see how i could have changed that

 

Thanks again!