How do I retrieve the correct mileage on 1996 850

ERO1 · Post by **ERO1** » 25 Oct 2011, 14:32

Hi guys,
I have a 1996 850 glt and I am having a hard time finding out how to retrieve the mileage from the OBD II .The odometer broke at 133k ...was like that when I bought it and didn't know until after we got it running that the odometer was not working....I took it to my local mechanic and although he could read the codes he did not know how to read the mileage. Neither did a mechanic who specializes in "foreign" cars, nor my Volvo dealership. The dealership told me that they could not retrieve that info on older than '98 model OBD II's. If anyone can tell me how to read the codes it would be very much appreciated! I have no problem fixing the odometer, the tutorial is great and I already have the gears....just would like to be able to set the mileage correctly....I have read everything I can find but it all seems to deal with the obd I.I understand that a knowledgeable person can figure it out but so far no luck with that.Thanks for any help!

Post by **charlyW** » 25 Oct 2011, 14:37

There is a way from the ECU with flash codes, I think Volvo owners club website has a write up on how it's done, I did it on a 93 850 so should imagine that it can be done on a 96 one

Post by **tjts1** » 25 Oct 2011, 17:30

94turbomom wrote:https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... php?t=6731

It was posted by " Made in Japan" 3-13-06 "how to read your actual miles from the ECU"

This works for my 1994 850 . Hope it helps.

This doesn't apply to 96 and newer. OBD2 does have a place to store the odometer count in the ECU's memory but its not functional on the 96 850. Mine stores the number 186,xxx which doesn't change as I drive. I later realized its the equivalent to 300,000km. My car is well past that point.

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 Oct 2011, 19:31

The milage is stored in the instrument cluster which Volvo calls the Combined Instrument or CombI in some tools.
As was already stated, the diagnostics access changed for 96 and it takes a Volvo Scan Tool or other complete scan tool. There aren't many out there. AutoDiagnos, the company that makes VST sells them.
Dealer or a VERY GOOD independent Volvo specialist shop can get the info for you.

Post by **tjts1** » 25 Oct 2011, 20:19

jimmy57 wrote:The milage is stored in the instrument cluster which Volvo calls the Combined Instrument or CombI in some tools.
As was already stated, the diagnostics access changed for 96 and it takes a Volvo Scan Tool or other complete scan tool. There aren't many out there. AutoDiagnos, the company that makes VST sells them.
Dealer or a VERY GOOD independent Volvo specialist shop can get the info for you.

As previously stated by the OP, they can't on pre 98 cars. The PID exists but its not recording mileage. It just stores a fixed number.

ERO1 · Post by **ERO1** » 25 Oct 2011, 22:48

jimmy57 wrote:The milage is stored in the instrument cluster which Volvo calls the Combined Instrument or CombI in some tools.
As was already stated, the diagnostics access changed for 96 and it takes a Volvo Scan Tool or other complete scan tool. There aren't many out there. AutoDiagnos, the company that makes VST sells them.
Dealer or a VERY GOOD independent Volvo specialist shop can get the info for you.

Ok...as I mentioned in my post, my mechanic has a scan tool and can read the codes but does not know how to retrieve the mileage...a 3000.00 tool should be able to you would think. The dealership says you can't retrieve the info on older than '98 OBD 2.
Thanks to the other posters, but '96 changed everything...ECU is no longer under the hood and can not be read without a scan tool.
I have read about the info being stored in the instrument cluster, but my understanding is that you must still retrieve it through the ECU (OBD2 port) In another thread on here they talked about if you changed the panel it would not read correct for the car....you would need to re-install the old cluster to get the correct mileage.

So anyway, now I am thoroughly confused...Is tjts1 and the local Volvo dealer correct that it is not possible to retrieve the mileage or should I keep looking and hoping someone will have the answer.

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 Oct 2011, 23:45

I have a VST and I am pretty sure I have read milage on Diagnose2 850's. I haven't tried on a 96-97 850 in a long time as that doesn't come up as request and I don't know when I will have one to try it on again.

addendum: I just went out to my 98 and used the VST. I selected the car as a "800 SERIES" and then went through some of the other system menus to be sure the VST was displaying menus for 850's and not S/V70 models just in case the tool overrode menu selections when hooked to a car not specified.
I selected "ELECTRICAL" then "COMBI" and then "PROGRAM COMBI" and on the menu was "READ COMBI"
In that menu were several things like "MANIPULATED=YES", should be no but when the ABS module croaks and VSS is lost this changes from NO to YES.
I went down a few lines and there was MILAG=167407. My odo shows 167243.

If you go to "MONITOR TEST" menu you get a whole other list of parameters and milage is not in that area.

I know this is less than a true test since I was using a 98 but it is on the menu.

ERO1 · Post by **ERO1** » 26 Oct 2011, 00:33

@jimmy57....thanks a million. I will print out your reply and show my mechanic friend. He has a 3000 dollar scanner at his shop and he hooked it up and could read the check engine codes but he did not think his scanner could show the mileage....hopefully he just did not know where to look as this is something he does not get requests for. He also said he might not have the right software as everything he adds to it is pretty expensive so of course he only gets what he needs for the stuff he works on.
Pretty sad when the dealer does not know that you can do this!

Again thanks....can't wait 'til tomorrow. I will let you all know if this works out...hopefully he has the correct software!!!

ERO1 · Post by **ERO1** » 26 Oct 2011, 19:47

Well, I am back to square one...my mechanic friend has a MOBIS scanner and says his cannot read it ...he does not think it can be done. Talked to another dealer service mechanic and they still insist that it cannot be done on a 1996. Frankly, I believe jimmy57 that it can be...but so far no luck...