Speed meter 15% too optimistic Topic is solved

[Esperado]

Instrument cluster can be programmed for different tyre dimensions, but it needs to be done at authorised Volvo dealer/service,and the most important thing,they need to know how to do that.

I'm not even sure tire sizes are programmable.
In an other Volvo forum, a moderator said:

"You cannot program tire size. Being able to do software downloads won't do you much good unless you are replacing a failed module or programming a new key and remote."
adding:
"I am sure. Anything programmable is under Advanced when you click the module name in Vehicle Communication under the Diagnostics tab."

And it was too what said my official Volvo car dealer that charged me to do this job with no success.

[bill d cat]

...My tires are standard 205/50/16, and the speedometer/odometer/cruise control are working fine apart this 15%...

What was the year when Volvo switched to 205/55/16 because of customer's complaints about bent rims?
I think it was with introduction of s,v,c,xc70 models in '97(EU) and '98 for U.S market.

During the (long) 1998 model year, there were two choices of standard tire size offered for the T5; 205/55-16 or 205/50-16. IIRC there was a Volvo recall of the 205/50-16s that included replacing the rims.

When I ordered mine, the dealer discouraged me from ordering the 50 series - mine was delivered in October 1997 and apparently they were already seeing bent rims by that time.

It seems a little strange now, because my sport-suspension BMW wagon has lower profile tires on larger rims and at least according to the BMW boards bent rims don't seem to have been a big problem.

My Volvo's speedometer has always been accurate -- even though over the years I've had some replacement tire brand/models that differed enough that they wouldn't fit in the spare tire well.

BMWs are notorious for speedometers that read about 10% high. It seems to be a European industry standard that the car must be traveling at least as fast as the speedometer reads. However, other German manufacturers don't seem to build in such a wide error. The BMW ECU "knows" the real speed, and the odometer is accurate. BMW owners just live with it. (Or they ignore the speedometer anyway.) Why they still do this for US delivery vehicles, I don't know.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a ... r-scandal/

[Esperado]

BMWs are notorious for speedometers that read about 10% high.

That's why BMWs owners think they are faster than the other drivers

(The reason why manufacturers are obliged in Europa to set their speed meter a little optimistic is for drivers can never pretend they were fooled by their speedometer in case they got an over speed limit ticket.) .
But my speed error is a lot: when my speedo shows 117, I'm at 100km/H.)
Well, with the help of a forum member (and my 850 OBDII), I got the programmed data of my tires size.
It says:
84 13 51 F9 0E 1E 0D

while it is supposed to say:
84 13 51 F9 0E 0F FE

[esl_97_850_T5]

(deleted after typo in previous post was corrected)

[Esperado]

I think I've found the cause of my issue. It looks like the position of my needle follows exactly the curve of the instrument cluster in miles.
See attached.
It is very strange, as the panel look is the good one for my model (European) as well as the reference number on the the plastic assembly (9148926).
A previous owner replacement of the printed board with an US or GB used one ? Or an attempt of my used car seller to cheat some way with the mileage ?

So, i have two questions. If I change the instrument panel for a good rigt used one, do I have to have-it re-programmed at a Volvo dealer garage ? Is the VIN mileage etc recorded in the instrument panel ? Or it will just plug and play ?

[erikv11]

98 US spec the whole speedo cluster can just be swapped, plug and play, no problem. I've done it a few times. The mileage moves with the cluster. There is no VIN info stored in the cluster, just mileage. And tire size!

[Esperado]

The mileage moves with the cluster. There is no VIN info stored in the cluster, just mileage. And tire size!

Ordered a cheap used cluster, to see if any good and discover the country codes. I will not believe a Volvo mileage anymore. I will not believe the words of any official Volvo dealer as well, mine sayin tires sizes cannot be changed.

[misha]

Just make sure it's from '98.
'99 and '00 will not work because of CAN network.
Physically and visually...they are identical...it's just part number which is different.

[Esperado]

Too late... Part number is not the same and it seems it is 99. Will see. More it comes, more I hate Volvo.
Do they paid a team to complicate the life of their customers, changing each morning as much part numbers and models they can, making them as much incompatible as possible ?
Do they have orders to hide informations and leave the owners of their old cars with no help or service ?
I think I will buy a tank of gasoline and burn this piece of junk they call a car.
I had more problems with this stupid pile of mud than with all my cars in my long life.
Electronics, plastics, pipes, rubbers, leathers, I have never seen such an accumulation of such poor quality materials with such a scandalous price.
To give-you an idea, I had a problem with my automatic gear box. The Volvo's quote was > 2500€ and 3 weeks. I fixed-it for something like 50€ and 3 hours of work. Just a solenoid.

[misha]

Post a picture of back side of the cluster....to see Volvo number and the other numbers.
I'll see if i can check them for you.

Part # are different for E.U and U.S market.

EDIT....
Just saw that you're from Portugal....so it is km/h speedo.