Mileage not showing on dashboard! A defective odometer is the main caveat behind this issue. Therefore, cracked solder joints and faulty dashboard lights are also responsible for not showing miles on your dashboard.
Below, we will break down each of those issues. Turns out, we will also describe:
- Why is the digital odometer not working?
- How to check & calculate car mileage on the dashboard?
- How to check car mileage without an odometer?
- How to reset odometer mileage?
Without further ado, let’s dive into this in-depth guide.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Mileage Not Showing On Dashboard [Reasons + Solutions]
Don’t know why you can’t see miles on the dashboard? Then, stay in tune with this chapter till the end to explore the reasons behind this issue.
1. Odometer Gets Defective
A defective odometer is the main culprit behind this problem ‘mileage not showing on the dashboard’. The odometer for a car gets faulty due to the following reasons:
- The speed sensor is at fault
- The cluster of the dashboard gets dirty
- The connector in the back of the dashboard gets defective
- You may use a wrong size fuse
- Odometer wiring gets faulty
Solution:
We recommend you just solve the issues we mentioned above to fix your odometer to show the mileage on the dashboard. If you don’t know how to fix those digital odometer issues, don’t worry. We will break down everything related to the odometer problem in the ‘ Why is the digital odometer not working but the speedometer works’ section of this guide. So, keep reading.
2. Cracked Solder Joints
Miles not showing on car! Then, we bet this is caused by cracked or damaged solder joints in the dashboard. Your car odometer has a plug back there and the electrical systems of your car run through the cluster on these.
A common problem is the solder joints of the main connector become brittle over time, responsible for intermittent open circuits and other electrical gremlins.
If you are driving your car and all of a sudden all the dashboard indicators (like mileage, speed, and others) go off, understand it’s because of the cracked solder joints.
Solution:
First off, we recommend you tap on the dashboard gently. We hope all the indicators will come back again as this method did work for us. Keep in mind, that it might not work in every case. Either way, it’s not a long-term solution.
To fix this issue permanently, we recommend you bring your car to the place that does circuit board work. Hopefully, you may be able to get the solder joints re-soldered. Otherwise, you should get a new dashboard to show mileage.
3. Console Light Bulb Gets Defective
You can’t see mileage on the car or any single digit on the dashboard if the console light bulb gets out. Several reasons like a burning bulb, a blown-out fuse, and a rusty connector are the culprits behind a defective console light bulb.
Keep in mind, that a defective dashboard bulb doesn’t mean there is a problem with the dashboard itself. It means you can still see the mileage but not in dark areas or at night.
Solution:
It’s a pretty straightforward step to replace the console light bulb if it gets defective. Just remove the instrument panel to access every component of the console light bulb. If it seems challenging to change the dashboard lights, check out the tutorial below.
4. You May Find It Difficult To Use The Multi-function Display
Modern cars have a multi-function display. It will show you mileage, trip mileage, service intervals, and other related information. Sometimes, it would be difficult to get it to display what you wish to see. Indeed, it’s not a problem with the dashboard, it’s because of the lack of knowledge on using the display.
Solution:
Just check the car manual and learn how to be a master at using the display. Your vehicle will either have buttons on the steering or extra stalks sticking out of the steering column. We recommend you keep pushing down the buttons or the stalk up or down until you get the display option you want to see.
Why Is The Digital Odometer Not Working But The Speedometer Works?
The following culprits are responsible for a defective odometer.
(i) Speed Sensor Gets Defective
A faulty or mal-functioned speed sensor is the culprit behind a defective odometer. You can find the speed sensor mounted near the back of the transmission.
Now, the question is- how can I understand it’s the problem with the speed sensor? Simple. If you find the odometer broken, understand the gears that spin the odometer also get broken. Turns out, that slow or harsh shifting is the result of a defective speed sensor.
Solution:
Replacing the broken speed sensor is an easy solution if the digital odometer doesn’t work. If you don’t know how to replace the speed sensor, you can read this step-by-step guide on ItStillRuns.
(ii) Cluster of the Dashboard Gets Dirty
A dirty cluster is also responsible for making the odometer defective. Over time, the cluster and its electrical get dirty by dirt, debris, and dust. Because of the filthy cluster, it fails the odometer as well.
Solution:
Make sure you clean the cluster and its electrical with a microfiber cloth. You can also use compressed air to remove dirt build-ups from the surrounding of the cluster. It will be better if you add new LEDs for cluster lighting to let the odometer work efficiently for a long time.
(iii) Connector in the back of the Dashboard Gets Faulty
A loose or damaged connector in the back of the dashboard can also cause the odometer to fail. If you don’t insert the connector correctly, your odometer will not work properly. Besides, a faulty odometer fuse is responsible for a mal-functioned odometer.
Solution:
First off, inspect the connector in the back of the dashboard for damage. Don’t forget to change the connector if you find it cracked. Next, ensure you insert the connector properly. Lastly, check the odometer fuse and replace it if needed.
Apart from these, you should ensure that you use the right fuse size. Also, make sure the odometer wiring is intact.
How To Check & Calculate Car Mileage On Dashboard
It’s simple to check car mileage on the dashboard. The odometer will show you how much mileage you get from your vehicle. Below, you will show you the step-by-step guide to checking & calculate car mileage.
- Fill the fuel tank of your car to the brim.
- Now, reset the trip meter of your vehicle to zero.
- Maintain the speed limit of your car. Too much speed will require more fuel.
- Now, drive your car around 250-350 km before filling the fuel tank again. Yes, it takes several days. But the more oil you will burn, the more oil you can top up again.
- Top up the fuel tank again with oil.
- Finally, it’s time to calculate. To get the mileage, divide the number of kilometers you drove your car by the quantity of fuel you used.
How To Check Car Mileage Without Odometer
It’s not possible to check or track your car mileage accurately without an odometer. So, we recommend you replace the broken or defective odometer to get an accurate result. Below, we will show you how to check vehicle mileage using a mileage tracker app.
- Start with downloading a mileage tracker app. You can find a handful of options in this case. TripLog and MileIQ are the two names that will help you check the mileage.
- Once you download and install the app, open it and choose the preferable tracking mode. Some apps offer auto-tracking features and some of them have manual tracking mode.
- After choosing the tracking mode, start your car engine. The mileage tracking mode will log each mile you drive by delivering real-time information.
- Stop the tracking mode once you reach your destination.
- When your trip ends, it will show you an overview of how many miles you drive your car.
How Do You Reset Odometer Mileage
Resetting the odometer mileage is not an easy task. You need to resolder the odometer chip. It means you need to take the cluster out of your car. Then, you should remove all the screws to access the odometer chip. We recommend you take the vehicle to a professional mechanic to reset the odometer mileage. However, if you are mechanically inclined, check out the following tutorial to learn how to reset odometer mileage.
FAQs:
Does the speedometer and odometer work in tandem?
In modern computerized cars, the speedometer and odometer don’t work in tandem. Most odometers will track mileage though the speedometer doesn’t function properly.
How to fix a speedometer that is reading wrong?
A speedometer will give you wrong reading due to the following reasons:
1. Road conditions
2. Different wheel sizes
3. Different tire sizes
4. Defective transmission
To fix your speedometer, you should buy a yellow box correction kit. It will work with multiple models of vehicles. Once you get the correction kit.
Where is the odometer located?
The odometer is actually located on your car’s dashboard.
How to check how many miles your car has?
Simply take your eyes on the odometer gauge to check how many miles your car has.
What is the difference between mileage and odometer?
Generally, the odometer will measure how many miles you travel in your car. On the other hand, mileage indicates the fuel consumption per km.
Conclusion
Your car’s dashboard will not show the mileage due to a defective odometer, cracked solder joints, and faulty dashboard lights. If you want to see mileage on your dashboard, you must address these issues and fix them.
Fortunately, we mentioned every troubleshooting step to solving those problems. If still, you can’t see miles on your dashboard after trying those steps, there is a serious problem with your car. So, don’t hesitate to bring your car to a mechanic.
Note: You can also read how to fix Oil pressure drops when braking problems.
About John M
John contributed as a technical head at an automobile company just 2 years after his post-graduation in Automobile Engineering. He loves to lead a free life, so he left his job & started blogging. Now, he does research on every automotive problem, part & product and seeks a better solution & best products & shares his findings with his readers to help them as well as to minimize their struggle.