Does the subaru ECU record and keep track of mileage even if changes have been done to the speedo cluster...I am looking to add another subaru to the family (daugther) ..I have not seen or talked to the owner yet of this '02 Outback 2.5L, but in the ad description he mentions that the speedo cluster has been exchanged and that there are some records of this somewhere..(he makes no mention if the dealer or himself or even the previous owner did this job or even why??) I thought most modern cars keep track of mileage within the ECU

A Carfax report will give you a best guess of mileage. If the owner wrote down the mileage when he changed clusters, it should just be simple addition, or subtraction. If you trust them.

i know someone who had a cluster replaced and they actually set the new cluster at the pre-existing mileage on the vehicle. i do not know how common that is, but was surprised they did that or that it's even possible?!

 

i have never heard of any way the ECU records that type of information. if it did then who's to say the ECU wasn't swapped, they're a dime a dozen in low mileage units for cars this new. i guess it's another level of protection but i still wouldn't considered it verified.

 

you can usually read how honest or not they could be. i know that doesn't sound very quantitative but it's really the best indicator you have in my opinion, but i'm comfortable doing that, some aren't.

 

call the local dealer and see if they've ever had that vehicle there...or possibly the previous owner will tell you where they went....if you trust them. either way, shops typically keep mileage records.