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11K views 35 replies 26 participants last post by  bobble 
#1 ·
Hope this not a re-post
Has anyone else noticed that the VW spedometers read high. I can drive at 70 plus mph on the freeway and I'm being passed by everyone ever grandpa and grandma? My mk5 TDI seems to have the same problem just not as bad.
I realise that the spedometer must never read low but I believe that mine is reading to least 5 mph fast. At highway speed. Is there any way foe VW to correct this Im sure there is if they want to.
 
#3 ·
It may not be the case but sometimes dealers will swap the wheels to another car at a customers request. At the factory the speedo has been calibrated for the wheels to which the car was specd. If the wheel size is changed the speedo reading will change. In Tampa the dealer was going to swap me 17' wheels for 16" to get me out the door.
 
#7 ·
bootmk said:
Waaait, so if i drove my rabbit at the dealer with the ugly steelies that were 15in, then would it change alot with 17s?
with the 15's there is a deeper side wall. like 55 series we'll say. most 17's start at 45 series and go down. i believe the numbers are millimeters. therefore most of the size you pick up in rim size you will lose in tire size. if the circumference of the tires are the same the speedo wont change. my .02.
 
#8 ·
Update- just got a notice for a class action lawsuit against Honda for an (up to 6%) rebate on mileage overcharges on just about every 02 on up model. I think they all do this, from my observation. It does not do me any good because it was purchased, rather than leased. However, if it was leased, I would get back that overage on the mileage penalty. Honda does not (nor do the others) care if you get less on trade in value on a 100K vs 94K car.

Six percent seems mighty lame from a company that prides themselves on engineering, so less than six percent, at least Wolfsburg is more accurate than Minato-ku!
 
#9 ·
I've already decided to go with a taller tire when I get to the point of tire replacement. Just to do a lazy mans fix of this. I figure it is off by 5 or 6 mph at an indicated 70 (I often drive by a Sherriff's speed indicator sign with cruise control set.) Then using this tool: http://www.rims-n-tires.com/info_specs.jsp I will decide on new tires or rims/tires combo to give me that 5 ish mph adjustment.

Being that the engine is a torquey beast, I believe that it will handle taller tires with ease.

Added fringe benefit *should* be a small MPG improvement.

Anybody know the offset of the magny cours alloy wheels?
 
#10 ·
I was test driving mine, and the salesman pointed out i was going 50 when i felt like it was 35ish.

I think another thing is you don't feel like your going as fast in a smaller vehicle opposed to a boat.

But about speedometers reading high, I figured some factory cars read slightly higher (not really 5, but at least 2 mph) to keep you going a little slower than you think.
 
#13 ·
Speedy07 said:
If you want to check your Speedo. get on the hwy and hit the trip reset at a mile marker..When you get to the next one it should tick off 1 mile...got for several more and you will start to see if it's off and how this will eventually add the extra miles. Drive @ 60mph and you should hit a mile marker every minute.
Good advice, especially useful in states where the mark every tenth mile. Which brings to mind, why exactly do some states feel the need to mark every tenth mile?
 
#18 ·
there's a reason why there's a higher readout. the accuracy of the speedometer reads anywhere between 1-7% higher depending on which car. this is used to offset any error in the speedometer. it's better to think you're going 65 actually going 63 than thinking 65 actually going 67
 
#19 ·
Today I was going 42 or 43 and the electric radar said I was doing 40-41.
 
#23 ·
Speedo error should not be tolerated

I rabbit's speedo reads 60 when I am doing 57 mph. I have taken it up with the dealer and they seem to have corrected it by 1/2 mph, but they did not document the complaint. I will give them two more attempts to fix the problem and document my complaint. If they are unable to remidy the problem then I will want an extension on my warrenty. After all it's not just the leassees that are impacted by the clock error.

:drive: I have driven many cars that i LIKED, but the rabbit is the only car that I LOVED!!!!!
 
#24 ·
Ringworm, you are the open sore on every dealers butthole. EVERY car produced today is going to read slightly fast. If you are going to "give two more tries" and demand an extension onto your warranty from the dealer because your speedo is off by 2.5 MPH at 60, then they will probably just ban you from that dealership. If EVERY vw is like that, then there is nothing in the world you can do about it.

Also, as per the TSB, The odometer is 100% accurate but the speedo on the cluster reads a bit fast. This has NOTHING to do with your warranty or lease mileages. If your speedo reads 60 and you are really going 57.5, then the odometer is reading you are going 57.5.

Honestly, don't hastle the dealer about something so petty and useless because they are not going to be able to do anything about aside from call helpline and have them advise the dealer to do the TSB...which they seemed to have done.

What device are you measuring speed with to compare it with the rabbit's speed? Unless you are on a closed track with an accurate measured mile and a device to trigger the start and stop time while you are going 60MPH read from the COMPUTER, NOT cluster, then you have no right to bash the dealer about this issue.
 
#25 ·
I have to agree with Nito. First off a small error is no big deal, you will still get home in time. And where it comes to getting any service, not just fro your car, choose your battles wisely. If something real bad happens, you will want the dealer on your side.
 
#28 ·
Reply to Nitroscope8

Nitroscope8

It is laudable that you have such a passion for your employer. It is, However, regretable tha you lack the ability to express yourself without the need to resort to vulgar and disparaging remarks. That aside, I considered your comments to be a little more valuable than what I paid for them. Obviously more valuable than what you considered of my opinion.

You and I both assumed too much from the last thread. For that I must apoligise to everyone. You assumed that I lacked the ability to accuratey measure the discrepancy between the indicated speed and the actual speed. Also you assumed that the odometer was accurate. After all, That is what you were told, and "IT"S THE LAW". I assumed that the odometer was coupled to the speedometer and off by the corresponding ammount. Furthur testing revealed that we were both right-- sort of!

The odometer is not coupled to the speedometer but it was of by the same amount. ( .05%) The speedometer is not adjustable but the ODOMETER IS.
.05% is not a big deal in speed but .05% equals 3,000 miles less warrenty. THAT IS A BIG DEAL. (My odometer has now been adjusted to now read accurately-- end of my problem.)

Companies will often ignore or fuge the law untill they get caught. (Rember ENRON?) 3,000 miles less warrenty multiplied by the thousands of cars sold is a VERRY VERRY BIG DEAL.

Volkswagen has made an incredably fantastic car. It is worth every penny I paid for it. They set the standards higher than any car I have driven, and I have driven many cars. The fit, finish and performance is absolutely astounding. That is why I am suprised that the speedometer would be inacurate. Not only can I live with the discrepancy but I would buy the car again and recomend to every one that they are missing one of life's pleasures by not dirving one.
 
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