2005 Yukon Denali Fuel/trip Computer Discrepancy

[KVacek]

I just bought a 2005 Yukon XL Denali with 37,000 miles. It was a lease vehicle, and is in beautiful condition, showing little wear for even 37,000 miles. Original Wrangler radials with about 40% wear left. I have no service records - nothing. Don't know if the lessee paid for OnStar or not.

 

Looking through the vehicle information displays, I found a fuel totalizer, indicating that the truck has used 5,008 gallons of fuel, and the average MPG was 14.9. That would be fine if the truck had about 75,000 miles, but not for 37,000 miles.

 

Is it possible / practical that the computer has been hacked, or is there some other explanation for the discrepancy ?

 

Thanks in advance !

Karl

[omegafiler]

The 'fuel used' in the DIC isn't completely accurate. But I've never seen one go that long without being reset though. I normally reset mine after each fill up and it tends to be off by about a gallon or so. So I can imagine it being "off" after 37k.

 

I'd just reset it.

[Zembonez]

The 'fuel used' in the DIC isn't completely accurate. But I've never seen one go that long without being reset though. I normally reset mine after each fill up and it tends to be off by about a gallon or so. So I can imagine it being "off" after 37k.

 

I'd just reset it.

Resetting the DIC doesn't reset the fuel used reading on mine. Mine is inaccurate as well. It shows 16.6 MPG for 4500 miles but says I used 298 gallons... which would be 15.1. Doing the math at fillups, the 16.6 is correct. Not sure why the fuel used number is wrong?

[Wingnut]

Just an idea...But maybe it's figuring idle-time into the equation. The truck is essentially getting 0 mpg when idling. Obviously, it's not using much gas at all, but your MPG in the DIC will drop like a rock when it idles.

 

Not sure how much it would drop it in the overall, but you can also divide total mileage by total hours and figure out the average MPH for the vehicle. If it's low, you know it spent a lot of time idling.

 

Like I said...Just a thought.

[KVacek]

Just an idea...But maybe it's figuring idle-time into the equation. The truck is essentially getting 0 mpg when idling. Obviously, it's not using much gas at all, but your MPG in the DIC will drop like a rock when it idles.

 

Not sure how much it would drop it in the overall, but you can also divide total mileage by total hours and figure out the average MPH for the vehicle. If it's low, you know it spent a lot of time idling.

 

Like I said...Just a thought.

 

Engine hours have clearly been reset - it only shows 152 hours. I suspect that MPG has also been reset, but of course I don't know. The trip computers had definitely been reset at least occasionally.

 

My main questions are whether it's likely that the "fuel used" is that far off, and if not, is it likely that the actual mileage can be determined by a dealer even if someone reset the visible odometer with software ? That is, does the computer ALWAYS keep an accurate total mileage, or does the "odometer resetter" software reset EVERYTHING in the computer.

 

I bought from an independent wholesaler who got the vehicle from the leasing company that leased it from new. My suspicion is that the lessee might have reset the odometer to avoid over-mileage charges. Then again, he was careful enough to replace the tires with OE tires and they do look like 37,000-mile tires. Pedal wear is negligible, and the vehicle is very clean with no evidence of any significant reconditioning beyond a basic detailing. Looks to me like the mileage is correct, but then again, it might not look much different with say, 77,000 miles vs 37,000 miles.

[GMTRUCKTECH]

Here is the deal there are people out their that can and will for a fee hook up a laptop to your data link connector and put what ever milage and hours you want on your vec. Being it was a lease that does throw a red flag up. If you pm your vin I'll do a gm history check for you so you can see what has been done to the vec at the owners local dealer. This would include date, milage, and what work was done.

[KVacek]

Here is the deal there are people out their that can and will for a fee hook up a laptop to your data link connector and put what ever milage and hours you want on your vec. Being it was a lease that does throw a red flag up. If you pm your vin I'll do a gm history check for you so you can see what has been done to the vec at the owners local dealer. This would include date, milage, and what work was done.

 

Thanks for the offer - I just read your reply, but that's exactly what I got this morning. Mystery solved - the mileage at each repair all tracks just fine. There was a dashboard mod ule warrantee replaced last April and I suspect the "fuel used" on the exchange one installed was not zeroed out when it was "rebuilt". That also explains why the engine hours were so low - assuming engine hours were zeroed when the module was replaced, 152 engine hours since April sounds fine.

 

Thanks again !

Karl