My speedometer is off...

[M_Six]

...by about 3MPH. Anyone else have this problem? Will the service folks balk at calibrating it under warranty? [???1]

Edit: I should have noted that it reads high. It'll show 70 at 67.

 

[tsquared]

My speedo on my '04 330i is off by 2 mph. 70mph on my Garmin GPS shows 68 mph on the speedo. A LEO buddy of mine clocked my with his squads radar and it also showed a -2 mph difference.

I've owned everything from POS Dodge Horizens to Mustang 5.0 and pickup trucks. Ive never had a speedo exactly on speed.

I've never heard of anyone having this fixed under warrenty, but Ive never tried. Let us know how it works out.

Regards

 

[MrElussive]

M_Six, you should just be able to have it re-calibrated by your dealership. Can I just ask, how did you notice that your speedometer was off?

 

[vlad]

I believe that the speedometer can be off by 5% and still be within acceptable range according to BMW. Especially when it errors on the high side. Car companies seemed to be more concerned when the speedo reads lower that you are actually traveling.

 

[M_Six]

I first noticed that at an indicated 70MPH EVERYBODY was passing me. Even trucks. So I reset the MPH average indicator and it came up 3 MPH off from the indicated speed. I realize that only indicates average speed, but upon first resetting it, it should show actual speed at that moment. Of course if it uses the same source as the speedometer, there would be the same error.

What I really need to do is find one of those speed signs the police set up with the radar in them. You know, the ones that tell you how fast you're going? Never one of them around when you need it.

I know I shouldn't whine about a small error like that, but I'm a bit of a stickler about time and speed. My Ex used to set the alarm clock 20 minutes ahead so she wouldn't be late. Drove me nuts. I knew it was 20 minutes fast, so I'd always be doing math at 0-dark-30 trying to figure out how many snooze alarms I could fit into that 20 minutes. I like to know what time it really is. My watch is set to my PC, which is set to the NTP time servers here at the university. Always accurate. I'm the same way with speed. If my Passport goes bonkers, I want to know how much I need to slow down and not have to guess. I figure on a car this advanced and pricey, accuracy should be a given. It is German, after all.

 

[Dinan55]

Did you just say bonkers?

 

[c_bomber12]

My indicator and speedo also differ by about 2 to 3 mph, speedo being higher. I had wondered the same thing. Funny thing is, I also calculate the number of snoozes I can hit....weird huh.

 

[Average Jae]

i noticed the same on my car, it seems it's about 2-3 mph slower.. i tested it against one of those radar thingies that flash your speed when you pass by. i was at 30 on the speedo, but it flashed 27..

everytime i pass one o those, i'm soooo tempted to just redline and take off but i don't think cops would like it much.. if they just so happend to be around, when the damn thing flashes 75mph, in red i mind you!! in a 25 zone.. i don' t think they'll see the humor in that, do you?

 

[M_Six]

Hey c_bomber12,

I saw a Royal Red 528 yesterday. Very nice. It was the first one of that color I'd seen. They must have discontinued that color, though. I have a 2003 brochure and there's no red in it. Pity. It looks great.

 

[Abdoman]

You can also check your speedo by recording the time it takes you to travel between mile markers on the highway.

 

[CosmosBlack]

shouldn't be doing math while driving...

 

[c_bomber12]

Hey c_bomber12,

I saw a Royal Red 528 yesterday. Very nice. It was the first one of that color I'd seen. They must have discontinued that color, though. I have a 2003 brochure and there's no red in it. Pity. It looks great.

Thanks, M_Six. That was one of the things that really attracted me to it. One of the only ones I looked at that wasn't silver, black or white...not that there's anything wrong with that!
Plus it was 3 years old with only 14,000 miles on it!

 

[almowstine]

Hi M_SIX. I really think you should get out more 'cos many things affect the accuracy of speedo's, heat, cold, tyre pressures (Yep a Brit, well a Canadian in UK) as pressure afffects the size of the wheels thereby affecting the speedo. I reeeeely wouldn't worry about it. Here in the UK the law accepts a speedo with an error of 10%. Could be interesting talking to the cops about it. I once got pulled for doing (his speed gun said) 43 in a 40 zone. Got away with it by quoting the 10% law and suggested that he either got his speed gun calibrated or he learned how to use it correctly. Then he said it would be a better idea to indicate below the limit rather than on it. You just can't win.

 

[almowstine]

Hi M_SIX. I really think you should get out more 'cos many things affect the accuracy of speedo's, heat, cold, tyre pressures (Yep a Brit, well a Canadian in UK) as pressure afffects the size of the wheels thereby affecting the speedo. I reeeeely wouldn't worry about it. Here in the UK the law accepts a speedo with an error of 10%. Could be interesting talking to the cops about it. I once got pulled for doing (his speed gun said) 43 in a 40 zone. Got away with it by quoting the 10% law and suggested that he either got his speed gun calibrated or he learned how to use it correctly. Then he said it would be a better idea to indicate below the limit rather than on it. You just can't win.

 

[epj3]

Hi M_SIX. I really think you should get out more 'cos many things affect the accuracy of speedo's, heat, cold, tyre pressures (Yep a Brit, well a Canadian in UK) as pressure afffects the size of the wheels thereby affecting the speedo. I reeeeely wouldn't worry about it. Here in the UK the law accepts a speedo with an error of 10%. Could be interesting talking to the cops about it. I once got pulled for doing (his speed gun said) 43 in a 40 zone. Got away with it by quoting the 10% law and suggested that he either got his speed gun calibrated or he learned how to use it correctly. Then he said it would be a better idea to indicate below the limit rather than on it. You just can't win.

Funny, you brought up a thread that is 2.5 years old AND pertains to his old 5 series. [unsure]