Convert odometer from miles to kilometers

[Rob M]

Hi All,

  Looks like I'm moving from the UK back to Australia, and I'd like to take my car with me.

  I've tried looking for info on this, but haven't had any luck. My car is a 2005 ls430 UK delivered, which I've owned for 8 years. I love the car, which is why I want to keep it. I'm only the second owner and I know its history, etc.

  Does anyone know if it's possible to change the odometer to correctly reflect the current mileage in kilometers?

Thanks,

Rob

[ambermarine]

I would have thought this is not an option as the security aspect of the Lexus LS400 is high on its list of credentials.The clusters were purposed for UK roads and probably manufactured with that purpose only.I know that some Toyota vehicles have this option but I have not come accross the option on Lexus vehicles let alone the LS400.

I suppose an electronics wizard could hack the cluster but that is a whole world of pain if it goes wrong .

The alternative is to buy a used european cluster from a breaker in Germany or Holland and swap it out with yours.

[Malc]

I don't know the answer to your Q sadly BUT I do know your car will be amazingly rare in Oz ........ there's another Oz guy on here with this post too

 1992 LS400 Lexus Refresher build. Down Under Australia

........... and I do recall looking at the prices brand new for the Ls600 a couple of years back and the car import tax regime in Oz was amazing .....  your normal Ls600 was delivered cost there at @ £250k  ......  yes GBP     POUND STLG 

so it might be worth checking out the import regime if you're thinking to take it there 

Malc

[Rob M]

8 minutes ago, Malc said:

I don't know the answer to your Q sadly BUT I do know your car will be amazingly rare in Oz ........ there's another Oz guy on here with this post too

 1992 LS400 Lexus Refresher build. Down Under Australia

........... and I do recall looking at the prices brand new for the Ls600 a couple of years back and the car import tax regime in Oz was amazing .....  your normal Ls600 was delivered cost there at @ £250k  ......  yes GBP     POUND STLG 

so it might be worth checking out the import regime if you're thinking to take it there 

Malc

Thanks for your reply. I'm an Aussie, and previously imported a car back to Australia in 2009.

I know the rules have changed, and I've been through them, so I have a fair idea, but I'm missing the answer to some specific things (like this one).

Thx,

Rob

[Harrier Man]

Does this help in any way? 

Obviously this is a new model and generation but I don't know enough about older Lexus and what they had fitted.

[ambermarine]

I think the aim of the exersice is to change the odometer readings from miles to kilometres, the exersice shown on U-tube is relevant only to the navigation features of the car in question and is not even available on a 2006 430.

[BMCWP]

I had to go the other way (From KM to Miles) and the only method is to swap out the entire cluster. Its not actually that difficult (I posted a few pictures see link below) however you need to be aware that the miles are coded to the engine and not the cluster so if you buy (like I did) a cluster with more miles than you actually have then thats what you will see. I did ask the seller and seemingly they could do that but wanted me to send the unit back 🙄 So, I took photographs and documented everything. I am not selling the original KPH cluster as it will go with the car when I sell it as I am in Northern Ireland and if it goes South they can convert back (as that is where it came from) 
You will get plenty of stories about putting a sticker on it but I feel it does not look right and the complete swap also cured a few minor niggles I had with the old one. 
 

 

 

[Harrier Man]

33 minutes ago, ambermarine said:

I think the aim of the exersice is to change the odometer readings from miles to kilometres, the exersice shown on U-tube is relevant only to the navigation features of the car in question and is not even available on a 2006 430.

I did think the age of the car might be a problem and was aware that the video referred to navigation. However, my thought process (at least for newer vehicles) was that the distance covered would be stored as a encrypted string on some computer within the car and that by selecting a preference for miles or km, mph or km/h, mpg or l/100km, etc might display that string for distance covered in the selected units; thereby negating the need to swap the entire cluster. It was just a thought.

[Malc]

3 hours ago, Harrier Man said:

stored as a encrypted string on some computer within the car

then on my 95 Ls400 that would be the abacus sticking out of the spare wheel area 

Malc

[steve2006]

My 2004 LS430 a Japanese import was converted from KM to miles before purchase however the UK spec cluster was also mileage corrected.

Not sure if the previous owner still has the old cluster but will ask.

 

[ambermarine]

20 hours ago, Harrier Man said:

I did think the age of the car might be a problem and was aware that the video referred to navigation. However, my thought process (at least for newer vehicles) was that the distance covered would be stored as a encrypted string on some computer within the car and that by selecting a preference for miles or km, mph or km/h, mpg or l/100km, etc might display that string for distance covered in the selected units; thereby negating the need to swap the entire cluster. It was just a thought.

I was not intending to sound critical of your suggestion and all contributions to the board are very welcome ,in fact your submission proves how much the navigation technology as advanced since the CD platform of the LS400 which in itself was ground breaking ,being the first factory installed navigation system in any car.