# How do I check the miles on my car? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** fivehundred, ford\ **Created:** [January 20, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032 "2022-01-20T21:49:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/1 "2022-01-20T21:49:15Z")
I want to buy my sisters car. It always has a door ajar message and a low fuel message. They’re both wrong and I plan on getting them fixed eventually. Because of those messages it won’t let me see the miles on it. Is there any way to get around this without getting the other things fixed? I want to know the miles before I buy it. ---
**Author:** ![TXdealer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/50afbb/32.png) [@TXdealer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TXdealer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/2 "2022-01-20T21:55:32Z")
These are tricky. I know it can be done but it has been years since I did it. Have you tried to use the reset button on right side of the steering wheel? Near the audio controls. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/3 "2022-01-20T22:07:42Z")
These show up even without the engine running? Just the accessories on? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/4 "2022-01-20T22:09:17Z")
An good OBD2 reader can read the mileage stored on the cars computer. ---
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/5 "2022-01-20T22:33:29Z")
I tried it and it just says “rear door ajar” ---
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/6 "2022-01-20T22:34:11Z")
Yes It still shows it ---
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/7 "2022-01-20T22:34:46Z")
That might be my best bet ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/8 "2022-01-20T22:35:08Z")
Have you tried tapping the ‘reset’ button, or the trip odometer reset button? ---
**Author:** ![TXdealer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/50afbb/32.png) [@TXdealer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TXdealer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/9 "2022-01-20T22:38:33Z")
I am pretty sure it is some combination of those three buttons on the steering wheel. Did you press the reset button multiple times to cycle through all of the faults? ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/10 "2022-01-20T22:41:22Z")
check the owner’s manual it might show you how to get rid of the messages. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/11 "2022-01-20T23:32:50Z")
On many cars, the mileage shows up when the door is open before you start it. ---
**Author:** ![shiancrum00\_179174](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@shiancrum00\_179174](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shiancrum00_179174)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/12 "2022-01-21T00:49:00Z")
It says “close door to reset” ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/13 "2022-01-21T22:50:14Z")
Most cars today have a “door ajar” warning light on their dashboards. When the system is working properly, the light lets you know that one or more of your doors is either open or not closed securely. On some vehicles, the trunk lid, rear hatch and even the hood can be part of the system. But the warning light system can sometimes malfunction. If this happens to you, it’ll be annoying — and if left unchecked, it could potentially drain your battery. Each door in your car is equipped with a sensor that can tell whether that door is open or securely closed. The sensor typically uses a switch with a spring-loaded plunger that is compressed when the door is closed, and is released when the door is open. This action opens and closes an electrical circuit, sending a signal to your vehicle’s computer, activating the door ajar warning light when the door is open. However, a fault in either the electrical or mechanical components can cause the door ajar warning light to remain on when the doors are closed, and possibly cause the interior lights to remain on and even drain your battery… I do not know if the circuit needs to be “open” or “closed” on your car to indicate the door is closed, but I suggest you remove the switch from the offending door and either jump the leads to indicate a “closed” circuit condition or disconnect one of the wires to indicate an “open” circuit condition. Maybe it’s just a bad switch. Also, while the switch is out, check the voltage across the leads. If there is no voltage, the circuit will have an issue elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/14 "2022-01-21T23:05:02Z")
> [@LoudThunder](#): > > but I suggest you remove the switch from the offending door and either jump the leads to indicate a “closed” circuit condition or disconnect one of the wires to indicate an “open” circuit condition. Maybe it’s just a bad switch. It’s not the OP’s car, it’s a car they MAY buy if they can find out what the mileage is. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/15 "2022-01-22T02:34:43Z")
You are fight, it’s not the OP’s car, but it is the sister’s car and if she wants to sell it, she should not have a problem with so gentle an action as just unscrewing the switch and checking its operation, voltage, and continuity. If not, from all indications, the “door ajar” message may just be the first message before the OP finds out the car may not even have an engine under the hood… ![engine](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/4/84623f7f218f8e2761f86c185c61e771ccf1f721.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/16 "2022-01-22T02:46:44Z")
> [@shiancrum00\_179174](#): > > it just says “rear door ajar” you can try this to see if it helps… [Door Ajar Warning Signal- Easy Fix | Techn’ Moto - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86V0D1MrgoY) ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 3:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/17 "2022-01-22T03:49:36Z")
So how does she know when to change the oil if nobody can see the odometer? ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/18 "2022-01-27T18:52:27Z")
Of course, the next logical question is when, how often, or has the oil ever been changed? The perpetual “door ajar” and “low fuel” messages would make me wonder about the overall maintenance of the car… ---
**Author:** ![jimkoe329\_179295](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@jimkoe329\_179295](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jimkoe329_179295)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/19 "2022-02-02T20:23:10Z")
I thought the same thing but watching a Scotty Kilmer video the other night, he said even with his $5,000 (I think that was the price) scanner he can’t read every ECM’s true mileage. According to him some manufacturers allow access and others don’t. He said there was no law mandating access. (I’m sure the dealerships have the right equipment) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032/20 "2022-02-02T21:18:50Z")
> [@jimkoe329\_179295](#): > > watching a Scotty Kilmer video You really need to find something better to do with your time. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-do-i-check-the-miles-on-my-car/182032.md?page=2)