Were fault codes cleared before the sale? How to read "Since codes were cleared"

What does "Since codes were cleared" show?

On cars that support it, the engine computer counts the distance driven since the fault memory was last cleared. The 2dakika report shows this counter in the "Since codes were cleared" row. On some cars, the number of engine warm-ups is shown next to the distance too; every drive in which the engine is started and warms up counts as one engine warm-up.

This value isn't the car's total mileage and shouldn't be confused with the odometer reading. It's only a sign of when the fault memory was last cleared. For example, if the report says "Since codes were cleared: 18,400 km", the counter was last reset about 18,400 km ago.

Some engine computers don't keep this counter; on those cars, the report doesn't include this row. The counters also have an upper limit: if a value has reached it, the report says "at least 65,535 km" or "more than 255 engine warm-ups".

What does a low value tell you, and what does a high value tell you?

A low value means the counter was reset recently. The report flags this as a warning in the summary; the heading says how long ago the records were cleared, for example "Records cleared 260 km ago". Because cleared codes can come back, the report also suggests scanning the car again after it has been driven for a few days.

But a low value on its own doesn't show that someone hid a fault. This counter can also be reset by disconnecting the battery or by workshop work; a battery replacement, or a clear made during a repair, leaves the same trace. So a low value is a sign to ask about, not a verdict.

If the value is high, the report says "Not cleared recently". That doesn't mean the car is fault-free either; current faults and fault history appear in separate lists in the report. Also, this is the engine computer's counter; a clear made only in another module may not show up here.

Rows to read together in the report

Read the "Since codes were cleared" row together with the records next to it, not on its own. As far as they can be read from the car, the report also shows:

• Codes recorded again: clearing doesn't fix the fault; if the problem persists, the code and the warning light come back. If the memory was cleared recently and the engine computer has recorded a code since then, the report says so separately.
• Driven with the warning light on: how far the car has been driven with the light on since the last clear. If the value is above zero, there has been a period after the clear when the light was on.
• Emissions readiness monitors: clearing resets these monitors, and some normal driving is needed for them to complete. Incomplete monitors can be a sign of a recent clear; but battery work can also reset them, and some monitors can take a long time to complete even in normal use.
• Cleared with 2dakika: if the car's codes were cleared with 2dakika before, the date and module count.

Clears made with 2dakika show in the report

Every clear made with 2dakika is recorded for the car. It shows up with its date and module count in the "Cleared with 2dakika" row of the car's later reports; if there has been more than one clear, the total is shown too. This needs the VIN to be read from the car in both scans.

A clear in the last 30 days appears as a warning in the report summary, for example: "Fault codes on this vehicle were cleared with 2dakika on 12 Oct 2026 (3 modules)."

Clears made any other way don't show in this row; on cars that support it, they may only be reflected in the "Since codes were cleared" counter. In 2dakika, the clearing feature may not be used to hide a fault from a buyer or a lessee.

What should you do if the value is low?

A low value is a good starting point for a conversation with the seller:

• Ask what has been done on the car recently: a battery replacement, maintenance, a repair or a fault-code clear.
• If there was a repair, ask for the workshop invoice or the work order.
• You can share the report as a PDF or a link and look at the same data as the seller.
• Ask for the car to be scanned again after a few days of normal driving; if the problem persists, the cleared codes may come back.
• If the seller shared a 2dakika report, the QR code on the PDF opens the original report on 2dakika. Keep the report's date in mind too; if needed, ask for the car to be scanned again with you there.
• If the report shows a priority fault, or a code recorded again after the clear, have the car checked at a workshop before you decide.

The limits of this sign

The report doesn't give a verdict; it shows signs together with their limits. It gives a sign of when the codes were cleared; it doesn't show why they were cleared. The counter can only be read on cars that support it, and the modules and information that can be read also vary by car.

The 2dakika report is for seeing a car's electronic records before you buy: faults, distance since the last clear, module mileage, and modules fitted from another car. It does not cover the car's mechanical condition, accident/paint history, insurance damage (Tramer) or service records. When you make your buying decision, consider these records together with a mechanic's assessment.