How to Identify an Odometer Tampering?

With increased sales of second-hand cars, certain malpractices related to the sale of these cars have also increased. One such common fraud trick is odometer tampering.

Many innocent car buyers pose the question, 'how can one change the mileage on a digital odometer?’ especially with the introduction of advanced computer technology. These people easily become Odometer rollback victims.   

Unfortunately, many unethical car dealers and individuals are aware of certain tricks to roll back the digital odometer and sell their cars for a greater price than the original market price.

However, the good news is that there are ways to identify whether an odometer has been tampered with or not. Here are some of them. 

1. Look for the original service history. Checking the service history will help you see the vehicle mileage written on the repair order. It is a prevailing practice with the manufacturing brand service stations to note down the car's mileage and the date on the repair order.

2. Check for fingerprints or smudge marks in the odometer's interior. If you see any such signs, get on your guard, this is a sure case of odometer tampering.

3. There are no spare switches on any car dashboard. If there are, then they are most probably for controlling the odometer. This is quite a smart and novel way of tampering with the odometer because even the service history records will not be able to identify this.

4. Check if you can see an odometer replacement sticker near the driver's doorjamb. The sticker will show you the date of the odometer's replacement. It will also display the last reading on the old odometer. Open the driver's side door and you will find it there.

5. Keep an eye on the odometer while you are test driving, is it sticking? If it is, you can be certain that it has been tampered with.

6. Take a close look at the car's interior. Scan the seat, armrests, steering wheel, floor carpet, and pedal. If they appear worn out with extensive use, but the mileage does not indicate it, be cautious. It means that the odometer has been tampered with.

7. In the case of analog-type odometers, you should check if the numbers are aligned. Do the 10,000 digits from a perfectly straight line?

Conclusion

Odometer tampering can be easily identified with a little close attention. The good news is that branded dealerships have reduced the number of such scams involving odometers. 

Before putting up the vehicle for sale, these branded dealerships in the used vehicle market ensure that it goes through a computer scan.

Rigorous mechanical checks are also conducted on the vehicle, and it is rejected immediately if there is any indication of tampering with it. This way, you can save yourself from becoming an Odometer rollback victim.

Andrew Richardson is the author of this Article. To know more about No Lemon Guarantee please visit our website: allenstewart.com

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Created on Jan 20th 2022 03:39. Viewed 133 times.

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