Odometer Tampering Is Illegal!
In today’s economy, many folks are purchasing used cars to save a few dollars. We have repeatedly provided tips on how to make sure your used dream car was not previously someone else’s nightmare. You need to do your homework, take a look at our lemon dodger used car buying worksheet, inquire about the car’s repair and accident history, have an outside mechanic check out the car, and lastly invest in a carfax report to insure no hidden secrets about the vehicle’s past. This must all be done BEFORE signing on the dotted line. Buying a used car can be a significant financial gamble and if you don’t take your time, you could end up spending more money than you would on a new car. We have seen it happen many times.
Today, as a public service, we thought we would reach out to any auto retailer out there who thinks it’s okay to roll back an odometer. Throughout the seventeen years we have been in business, we have received well over 1000 calls pertaining to odometer rollback. It remains a common act of dealer fraud. And as we have repeatedly told consumers, it is illegal. There are retailers who never get caught, but if they do, they could find themselves in serious trouble. CBS Marketwatch reports that a 55 year-old man from Georgia has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, six months of home detention and another six months of supervised release for pleading guilty to two counts of odometer rollback.
If you think your odometer has been rolled back, carfax remains one of the best sources to see if your suspicions hold truth. However, even if the carfax comes up clean, your can contact your State’s DMV office to see if they can assist you. If you have proof that your odometer has been rolled back, or if you receive notice from the State (which does happen), you need to contact us at 1-800 LEMON LAW or reach out to another consumer law firm. The Firm should be prepared to use various consumer statutes to ensure cost-free representation.
If you have any questions, or feel you were the victim of odometer rollback, feel free to drop us a line at lemon law.com and we will see if we can help, or direct you to someone in your area.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I defenitely purchased a car with a tampered odometer. I have all papers who did that. All prves are also available.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:52 am
When you replace the instrument cluster with a salvaged one you often need to roll back the odometer to match that of the vehicle. There is software available on line for digital odometers.
October 14th, 2014 at 8:06 am
I purchased a car from a Auction, I told the buyer to purchase a car with less than a 100,000 miles so he found the nice little Infiniti 2003 with 79,000 mile on it, we made and offer based on the miles and the owner wanted a little more based on the miles so we agreed. Only thang is after a couple of months things started to happening to the car so I took it to the dealership, when they checked the ven number they came back with the history of the service of the car and it was 199,000 miles instead of the 79,000 miles I was told. can anything be done about this? I am really upset as I would not have purchased the car with 199,000 miles on it.
September 9th, 2016 at 5:38 pm
my daughter bought a 3 year Camry Toyoto from a Toyota dealer with only 19,000 miles on it. I have notice that the pin stripe on one of the doors is missing. When she took it in for an oil change (another dealer) they told her that the tires were bad and needed replaced. My questions are a 3 year car only 19,000 miles? Why was the stipe missing on one door? Should the tires be bad that soon? And what can we do about it?
February 4th, 2017 at 4:34 pm
I brought a 03 Ford Ranger in Jan. 2016 the truck showed 178000 on odometer, I drove it a year, spent alot of money on it, When I was trading it I found out the truck had over 300000 miles on it I wish I could get my money back, I Brought the truck at ASH AUTO SALES LLC. in Greenville, Texas. Thanks.
August 10th, 2019 at 4:44 am
I’m looking to buy a truck for my son. Found one being sold for a good price. Pulled a carfax and found plain as day that the odometer was rolled back exactly 100000 miles by a dealer in Conroe Tx. (Cowboy Kia of Conroe). I wish I could post a picture here to show how easy it is to catch. The guy selling it thought he has 210000 miles on it but in reality it has 310000. It’s such a shame the dishonesty and scamming in today’s time just to steal a little more money from hard working people. As if our government ain’t already the worst.