Inaccurate Odometer Disclosures Are A Federal Crime
Buyers rely heavily on a vehicles mileage in determining a vehicles condition and value. Accurate odometer readings and disclosures, therefore, are essential for maintaining a reliable basis for determining a vehicles condition and value.
For these two reasons, both federal and state law prohibits both odometer tampering, and also false mileage disclosures. Federal law stipulates that all vehicle sellers will include and certify an odometer disclosure statement that clearly states the following:
(a) the odometers mileage reading is accurate for that car,
(b) the odometer is displaying the correct number of miles car has traveled beyond the mechanical limits of the display, or
(c) the odometer is not showing the correct mileage.
In the past there was a rolling back of odometer readings or other methods of modifying the display. Used vehicle dealers, unconcerned about integrity, may also ignore evidence of discrepancies in a vehicle’s history. The vehicles repaired history or its title history may show inconsistencies yet be purposely overlooked.
One example would be where the mileage drops during one calendar year. That’s pretty much a give away that something is going on. In other cases, the seller may notice that the odometer has been tampered with by seeing missing screws or scratch marks on the odometer casing.
Such signs would put the seller on notice that the odometer may have been tampered with and would require the seller to investigate the odometer’s accuracy further. If the seller ignored these signs, it would not have a solid basis for certifying that “the odometer reflects the actual mileage.”
Buyers who are worried about potential inaccurate readings should check with commercial organizations such as Carfax they can collect background information on the vehicle’s history. These types of reports are not always complete, so another option is to take your card to a grudge, which specializes in checking used cars.
If it turns out that the vehicle seller does alter the odometer. Or that they do not provide accurate disclosures, they should know that they are putting their business at risk, because federal law has severe penalties for businesses that violate the odometer laws. It’s important to note though, that the laws regarding this only cover vehicles less than 11 years old.
