Can You Change the Odometer Even If It Is Digital?

Mileage is an essential part of the automobile, and many people want to change the odometer in their cars. However, changing odometers is not that easy. Many statistics and measurements depend on the accurate mileage. As soon as you try to manipulate the original distance, it can affect your safety, efficiency, and costs.
But is it technically possible to change the digital odometer? Will a car function flawlessly? What can be the possible consequences? In this blog, we are going to discuss all the major aspects of odometers and what their replacement may cause.

Can You Change a Digital Odometer?

Changing the digital odometer is possible through various tools and methods. In times of mechanical odometer, vehicles used rotating gears for counting the miles. People could manipulate an odometer and change the existing data by physically turning or winding the car parts. The process was straightforward, and automobiles were vulnerable to such practices.
What changed in digital odometers? Electronic odometers don’t rely on the gears while tracking the mileage. They use sensors to measure the mileage of your car precisely, and they are much more reliable. However, despite being more advanced than the older versions, you can change the odometer even if it is digital. As car manufacturers use the latest technologies, so do people who want to manipulate the mileage. Hence, a person who aims to change the digital odometer only needs a proper device and instructions on how to use it.

How Can I Change the Odometer?

Changing an odometer requires guidelines and extra attention. There are several ways to change the odometer in a car, whether even if it is digital:

1. Mileage Correction Tools: This is one of the most common methods of altering the original mileage. People connect the correction device to the OBDII port, and they easily change the recorded mileage-related information in a car. Of course, this method is not legal and will cause serious legal issues.
2. Replacing the instrument cluster seems to be a simple process without anything to worry about. Yes, it is a logical solution when you need to fix the car after a collision or an accident. However, individuals use this method to affect the system and overwrite the original data. If successful, they can easily replace the mileage information.
3. ECU programming is another well-known yet more challenging process. In contrast to previous methods, such programming means directly hacking the vehicle’s ECU and falsifying the recorded information.

What are the Consequences of Changing the odometer?

Changing an odometer comes with huge responsibilities and complications. Only professionals should replace or change odometers. Even a small mistake can totally make your vehicle vulnerable to many challenges.

• Maintenance is directly connected to the vehicle’s mileage. If you change the odometer in a car, you may miss essential scheduled maintenance or oil changes. The intervals depend on the mileage you cover. Hence, if you don’t have precise data, it will become almost impossible to know exactly when you need any service.
• Expenses: How surprising it might be, odometer replacement might affect your annual costs. Here is the reason why. As you have already noticed, changing an odometer might interfere with maintenance. And if you miss the crucial maintenance, it may become a costly repair in the end.
• Safety is the biggest concern when dealing with the odometer. Even if you change a few thousand miles in a car, it will drastically affect the vehicle’s performance. Imagine your car hasn’t gone through the maintenance it needed; the safety features are not working because the system has the wrong data regarding the miles that your car has covered. Considering all these, your automobile poses serious safety concerns.

Can You Change the Odometer Even If It Is Digital?

Car dealers and individuals can change an odometer using various devices, whether the odometer is digital or not. These tools connect to the car and manipulate the recorded data. Despite being more challenging and complex, altering the digital odometer is not an impossible task. Various tools and software were developed to artificially change the modern odometers and hack a vehicle’s system. The process and the method vary depending on the tool you will use. Some tools roll back the data, some will completely erase the existing information, and others may reset the data. However, such methods are not legal and can cause serious issues.

Is It Legal to Change the Odometer?

If you follow the respective laws and guidelines, changing the odometer is not an issue. However, if you intend to deceive other people and manipulate the vehicle’s system, this action is illegal. Of course, certain aspects of the regulation may vary based on the location, state, or country. So, you should always check the details with the local authorities and make sure that you are not committing any crime.
For example, if your instrument cluster is physically damaged and it no longer displays reliable or correct information, you need to change it. In such cases, keep in mind that replacing has its instructions, and you need to make sure that you’re doing everything accordingly.
Therefore, changing and replacing the odometer is legal unless you try to manipulate the vehicle’s system and deceive other people.

How to Check If Miles Were Rolled Back?

To check if a vehicle’s miles were rolled back, first, you need to compare the current odometer reading with the official databases, such as Carfax and Autcheck, as well as service and maintenance records. If you notice that the mileage doesn’t match the previous records, it can be a sign of manipulation. Then, you can inspect the vehicle for excessive use compared to its mileage and what the owner claims. In such times, pay attention to the faded driver’s seat or the worn pedals. Don’t forget to inspect a car for unusual scratches and number alignment. These are the common places where many do physical damage during the odometer fraud.
If you still have suspicions, you can have the vehicle inspected by a professional mechanic. They usually use diagnostic scanner tools that check the vehicle’s ECUs and detect if it matches the original mileage.

Recent Statistics of Rolled-Back Cars

As of December 2024, more than 2,14 million cars can be using rolled-back odometers. According to the Carfax, not only the number but also the percentage is terrifying. There is an 18% increase in vehicle manipulation compared to 2021 and more than 80,000 cars than last year. The tendency is increasing yearly and poses a huge danger for those who want to buy a used car. For that reason, it’s essential to double-check all the information and compare them with the official records. This can minimize the chances of becoming the victim of the odometer fraud.

What is the Legal Method of Changing the Mileage?

Car testers need to make sure that all parts of the vehicle work flawlessly. For that reason, they need a device that can effectively stop the mileage recording process during vehicle testing. The mileage blocker is a device that temporarily stops the odometer from recording mileage. This compact tool features multiple modes and allows you to select the most suitable option.
The most important feature of the mileage blocker is its untraceable effect. Since it doesn’t store mileage information in the vehicle’s storage units, the real mileage is undetectable. The blocker device is strictly meant for car testing and legal purposes.
The SKF device is designed for easy installation and comes with clear instructions. The mileage blocker tool is now available for purchase online. Our customer support specialists can provide further details or technical support.

Takeaway

Change the odometer legally if you are replacing a faulty instrument cluster or testing vehicles. The precaution will avoid any complications. However, if you manipulate mileage to deceive buyers or bypass local regulations, it might become a crime. Odometer fraud can lead to heavy fines, legal penalties, and safety risks. Therefore, always ensure that any odometer adjustment complies with the law.