Accurate odometer reading – why it matters

Accurate odometer reading on your vehicles is essential for several reasons. You should need to know how old your auto is and how many miles you have traveled. This information keeps you well-informed about your maintenance schedule. Besides general car care, it can be a practical guide when you decide to buy a used car. Before you say confidently that you are a car geek, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what is an odometer? How does it work? Why does it matter? And how to avoid fraud? Let’s discuss those questions one by one.

So let’s get down to business, I will tell you everything you need to know from top to bottom.

What is an odometer?

An odometer is an instrument used for measuring the distance traveled by a vehicle. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or electromechanical. As usual, it is placed in the vehicle’s dashboard. Modern automobiles have digital odometers that get information about recorded mileage from car ECU (electronic control unit). 

Do not confuse it with a trip meter. It is also installed in your auto and allows kilometer reading on a daily basis. Many people use it for practical purposes, drivers use it to record specific distances traveled in any particular journey. You can reset it any time you want.

When is the odometer reading important and why?

Firstly and most importantly, it gives you valuable information. Let me guess, you always use mileage to estimate the general condition of your automobile. Moreover, it plays a significant role in making a final decision when it comes to buying a used car. And you know what? You are right when you check mileage in the first place. 

Sometimes km reading is wrong. The reason for inaccuracy can be changing tire sizes. Tire dimension changes because of wear and tear, tire pressure, temperature.

Next, you should know an odometer disclosure statement.  The sellers in all 50 States of America must fill in the document if their cars are below 16,000 pounds and under 10 years of age. This document provides a current odo reading – the mileage-related data at the moment the car is transferred from the seller to the buyer. The initial purpose of this document was to combat odometer fraud by knowing how to check if odometer was rolled back. I am going to explain it thoroughly in the next section.

What does exempt from odometer reading mean? According to the federal rule, all automobiles that are at least 10 years old are free from claiming mileage-related information. They are too old to reliably verify their mileage.

Odometer fraud 

Odometer fraud is an illegal practice. It occurs when dishonest sellers of a used automobile change the number of miles indicated. Certain recommendations will help to detect possible fraud:

• Ask a seller to show you the title. Compare the mileage on the title with the odometer.
• Compare the mileage on the odometer with the mileage indicated on the maintenance or inspection records. 
• take a closer look at the wear and tear on the gas, brake, and clutch pedals. Be sure they seem normal for the number displayed in miles. 
• Request car history report. Many companies provide certified information about cars’ past. Everything is reported including who owned a car or if the car was in any accidents. 

Tools for altering mileage

As I mentioned above mileage information is still one of the most important factors to determine the overall condition of automobiles. Hence, people are searching for ways to get false figures on the odometer and therefore attract potential buyers.

People use different tools to make accurate kilometer reading impossible. For example, odometer correction tools and mileage blockers. You may use terms interchangeably however, they are completely different devices from one another.

Odometer correction tool

The most popular tool is an odometer rollback device. It connects to an OBD port and simply rolls back mileage figures. But the point is, that it cannot remove mileage from control units. So, anyone can discover it easily. Furthermore, odometer tampering is an unethical and illegal activity in most countries.

Mileage blocker

Unlike odometer rollback devices, mileage blocker just halts a mileage recording process from all ECUs – meaning that information is altered unconditionally. Manufacturers create this device for testing and tuning purposes and not for a public road. Hence, the usage of mileage blockers is legal in most places, unless you use the device for deceiving the potential customers and providing inaccurate km reading. In case of purchasing the product on our online shop , proper support and service are guaranteed.

Takeaway

Thus, you get comprehensive information related to km reading in the car. you already know what is Odo reading and why it is so important. Moreover, you have learned how to avoid odometer fraud and stay safe when buying a used car. Do your best and act wisely. Good luck!