Car Mileage Check – How Can We Verify Mileage?

Car mileage check is one of the most important topics for any vehicle driver. How to verify the mileage? People ask this question quite frequently. As the market for mileage-related tools grows bigger, potential customers try harder to learn as much as they can about the vehicles. Odometer fraud has turned into a prevalent issue. You might encounter deception even with trustworthy sellers and manufacturers.

Luckily, it’s possible to learn how to check car mileage. You just have to know what to look for and how to detect any signs that might reveal the truth. In this blog, you will learn how to discover mileage discrepancies easily.

What is odometer rollback?

If you’re wondering how to change the mileage on a car, then odometer rollback would be an answer. Odometer rollback is a concept that implies a relatively simple process. On the one hand, it’s an answer to the question of how to change the mileage on a car. On the other hand, it means that we’re attempting to reverse or reset the mileage to reduce the total amount of miles while we are driving. There are many different reasons behind it, which have turned it into a common practice. Mileage vin check is one of the best practices to identify the discrepancy.

Regardless of the reason, it’s undeniable that odometer correction is a tricky business and isn’t always the most ethical and genuine thing to do. In other words, odometer rollback causes changes in the calculator unit that is responsible for accurately counting covered mileage. If changing the mileage was acceptable, we’d certainly have that feature built into the car itself. Trust me, manufacturers wouldn’t miss the chance to add another selling point to their vehicles.

How do people change mileage?

Nowadays, people have given up on manual ways of odometer rollback. Therefore, they use specific tools for the task. Namely, they use the mileage correction device or the kilometre stopper.

The mileage correction tool can completely alter the driven distance. It enables users to dial any number they want. Even though it can make dramatic changes, it doesn’t access the internal computers of the vehicle. In other words, when you do a car mileage check, you will see the original mileage as the odometer correction tool can’t erase the mileage from the control units.

The kilometer stopper, on the other hand, prevents your car from counting miles as you drive. Although the device is designed to assist professionals in car testing, people still use it for mileage correction. The reason is simple – this module offers superior performance compared to the odometer rollback tool. It accesses control units and hinders the process of counting additional mileage, i.e. it offers untraceable performance.

That’s the primary reason why people consider it the best odometer correction tool. If you buy the mileage blocker from a trustworthy manufacturer,  you’ll see that they recommend using this tool only in a controlled environment.

How to check if car odometer has been rolled back?

It’s crucially important to check car mileage properly. Though it might seem overwhelming, it’s the information that will come in handy any time you decide to purchase a used car. I know that sometimes the problem is exaggerated to the point where the solution becomes distant and inaccessible. But trust me, there’s nothing complicated about this process. We just need to know which steps to take and what signs to look out for.

Mileage Vin Check for Your Vehicle

The easiest check of the odometer is the VIN mileage check. It allows you to compare the mileage on the odometer with the numbers that are indicated in the inspection records. You could even turn to an online Carfax vehicle history report. These documents will contain accurate information about any changes in mileage. If those numbers don’t match the ones you see on the trip meter, then you might be dealing with odometer fraud. This is a crucial factor to consider, as buyers unknowingly overpay by an average of $4,000 when purchasing a vehicle with tampered mileage.

MOT Certificate Check

Another way of car mileage check is with the help of MOT certificate. The certificate can tell you if the car meets the minimum environmental and road safety standards. At the same time, the document can provide information on mileage data. The MOT document must always include mileage data, allowing you to review it and verify the reliability of the odometer figures.

If you’re buying an older car, then the whole process is way easier. You can check car mileage by examining the analogue odometer. Even though it’s easier to change, it can easily reveal fraud. You should use a mileage vin check if the numbers don’t allign correctly or if they are harder to read. Such signs can be indications of odometer tampering.

If you want to learn how to check car mileage, remember that it’s not a task for lazy people. The final step you can take to check for an odometer discrepancy is to contact the previous owners. I know, it can be quite a headache, but it will help you find out the previous mileage and compare it to the newer one. If those numbers don’t make sense, then you’ll know that something sketchy is going on.

How to know if mileage has been changed?

If you don’t want to go through the process I have just described, then we can examine other methods for checking the mileage of a car. Even though it’s impossible to detect mileage correction by a single glance, it’s possible to discover the signs of deception by careful examination. However, people use numerous tools that make it harder for others to identify the real issue. That’s why most of the time, professionals use a mileage vin check for detecting any irregularities in your vehicle.

Several factors can affect the mileage, including recalibrating the odometer on a car. However, people most likely do it for deception if they are trying to hide that information from you. When technical reasons require changing the odometer reading, it’s always indicated. The manufacturer or the seller will reveal that information to you. If they don’t do so, then you can suspect that they are trying to take you on.

Moreover, the wear and tear can unveil way more information than you might think. For instance, the cars that have traveled less than 20,000 miles will have their original tires. If you see brand new tires and the odometer shows 15,000 miles, you’ll have a good reason to be dubious.
You should also inspect the condition of the steering wheel, safety belt, seats, handles, gearshift lever, and pedals. If they are quite worn out, the mileage might be higher than indicated on the odometer. You can refer to the date of the oil change to determine the previous mileage.

As you can see, it’s not as difficult to learn how to verify if mileage has been changed. Although the car mileage check is a widely discussed topic, some malicious methods still need more attention. By combining all of them, you’ll see a clear picture of the car’s condition. However, before we conclude, let’s determine if changing the odometer affects the actual mileage.

Practical Example of Checking Vehicle Odometer

Imagine a situation where you’re browsing used cars and come across a 2016 Honda Accord that looks almost too good to be true: $14,500 and just 59,000 miles on the odometer. The photos look great, the seller seems nice, and everything feels right.

Everything looks fine, and it seems you have a lucky day. But just to be safe, you decide to run a Carfax report for $39.99. That’s when things get sketchy. The report shows the car had 87,000 miles during a service visit in 2022 — way more than what’s showing now. Turns out, someone rolled back the mileage. Without that simple check, you could’ve ended up overpaying by thousands of dollars for a car that’s seen a lot more wear than advertised.

Does changing the odometer on a car affect mileage?

Changing the odometer doesn’t affect mileage (engine replacement also doesn’t reset the odometer). To better understand this concept, let’s discuss the connection between mileage and the odometer.

If we’re talking about the digital odometer, we should always remember that it’s not the only part of your vehicle that stores the information about the mileage, and you can always check car mileage. The data about the miles you travel is also sent to the control units, such as the ECU. If your odometer breaks and you decide to change it, the mileage won’t be affected. You’ll need to take the new odometer to the professional so that they can match those numbers to the actual mileage. You’ll need to do the same thing even if you purchase a used odometer.

The reason is simple: you shouldn’t attempt to match those miles yourself. Specific services must be notified if you wish to remain ethical and avoid unfair accusations. Though your reasons might not be fraudulent, there’s no way to prove your intentions. If you have any suspicions about a vehicle’s mileage, you need to do a mileage vin check or visit a professional for help.

Not only should you know how the vehicle mileage check is done, but you should also be notified if the odometer itself has been changed. When you see the signs of odometer removal, you might assume right away that you were deceived. However, if the previous owner simply got the new odometer, you’d be unfairly accusing them of serious fraud.

Conclusion

All in all, it’s crucial to understand how to perform a proper car mileage check and identify rolled-back odometers. The methods may vary. It can be a VIN mileage check or visiting a mechanic. However, they all have the common goal of revealing the truth about the automobile’s history. You should always remember to be cautious and proactive if you don’t want to become a target. It’s quite easy to fall for perfect lies, but why should you? You have all the information you need to determine if the odometer has been tampered with or not.