Rolling Back Odometer – Why Is It Illegal?

Rolling back odometer means changing the numbers which show the miles that a car has already covered. In the past, people manually rolled back digits on a mechanical instrument. However, as modern vehicles have digital odometers, new approaches have been introduced to interfere with their normal functioning and display faulty mileage. Odometer rollback can remove hundreds or even thousands of kilometers from a dashboard. This method is becoming common in our daily life and people with fraudulent purposes frequently use it to measure distance incorrectly.

Any form of odometer fraud, including odometer rollback, is illegal. It is a federal crime in the United States and a federal statute regulates it. Moreover, many states have specific regulations that outlaw the federal statute. It is against the law to disconnect, reset, alter or stop an odometer. It also forbids any kind of conspiracies regarding this matter. Using or selling a car that shows misleading mileage as well as purchasing or trading with a device causing odometer malfunction is unlawful. Besides, nobody should accept and trust an incomplete disclosure statement. Of course, forging such documents is illicit and the consequences will be serious. 

Altering mileage reader is illegal in 25 European countries as well. Even though it’s forbidden 15% of the EU population experience “clocking”. Due to the fact that there is not a common regulation for the whole continent, the penalties vary from a little fine to imprisonment by state. That gave a rise to fraud and it causes the loss of billions of US dollars to the United States and the European Union.

Hence, artificially changing the mileage in a vehicle is illegal and the person responsible will face criminal charges. Taking into account the country or the state you are in the verdict may be drastically different. So, it is important to know why people change the mileage and what to do if you suspect odometer fraud. 

Is mileage important?

As you have seen Rolling back odometer is not legal, but people still do it. The reason behind this is that we give too much importance to miles and km. Any automobile has a higher resale price when the mileage is lower. Therefore, if a person decides to roll back the distance and then sell a car, he/she can make a big profit. And still, why do vehicles with less mileage have more value? 

First of all, it is because of the misconception that a higher distance on the dashboard necessarily means old and requires a lot of finances for maintenance. although sometimes this can be correct, the truth is that our world has improved significantly in technology and distance is not as much of an issue. It does not mean that mileage is unimportant, but there are several factors that require more attention. For instance, one of the most crucial elements is how and for what purpose an owner used the car. If he or she used to drive on free highways instead of bad terrain, an auto will be in better condition. Thus, numbers on the odometer are not the only thing you need to look for while buying a used car.

The second important factor is insurance companies. They calculate the price of their service according to the distance you covered. Consequently, high numbers on the odometer automatically mean more monthly payments.  To avoid additional expenses for the insurance, car owners might try tampering with the mileage. 

To summarize, Rolling back odometer is common till today. People use it to reduce odometer km showing on the odometer and evade further payments for their policies. In addition, it is believed that an auto with high miles is too old and everyone tries to stay away from such vehicles. All of these may encourage owners to commit illegal acts.

How to check odometer rollback?

Despite the criminal charges, the existing law does not prevent altering mileage. Ever-growing cases of odometer fraud are a bright example of it. Based on the data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 450 000 cars are sold with misleading mileage solely in the United States. It costs U.S. customers more than $1 billion every year. Pre-owned cars are also a big challenge for the European Union. European Parliament report shows that it estimates annual damage between the lowest of €1.31 billion to the highest of €8.77 billion.

Thanks to technological development, mankind has created unique devices that make our life easier and more comfortable. Every tech company compete with each other to invent and offer something new on the market. However, this competition does not always have a positive effect on us. Such an example in the car industry is a Rolling back odometer. People use different types of illegal electronic devices to reset the mileage. This is why you need to know how to check odometer fraud.

The first thing that you should do is to check the appearance. If you notice worn-out tires and scratches on the speedometer but the owner claims that the car is relatively new, it is likely that someone altered the odometer. Plus, take a look at the pedals and make sure they correspond to the distance shown on the dashboard.

Always request official documents and carefully compare the information to the ones that are shown on the odometer. Such documents can be service invoices, log books, or workshop reports. Plus verify oil changes – it can contain important information for you. Oil changes should be recorded in a log book. For example, if a manufacturer recommends an oil change for every 20 000 kilometers and the owner changed the oil 5 times, you can conclude that the vehicle covered nearly 100 000 km. 

After all, if you are still not sure, contact the automobile clubs and professionals to check the vehicle for you. It will cost you some money, but it is worth it when you are about to make an investment worthy of several thousand U.S. dollars. 

As many potential buyers pay attention to the mileage, sellers more frequently started artificially resetting it. In order to avoid being a victim of a scam, try to check as many details as possible.

What to do when you suspect odometer fraud

There is no doubt that mileage has a huge importance in our life. People found different solutions to interfere with the normal functioning of the instrument cluster and somehow alter the kilometers. To achieve this they delete, stop, roll back, and freeze odometers. Even though such actions are illegal, Rolling back odometer is massively used every year. Modern cars, especially the ones with digital speedometers, are the major targets. Even using a vehicle with false mileage is illegal, so it is crucial to know exactly how to react if you suspect odometer tampering. 

As soon as you realize that the odometer was illegally changed, first what you have to do is to report the case. You can call the police or contact any local law enforcement departments. They will help you to solve the problem or tell you exactly what steps you need to take. Always remember that using false mileage or hiding odometer fraud is against the law and you may face serious charges for it. So, do not hesitate and reach out to the appropriate services as soon as possible. 

Mileage blocker – a legal solution

A mileage blocker is a high-quality modern device that stops recording mileage while a car is in motion. The team of ‘Super Kilometer Filter’ from Germany has developed the tool for testing and tuning purposes. How does it work? The mileage blocker simply halts the process and the system will not add any further miles to the original distance. In addition, the system will not store the information in control units, which makes original data untraceable. The device is unique for its characteristics:

• Mileage blocker has do-it-yourself (DIY) installation guidance. By following several steps, you will install the device by yourself. Hence, instead of going to a professional mechanic, you will save your time and money.
• The real data is untraceable, and nobody (including you) will know what is the correct mileage on a car;
• It includes different modes and you will be able to choose which one is better suitable for you;
• Its premium quality components are heat-resistant and work in every condition without an issue;
• You will not see ‘error’ signs on your dashboard;
• Mileage blocker is the only one which has its mobile application.

It is important to remember that the mileage blocker was not invented to break the law. It has the purpose of testing automobiles. Car manufacturers have to test them several times, so it is useful for them for testing and tuning purposes. Mileage blockers do not delete or roll back any distance and you have to remember that using this device on free highways is unethical and if doing so you may face criminal charges.

We have a great news for you! You can buy the mileage blockers online. For further details look through the support page or reach out to customer center.

Takeaway

Rolling back odometer is an unethical practice of artificially changing the mileage in a vehicle. Even though countries developed the law to fight against it, people still continue to use them. Unfortunately, there is not an effective solution to this issue. Consequently, European countries and the United States face the damage of billions of U.S. dollars.

The innovative team from Germany – Super Kilometer Filter (SKF), has developed the device for legal use. Mileage blocker alters the mileage recording process in the way that it does not store data in the control units. Hence, you don’t need to roll back or delete the already existing information. This device is made of premium quality components that make it possible to work under any weather conditions. Keep in mind that the goal of this device is to use it for testing or tinning purposes.