TDCI Encourages Consumers to Know the Signs of Odometer Tampering

Monday, February 29, 2016 | 03:11pm

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is offering tips to help identify odometer fraud, a crime that involves the reduction of mileage on a vehicle to inflate its value.

“Odometer fraud affects consumers in two ways,” TDCI Deputy Commissioner Bill Giannini said. “First, a person may pay considerably more than the vehicle is worth. Second, they will believe that they have purchased a relatively safe, low-mileage vehicle when the vehicle is actually high mileage and potentially unsafe.”

The Motor Vehicle Commission, which is a part of TDCI’s Regulatory Boards, offers the following guidelines to help identify signs of odometer tampering:

  1. Compare the mileage on the odometer with the mileage number on the last issued vehicle title, maintenance, or inspection records. Check the last oil change sticker and look for paperwork that might be in the glovebox detailing repairs with date and mileage information. The vehicle title will contain the odometer reading from when the vehicle was last sold and the date. Does the current reading seem reasonable compared to this information?          
  2. Evaluate the wear and tear of the vehicle (brakes, tires, etc.) to see if it is consistent with the mileage number displayed on the odometer. The interior of the car also has a story to tell.  Examine the usage and wear of the wheel, gear lever and pedals and compare this to the mileage number on the odometer.
  3. Most automobiles will be operated at least an average of 15,000 miles per year. Multiply the age of the vehicle by 15,000. If the mileage reading on the odometer is significantly lower than the sum of that calculation you should exam the vehicle closely and compare to the other factors. If it is significantly higher that could be an indicator that the vehicle has been used as a fleet, rental, or other type of commercial vehicle.
  4. For vehicles with a traditional mechanical odometer, check to see if the numbers are aligned evenly and are readable. Crooked numbers or numbers that contain gaps are often an indication of odometer fraud. Flickering numbers on a digital odometer can be an indicator of tampering or other electrical problems.
  5. Check the vehicle identification number on the driver’s side dash and compare it to the number on the sticker on the driver’s side door jam. They should match. If they do not, this could be an indicator of odometer or other types of vehicle fraud.

Odometer fraud is a criminal offense. If you suspect odometer tampering has taken place, report it immediately to local and state authorities.

To view additional consumer resources, visit the Motor Vehicle Commission’s website: /commerce/section/motor-vehicle.

                                                                                                                                               ###