How to Spot Odometer Rollback On Your Used Vehicle
A large number of Quebec motorists are unknowingly driving vehicles whose odometers have been tampered with to reduce mileage to increase their selling value. The number of complaints received by the Office de la protection du consommateur is also on the rise.
Remember: Section 27 of the Quebec Weights and Measures Act and section 237 of the Consumer Protection Act indicate that it is prohibited to alter the odometer of a motor vehicle in such a way that it indicates a mileage different from the mileage actually driven.
Of course, the days when some people would roll back an odometer using a power drill are long gone. Modern vehicle odometers are fully digital, but that doesn't stop the fraudulent operation from being carried out using instruments purchased legally on the internet.
Tips for Spotting a Rigged Odometer
A visual inspection can help detect modified odometer when shopping for a used car, says Sylvain Légaré, an automotive research analyst with CAA-Quebec.
Pay particular attention to the wear of the pedals, seats and headlights, not to mention the tires. A vehicle that has supposedly been driven 40,000 kilometres should have new tires or worn-out original tires. In the case of a vehicle with 18,000 kilometres and new tires, it would be legitimate to question the authenticity of the mileage.
An experienced mechanic could also check the exhaust pipe for oxidation and the condition of the coolant, says George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association.
It's also a good idea to ask the seller for service invoices and to check the vehicle's pedigree. In many cases, a vehicle with a rolled-back odometer has passed through two or three owners in a matter of days to cover the history.
If you have any reasonable doubt, consider filing a complaint with your local police station.
Are There Any Specific Vehicles to Watch Out For?
Any vehicle could have a modified odometer, but some models seem to be more affected than others. As far as we know, there is no data on this in Canada. But we pulled some from other countries.
A recent study by Car Vertical, based on more than 700,000 used car history reports generated between November 2020 and November 2021 in the U.S. and about 15 European countries, revealed that German cars are particularly targeted. The proportion of used examples with odometer rollbacks peaks with the BMW M5 (33.6 percent), followed by the BMW 7 Series (33.4 percent), Subaru Outback (31.8 percent), BMW 6 Series (31.7 percent) and Audi A8 (31.4 percent).
Two other BMW models are in the top 10, the X5 (26.7%) and the 5 Series (26%), but also the Ford Mustang (25.9%).
