is there any way of telling if the mileometer on a car has been tampered with?

Question

eg. will there be a noise when driving?

Answer 1

Hi there!

The straight out answer to your question is YES!

I repair Speedometers for a living and many times i have been asked by Private Parties As well as Law Enforcement Agencies to verify Odometer/mileometer readings.

I have even had to go to Court to prove to a jury about an Odometer Tampering case!

Most instrument cluster are sealed and when they are opened, it is easy to see scratches on the screws and surfaces.Other time dirt or greasy fingerprints are evident. If the person is really inexperienced he may break the odometer in the process ( this may be why you hear noise? ) !

On the newer digital/electronic instruments it becomes even tougher. I would have to hook the unit up to a computer to see if the hexadecimals have been changed or reprogrammed!

Either way, the instrument cluster would have to be removed and examined to determine any tampering.

Yes there is a way to tell if a odometer has been tampered with and Yes there can be noise when driving.

I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Not always easy. Clumsy attempts on a mechanical speedo can result in uneven numbers, but few clockers are that ham fisted. With electronic ones the only hope is that the true mileage is somewhere else in the system, which a dealer will know how to access. Also a new speedo may have been fitted for genuine reasons. If the vehicle has been main dealer serviced or owned by a company they will have a record of the mileage. Be a careful with documentary evidence produced by the seller. I have known experienced dealers get caught. Also an HPI check ,which you pay for may contain mileage and any accident details.

Answer 3

Try to cross the number with the title. If the mileage hasn't been exempted, then the title will list a mileage number. If the odometer reads less than the odometer, then steer clear of the vehicle (no pun intended). If the mileage is higher, then compare it to what you think is reasonable. For example, if the title read 65128 when it was signed a year ago, then you could expect anywhere from 3000-15000 miles being added to it, making it somewhere between 68000-80000 miles. I wouldn't expect a sudden 150000 miles in one year, however. On the other hand, if the mileage has been exempted, try a company like Carfax. They'll let you know if something's screwy. Good luck. Let us know what you figure out.

Answer 4

If done well by ad experienced tamperer then you will find it impossible to detect but sure tell tale sign is the numbers not being in line with each other. If it is digital then the numbers will be perfect. Some digital systems retain the mileage in the ECU and this can be investigated by a diagnostic read out

I hope you have not been a victim of "clocking" and these individuals gey the rest of the good motor industry a bad name
some deserve it but many don't

If you have been "had" then please contact your trading standards and get these people procecuted and protect those of us trying to carry out legitimate business

There is still a few good garages out there and I hope that you find one as good as mine

Answer 5

Unlikely to be a noise, however if it's a mechanical one the digits might be out of alignment, you might see scratches on the screws holding it in place.

Other ways are more analytical, such as recorded mileages at services, MoTs etc, wear on the controls such as steering wheel worn shiny, pedal rubbers worn more than would be usual (or brand new ones). In short, it's a case of looking for more wear than seems right for the recorded mileage.

Hope that helps. By the way, it's better to look at the condition of the car rather than its recorded mileage - some repmobiles are capable of astronomical mileages, and if it was mostly on motorways there'd be less wear than on stop-start journeys.

Answer 6

check for excess wear on pedal rubbers in relation to claimed mileage by comparison to another vehicle of a known mileage (although some traders change these howeaver their patter normaly gives them away and rubbers are brand new) dvla records mileages for mot purposes (give them a ring and see if the vehicle has suddenly lost 50 k miles)

Answer 7

Try the link below...and, BTW.. its called an Odometer... not a mileometer!

Answer 8

the numbers will sit straight in a line..if they have been tampered with they will be slightly out of line.

Answer 9

Speak to a good mechanic too or the car's manufacturer. They may have good insights.

Answer 10

Try looking at the pedals to see how much wear there is