Your vehicles’ odometers need to be accurate for several reasons. You should be concerned with knowing the age and mileage of your car. You are kept updated about your maintenance schedule thanks to this information. Along with general auto maintenance, it can serve as a helpful manual if you decide to purchase a secondhand automobile.
Ensure you understand an odometer before declaring confidently that you are a car nerd. How does it function? Why is it important? And how can fraud be prevented? Are you familiar with the Odometer disclosure statement in Illinois?
This article delves into odometer readings and explains a few things about odometers that every car owner should know.
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Odometer and its purpose explained.
An odometer is a device that calculates how far a car has traveled. The gadget could be electromechanical, mechanical, or electronic. It is positioned on the dashboard of the car as usual. Modern cars include digital odometers that get data regarding recorded mileage from the vehicle’s electronic control unit (electronic control unit).
Importance of odometer readings
First and foremost, it provides you with useful information. The number of miles driven can be used to gauge an automobile’s general condition. Additionally, it is important to conclude when purchasing a used car.
Odometer disclosure statement
A legal document known as an odometer disclosure statement in Illinois specifies the actual mileage on a vehicle’s odometer at the moment of transfer from the seller to the buyer.
Sellers must complete the form in all 50 US States if their vehicles weigh less than 16,000 pounds and are under ten years old. The mileage-related information when the car is transferred from the seller to the buyer is shown in this document’s most recent odometer reading.
The original intent of this booklet was to fight odometer fraud by teaching readers how to determine whether an odometer had been rolled back. In the section after this, I will go into great detail about it.
Odometer rollback vehicles sold by dealership
Every so often, automobile owners lament that “a dealer sold me a car with odometer rollback.” A legal “loophole” allows car retailers (new and used) to conceal a vehicle’s actual mileage and fail to disclose to a buyer if an odometer has been tampered with or destroyed.
Since that disclosure requirement does not apply to vehicles older than ten years, dealers are free to keep this information a secret from customers.
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What should you do if you find odometer fraud?
Odometer fraud is still a major issue in every state. If you believe that you have been the victim of odometer fraud or that your ‘dealer sold me a car with odometer rollback’, you should report it so that it can be noted in the vehicle’s records and guard against fraud on the part of future purchasers. Reporting it also makes the person or dealership responsible for the fraud legally liable for their illegal conduct.
Wrapping up
These were some significant odometer-related facts that will be useful to you. Contact your neighborhood law enforcement officials if you believe you have been a victim of odometer fraud, and they will be able to direct you. You can also speak with a lawyer who has handled odometer fraud cases in the past.