Odometer Issues

Misrepresenting the mileage on a car, rolling back the odometer, and replacing the original odometer with a new one that shows fewer miles are such common practices that the U.S. government has created a special law to curb these practices: the Truth In Mileage Act (TIMA).

Mileage is one of the most important things a buyer looks at to determine the value of any car. Because of that importance, every time a car is sold, or changes ownership in any way, the seller is required to disclose the mileage on the car. If the odometer is inaccurate for any reason, or if the car is exempt from disclosures due to its age, the dealer must disclose of these facts to the buyer.

If any applicable disclosure is not made or is false, the purchaser can have a claim against the seller for statutory damages, and in some states the seller can be found guilty of a felony.