What is odometer tampering?
Odometer tampering, sometimes called “clocking” or rollback, means changing the odometer so it shows fewer kilometres than the vehicle has really travelled. With digital dashboards it can be done quickly with the right equipment and leaves few visible signs. Winding back an odometer is illegal in Australia, but it still happens, especially in private sales.
Lower kilometres push up the price and can hide the real service needs of the vehicle, such as a timing belt, clutch or transmission service that is already overdue.
How our odometer check works
Odometer readings are recorded at many points in a vehicle’s life, for example during inspections, servicing and sales. Our report brings together the readings available for the VIN and checks that they increase over time as you’d expect. A later reading that is lower than an earlier one, or an unusual gap, is flagged so you can ask the seller about it.
Data availability varies. Not every vehicle has recorded odometer history. If there isn’t enough data for your VIN, we won’t offer the odometer option at checkout, so you never pay for a check we can’t run.
Signs a car’s kilometres may have been wound back
- Wear on the steering wheel, gear knob, pedals or driver’s seat that looks heavier than the kilometres suggest.
- A service logbook with missing pages, stamps that stop suddenly, or readings that jump backwards.
- Service stickers on the windscreen or door jamb that show a higher reading than the dash.
- A seller who can’t explain gaps in the history, or who is reluctant to show paperwork.
Compare what you find with the report. Our used car buying checklist covers the rest of the inspection.
What’s included in PPSR + Odometer
You get the full PPSR certificate (finance owing, written-off and stolen status, vehicle description and certificate number) plus the odometer assessment in one PDF. For ANCAP safety and emissions ratings, insurance claim warnings and registration details, choose the Full Vehicle History Report.