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If the car you bought has more miles than the odometer showed at purchase, you may have one of the strongest consumer fraud cases in auto law. Odometer fraud is unlawful under both California and federal law, and federal law lets you recover up to three times your actual damages.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates more than 450,000 vehicles are sold in the U.S. each year with false odometer readings. The reason it persists is simple: lower miles means a higher resale price, often by thousands of dollars, and dealers count on buyers not catching it.
The good news is that federal law treats odometer fraud as a serious offense, with one of the strongest consumer remedies in auto law: three times your actual damages, plus attorney fees and costs.
Odometer fraud takes several forms. Any of them can support a claim.
The numbers on a physical odometer get spun back.
The electronic reading gets reprogrammed through the diagnostic port.
The unit is swapped for one showing lower miles.
The odometer is disabled so mileage stops accumulating during use.
The mileage on title transfer documents doesn’t match the actual reading.
A lower reading materially increases what a dealer can charge, which is why this fraud persists.
Title mismatch. The mileage on the title transfer doesn’t match the reading you were shown.
History report mismatch. A prior service or inspection shows higher mileage than the current reading.
Inconsistent wear. Worn pedals, steering wheel, driver’s seat, or shifter for the displayed mileage.
Service stickers. Oil change reminders inside the car show higher mileage than the odometer.
Physical signs. The odometer numbers are misaligned, crooked, or look inconsistent.
Fleet history. A former rental, taxi, or delivery vehicle showing suspiciously low miles.
Under the federal Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (the Federal Odometer Act), if you successfully prove odometer fraud, you may recover three times your actual damages, plus attorney fees and costs.
This is one of the most powerful consumer remedies in any area of auto law. Congress wrote it that way on purpose, because odometer fraud is widespread and hard to detect. On top of federal damages, California state law may also apply, and the two can be pursued together.
Focused exclusively on automotive law. Lemon law, dealer fraud, and automotive class actions are all we do. Our focus is evident in our results.
20 years against California dealers. Dealerships have strong legal teams, but we’ve been outmatching them for two decades, and they know it.
$400M+ recovered across 6,000+ cases. Dealers don’t write fair settlement checks without a fight, and we know how to make them.
In-house inspection capability. The Margarian Garage lets us physically inspect and document concealed damage, giving us evidence most firms simply don’t have.
Yes. Odometer tampering is illegal under both the federal Odometer Act and California state law. It’s also illegal to operate, sell, or transfer a car when you know the odometer has been tampered with.
Under federal law, if you prove odometer fraud, you may recover three times your actual damages. If rolling back the odometer cost you $10,000 in inflated price, you may be entitled to $30,000, plus attorney fees.
Vehicle history reports often show prior mileage at points of service. Title transfer documents include odometer disclosure statements. Service records, oil-change stickers, and physical wear patterns can also establish the actual mileage, and an inspection can show tampering on the odometer itself.
Federal odometer statutes can apply to anyone who transfers a vehicle with intent to defraud, including dealers who should have known the mileage was inaccurate. Actual knowledge is one factor, but not the only one.
If you suspect the dealer rolled back, tampered with, or misrepresented your car’s mileage, our attorneys are here to help. A free case review is easy, and it could change everything. Call (818) 553-1000.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its individual merits. Outcomes vary based on the dealer, the conduct involved, the documentation available, and the case posture. Attorney fee recovery in California consumer protection cases depends on the specific statute violated and the outcome of the case.
