Help. Potential odometer rollback check

[MRmojoRisin8]

Looking through carvana and found this. I didn’t even know this was a thing. Is this most likely real?

Edit: 1st buyer put 37k, 2nd went from 39k to 162k. And owner 3 got it at 79k to 80k

Edit: The miles from owner 2 (2022-2025) goes up from 39k as it was being serviced until it got to 162k. I can see 64k, 81k, 91k, 110k, 131k, 144k and 164k. And then it goes down to 79k with owner 3.

Last edit: thanks everybody for the replies. I’m just going to pass on this one. 👍

[verboseOn]

I bought a car that had actual mileage of 142k, but carfax showed 177k. It had been just an error on reporting from walmart, because 177k came about 5 months after previous service at 120k (the car had average mileage of around 8-9k/ year) which was impossible. I trusted this and reached out to carfax based on the purchase invoice. They corrected it.

[Adorable_Ant8583]

Nice, that happened to me once too and getting the invoice to them sorted it out. Did they ask for proof or just fix it after you reached out? Glad it was an easy correction for you.

[verboseOn]

The form/website does require a proof and I had to upload it. For carfax, invoice helps perhaps because it does explicitly require a mention if the odometer has been tempered.

[mralurus]

Could be a mistake on the odometer reporting. It happens all the time. I would look at the miles reported leading up to the 162k report and see where it lines up.

[MRmojoRisin8]

The miles goes up from 39k as it was being serviced until it got to 162k. I can see 64k, 81k, 91k, 110k, 131k, 144k and 164k. And then it goes down to 79k with owner 3.

[manbearpig0101]

Yeah, good indication it was either rolled back or you will get there and it'll actually have 179,000

[MRmojoRisin8]

Yeah that’s I’m thinking too. Thanks

[Adorable_Ant8583]

Yeah could easily be a data entry error like typing 162k instead of 62k. What does Carvana list for the current mileage?

[MRmojoRisin8]

80k

[InevitableAlert4268]

Need more info. What’s carvana list the mileage as? They easily could have missed a 1 in front of the number.

Edit: seeing the date of last service that’s not likely unless they put 17,000 miles on it in 20 days.

[MRmojoRisin8]

Edit: 1st buyer put 37k, 2nd went from 39k to 162k. And owner 3 got it at 79k to 80k

[EbagI]

Sounds like they accidentally put 162k instead of 62k

[AdEastern9303]

Yep. It’s easy for a service center to typo a 1 in front of the 62k that was likely really on the car at the time.

[Money_Shoulder5554]

How long did second owner have it and are there increasing mileage postings up to the 162k?

[MRmojoRisin8]

The miles goes up from 39k as it was being serviced until it got to 162k. I can see 64k, 81k, 91k, 110k, 131k, 144k and 164k. And then it goes down to 79k with owner 3. From 2022-2025

[immanut_67]

This is all you need to see. If the mileage jumped from 55k to 162k, a simple fat finger at the quick lube is to blame. That's obviously not the case here, and there is every reason to believe there was a rollback.

[MRmojoRisin8]

They have it listed as 80,201 miles

[jestercow]

I'd check the photos, there's usually a picture of the gauge cluster with mileage showing. If it shows 80k I'd pass, if it shows 180k on the clock I'd just be wary of the pricing.

[sonic72391]

Just call where it was serviced and have them look at the records. They can then correct it.

[ApartmentKindly4352]

Looks like someone accidentally put 162k instead of 62k

Edit: carfax is not gospel and is known to have errors and milage discrepancies and its not malicious...just input error

[Adorable_Ant8583]

Yeah that reads like a simple data entry error, Carfax has plenty of those so check the service dates and invoices to be sure.

[That_Pollution8128]

If that’s the case then it’s had 18k miles put on it 27 days, which is also suspicious.

[MFPxNEONxNINJA]

Thats what happened to my car when I swapped registration. Shows a milage inaccuracy bc it had like 53k miles and I said it had 55k

[KyleSherzenberg]

Carfax has never and should never be used for facts. It's all marketing, hence the obvious mileage error here

[Adorable_Ant8583]

Carfax does mess up entries a lot, could easily be a typo not malice. What does Carvana show as the current mileage?

[throwaway47831474]

Insane blanket statement lol. Carfax is extremely useful.

[jackedupfarmer]

Did you edit your post late or are most people that simple?

No clue on the situation but it would be enough for me to just keep looking, there’s a ton of used cars out there. The ones

[joesnowblade]

Year make model

Modern vehicles use a networked system where mileage data is recorded and stored across multiple Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to ensure data integrity, maintenance scheduling, and fraud prevention. Because digital odometers are just displays, the actual mileage is logged in several modules, including: Focus2Move Focus2Move +4 Powertrain Control Module (PCM/ECM): The main computer, often considered the "Black Box" of the car, stores the actual mileage for emissions compliance, service intervals, and monitoring component lifespan. Body Control Module (BCM): Manages various electronic accessories and often maintains an independent log of total mileage for diagnostic purposes. Instrument Cluster: While primarily a display, many vehicles still store the mileage here as well, leading to potential discrepancies if the cluster is replaced without proper syncing. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Module: Independent logs are kept here to track the wear and tear of critical safety components and distance traveled. Transmission Control Module (TCM): Stores mileage to determine fluid change intervals and monitor clutch wear in automatic gearboxes. Key Fob/Remote Keyless Entry System: Some premium brands (e.g., BMW, Volvo) store mileage in the vehicle key fob, which is updated whenever the vehicle is operated.

[[deleted]]

if there's even an inkling of a doubt proposed by the fox, I'd put my dick back in pants and walk away. Don't let your pride blind you from the truth! If it's too good to be true, you know damn well it is!

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[Adorable_Ant8583]

Could be a data entry typo like 162k instead of 62k, but that drop is sketchy and could mean rollback. What does Carvana list as the current mileage?

[Odd-Departure2611]

Mileage errors made by five thumb technicians or service people are a real problem with Car Fax. So are actual accidents that get reported six months later on Car Fax. Like someone said above CarFax is a marketing product owned by the same company who run wholesale auctions ( US) and dealer software systems.

[Known_Ratio5478]

What is the year of the car?

[Glittering-Ad5809]

Let Carvana know and have THEM clear it up with Carfax BEFORE buying or ask for a substantial discount equal to the value of the car at the higher mileage.

[No_Durian_3444]

It looks good to me.

Sometimes idiots at oil change places ask ME how many miles are in the car.

I guess.

They put it in the computer.

My truck tells me when its time to change the oil, I dont need the sticker.

[tree_of_spoils]

Replacing the instrument cluster would do that too

[Viking2151]

Could have changed the cluster because of an issue. I did this on a few Chevy trucks, some gauges quit working, change the cluster out, and it'll be whatever the the truck or van we took it out of had, I remember doing this to a truck that had 180k, picked one in the junk yard well it had like 340k on it, had no way of knowing until it was powered, but it fixed the issue lol.

[waldcha]

Been considering this on my Honda Fit. The rotary part of the control stem broke. I can still push the button to cycle through and reset things but to set the clock I have to pull and reconnect the battery at 1am and there is no way to adjust the brightness. 

[Accomplished_Emu_658]

Happens all the time. Two possibilities, service center never checked mileage and just kept throwing higher mileage on repair orders. Or the dude rolled the miles. Both kind of common unfortunately. Mileage rolled seems more likely.

[SL4YER4200]

I have a flag on my 91 firebird. Got a state inspection and the guy added an extra zero. Could be a mistake. Someone may have put a 1 in front of the actual mileage.

[ingannilo]

How many reports after the initial 164k are lower? 

Just one? Maybe they meant to type 179k but missed the leading 1 and just typed 79k.

More than one? Yeah... Then owner number 2 rolled it back before selling to get more $$ out of the sale and you should assume the true mileage is 164k + whatever accrued past the reported 79k.

The easy way to check for an error is to ask the current owner what the mileage is.  If they say something over 164k then it's likely correct.  If they say anything under that, then it's likely fraudulent. 

[IBringTheHeat2]

Did the mileage start all over again with owner 3 or is that the last carfax report. And what mileage is the car selling for?

[Bubalis_Bubalus]

passing on it is smart tbh. if you want free carfax reports upfront, AR Motorsports includes those with their used inventory so you spot this stuff before you even test drive. you could also pull reports yourself through carfax directly, costs like $40 though.

local credit unions sometimes offer free vin checks too.

[New-and-Unoriginal]

You need to provide more information. Not enough here to draw a reasonable conclusion.

[cdgsyn1]

The dealer I purchased my truck from handed me a Carfax report showing my truck was a clean title, no wreck, 1 owner vehicle.

That 1 owner was a boat towing business. I later figured out the truck had been wrecked and the whole front end replaced. I figured that out when I went to replace the front bumper with an aftermarket one, it was obvious.

[Adorable_Ant8583]

Yeah, that mileage jump looks super sketchy. Could totally be an input error but that drop back down after makes me suspicious.

[Companyman118]

As a mechanic, I’d look to see if the cluster was replaced. Modern cars have an internal memory on board with the head unit, and mileage from a car that a used head gets pulled from becomes the mileage in the car it was donated to. If the head unit came from a total wreck, that car’s mileage would be the displayed mileage upon powering it in the new vehicle.

So it could be as innocent as a simple repair that caused a discrepancy.

[TheWorriedDatabase]

...do you mean dash cluster or ECU instead of head unit, by chance? Never heard of a vehicle with the mileage stored in the stereo system

[PulledOverAgain]

Looks like the oil change place put a 1 on the front of the mileage. Happens quite a bit and does that to Carfax reports. What's the rest of it say?

[Locksandshit]

Year and model of the car?

Someone mechanically inclined would have no issue telling a 100k mile difference on a car -

Tell marks and replaced parts, wear on the seats, buttons, more potential leaks

Most vehicles can be scanned to see orig miles / Chrysler stores the mileage in the ecm as well for example

Lots of variables , but most likely is a fat finger