Digital rollbacks: Millions of cars have false mileage on odometers
(InvestigateTV) – There’s a hidden danger on the roads – one that’s illegal and potentially putting families at risk: rolled-back odometers. Experts say vehicle odometers are easier than ever to roll back. “Our research shows there are now 1.6 million cars that are on roads across the country that have an odometer rolled back, and that’s costing consumers millions of dollars,” said Chris Basso, who works with Carfax, a company that provides vehicle history reports. In a demonstration with Carfax, an odometer on a 2006 Chevy Silverado with 230,323 miles was tampered with in less than 30 seconds. A technician with an inexpensive electronic device was able to erase nearly 100,000 miles of wear, tear and history, leaving the Silverado with 130,483 miles. Watch the video below to see a demonstration of an odometer rollback and hear how that affects the value of a vehicle. “You’re simply taking a device that hacks into the car’s computer. You could take 100,000 miles off a car and artificially inflate the value of it by thousands of dollars, and you’re ripping people off,” Basso said. Those rollbacks can be dangerous and expensive for consumers. “You’ve got older parts that you think the car has that could break down sooner than you expect,” Basso said. “If that car’s being driven and those parts break down, then not only are the passengers of that vehicle in possible danger, but everyone else on the road too.” Original Article (and more): https://www.nbc12.com/2019/04/25/digital-rollbacks-millions-cars-have-false-mileage-odometers/
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