Mileage is one of the main things that sets a used car's price, which is why odometer fraud — rolling the reading back — is still common. On modern cars with digital clusters it takes a cheap tool and a few minutes, and it leaves no visible trace. The only reliable way to catch it is to compare the reading today with readings recorded earlier by someone who had no reason to lie: an auction, an inspection station, a dealer or a service shop.
Free Odometer Check by VIN
Enter a 17-character VIN to see the odometer readings recorded each time the car was sold at a salvage or insurance auction. A reading lower than an earlier one is flagged. The answer comes from our own auction records and costs nothing.
Why check the mileage history
How this check works
Each time a car is sold at a salvage or insurance auction, the auction records the odometer reading and its status. Our check lists those readings for the VIN in date order, converts kilometres and miles so they can be compared, and flags any reading that is lower than an earlier one. It also shows when the seller marked a reading as not actual.
Reading statuses you may see
- Actual — the seller states the reading reflects the real distance driven.
- Not actual — the seller knows or suspects the reading is wrong: a replaced cluster, a broken odometer or tampering.
- Exempt — older vehicles in some states are exempt from mileage disclosure, so the reading carries no legal weight.
- Exceeds mechanical limits — the odometer has rolled over its maximum (common on old five-digit clusters).
What this free check shows — and what it does not
It shows the readings recorded at the auction sales of the VIN that are in our records, with their dates, units and status, and flags a reading that went down.
It does not show readings from state inspections, registrations, dealers or service shops, which is where most of a car's mileage history lives. One auction record is not enough to prove a rollback either way. A full history report brings those other readings together on one timeline.
Other signs the mileage may be wrong
- Wear that does not match the reading: a shiny, worn steering wheel, gear knob or pedals, or a sagging driver's seat on a "low-mileage" car.
- Service stickers, invoices or a service book that show a higher number than the dashboard.
- A replaced instrument cluster with no paperwork.
- A price that looks too good for the mileage shown.
More free checks
Frequently asked questions
Yes. It lists the odometer readings from our own auction records of the VIN. The full history report, with readings from other sources, is a separate, paid product.
Because an odometer only goes up. A reading lower than an earlier one usually means a replaced cluster, a typo in a record or a rollback — worth asking the seller about and checking further.
The seller declared that the reading does not reflect the real distance driven, for example because the instrument cluster was replaced or the odometer is faulty.
The VIN is not in our auction records, or no reading was recorded. That says nothing about the mileage either way — check the service history and consider a full history report.
Yes. Readings recorded in kilometres are converted to miles before they are compared, and each reading is shown in the unit it was recorded in.