2003 Ford Escort - Bought a used odometer w/153000 miles on it and my car has 93000 - how do I turn back odometer?

Asked by clayjhay Oct 13, 2012 at 07:30 AM about the 2003 Ford Escort ZX2

Question type: General

8 Answers

14,905

DON'T DON'T DON'T, you personally can't, you can and have to send it to a company that will reset it for you...clocking cars as it has always been called is a federal offense sadly...it will take them about a week or 2 (pending your mail choice) all that time you sit and your car is not used....

Actually its a garage that installed the used odometer. Was surprised to see the different mileage and not happy about it. Looked up michigan laws and it says: Section 4-6 REPLACING OR REPAIRING AN ODOMETER 4-6.1 Actual Odometer Reading Known. If the odometer is being repaired or replaced and the actual reading is known, the new or repaired odometer may be adjusted to register the actual mileage. No door frame sticker is required in this instance (see Section 4-7). Wondering what my options are here.

14,905

yes, may be adjusted: there is a company specializing in "reprogramming" them, individuals or private shops are not allowed to, (probably why they didn't for you), but again you have to mail it to them, with the info they request and they mail it back, you pop it in and good to go, personally i would not use a shop that half assed it. (no offense, just been in the industry too long)

Understood. Situation is used odometer is already installed with the + mileage and I never thought to ask aqbout the reading. Now I'm trying to figure out what my options are - car is still @ garage and not sure if they're handing me a line about not being able to touch the odometer reading.

They are giving you a crock. I don't know if they don't know how or don't know the law and are just covering their backside for 'safety' But there are indeed strict laws about this, with complicated qualifications allowing re-set.

I forgot...Michigan law is one thing but there are Federal laws that need to be addressed

Motor Vehicle Cost Information Act, 49 U.S.C. Section 32704 (It shall be unlawful for a person) "with intent to defraud, operate a motor vehicle on a street, road, or highway if the person knows that the odometer of the vehicle is disconnected or not operating; or The owner of the vehicle or agent of the owner shall attach a written notice to the left doorframe of the vehicle specifying the mileage before the service, repair, or replacement and the date of the service, repair, or replacement. A person transferring ownership of a motor vehicle shall give the transferee the following written disclosure Disclosure of the cumulative mileage registered on the odometer, Disclosure that the actual mileage is unknown if the transferor knows that the odometer reading is different from different from the number of miles the vehicle has actually traveled.

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