The mileage of many current cars can still be manipulated quickly and easily. The ADAC randomly manipulated three cars with a freely available device: a Ford Kuga from 2019, an Opel Grandland X from 2020 and a Peugeot 208 from 2019. The mileage could usually be falsified at will after a few minutes.
Police estimates assume that the speedometer has been tampered with on every third used car sold in Germany. In Austria, the rate will probably not differ much.
Manipulation is that easy
Handy, easy-to-use devices that are legally available in stores are used to manipulate speedometers. With the software it contains, the mileage of the majority of vehicles can be adjusted as required without removing the speedometer or other parts.
In two of the three cars examined, it was sufficient to plug the manipulation device into the onboard diagnostic socket. In the case of the Opel, the device also had to be attached to the speedometer. For over 170 other models from 2019 there are also suitable menu items in the manipulation devices, as the ADAC has researched on the freely accessible pages of the device manufacturers.
Thus, according to ADAC, the current EU regulation still does not apply, according to which the mileage must be systematically protected in the car. The law has been in effect for new vehicle models since September 2017 and for all new vehicles since September 2018. The club is calling for an amendment to the regulation that clearly defines how effective the protection must be and how it is checked. In addition, the ADAC demands that the protection against manipulation be checked by a neutral body, such as the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). There are globally recognized methods for this, such as Common Criteria, which is also documented as ISO 15408.
Not only “old bowls” are manipulated
The mileage change is not only made shortly before a used car is sold, but often also while the car is in use, for example in the case of leased vehicles. In this way, the wrong data can be entered in the vehicle history of the manufacturer’s workshop and simulate less mileage.
Most of the victims are private used car buyers. Your damage often goes beyond the excessive purchase price, for example if an incorrect odometer reading leads the owner to believe that a replacement of a vehicle part recommended by the manufacturer still has time. Example: If a toothed belt breaks because the replacement interval has not been recognized, this can lead to engine damage costing several thousand euros.
Most workshops and motor vehicle experts cannot detect a professionally performed odometer manipulation. Used car buyers should therefore rule out discrepancies before making a purchase. Repair invoices, AU and TÜV reports, but also oil change stickers or tags can provide information on whether a mileage is plausible.