Dealership accidentally tampered with my odometer, now what?

Squished · November 7, 2017

Long story short, service manager entered the wrong mileage into my service record by 40,000+ miles when I brought in the vehicle for service. They had to order a new computer for the truck which came with 40,000 less miles on it and caused my truck odometer to roll back. Dealership acknowledged the problem, got a new computer, programmed it correct and now my truck is 100% correct. However, my official service record is tainted and has signs of odometer tampering all over it with multiple service records showing all sorts of different mileage in a short period of time. Their solution was just to add more service records instead of fix the bad one. Obviously this is going to kill any chance at future resale value no matter what paperwork they give me that acknowledges the problem and the fact they repaired it 100%. When you pull a vehicle history report it's clear as day the odometer numbers go forwards, then backwards, then forwards again. I'm getting no where fast with the dealership and they can't seem to get that bad service record out of the systems. I've considering consulting legal counsel on it and potentially may take it to the Attorney General.

Anyone know how these official service record systems work and if so, is it really once it goes in the system that's it, there's no editing it?

SippiSierra · November 7, 2017

Honestly I will be of no help on this but I am sorry that happened to you. I am in this to see what happens. I would assume they should be able to delete all of that for you somehow... Maybe corporate Carfax and such will have to step in?

newdude · November 7, 2017

I'd see about legal recourse, but first, maybe start with a contact to GM and get in touch as high as you can with customer service and any zone reps for that dealer and see if GM can resolve it in some way.

Scuba78 · November 7, 2017

20 minutes ago, newdude said:

I'd see about legal recourse, but first, maybe start with a contact to GM and get in touch as high as you can with customer service and any zone reps for that dealer and see if GM can resolve it in some way.

I agree, but unfortunately think they will deny any responsibility or involvement. As of late, GM only worries about themselves and making money. They don't even want to address the issues on their current platforms.

aseibel · November 7, 2017

can't you just get dealer's maintenance manager to write a letter on their letterhead stating that they made the mistake and then corrected it? Then file that letter and provide it when you sell the truck. That's what i would do in your shoes. I think that would suffice, especially if you trade it in. If you sell it private party, maybe someone wouldn't believe you, but there are plenty of people out there who want a used truck, I can't see this stopping you from making a fair sale.

I don't know if you're going to get anything but a headache dealing with legal help on this.

Squished · November 8, 2017

19 hours ago, newdude said:

I'd see about legal recourse, but first, maybe start with a contact to GM and get in touch as high as you can with customer service and any zone reps for that dealer and see if GM can resolve it in some way.

The question is do I pursue with my lawyer or attorney general?

19 hours ago, Scuba78 said:

I agree, but unfortunately think they will deny any responsibility or involvement. As of late, GM only worries about themselves and making money. They don't even want to address the issues on their current platforms.

I wouldn't even know where to begin calling GM. The dealership did acknowledge it as their fault and take responsibility.

18 hours ago, aseibel said:

can't you just get dealer's maintenance manager to write a letter on their letterhead stating that they made the mistake and then corrected it? Then file that letter and provide it when you sell the truck. That's what i woudl do in yoru shoes. I think that would suffice, especially if you trade it in. If you sell it private party, maybe someone wouldn't believe you, but there are plenty of people out there who want a used truck, I can't see this stopping you from making a fair sale.

I don't know if you're going to get anything but a headache dealing with legal help on this.

The dealer did do a write up acknowledging their mistake and the fact it's corrected. While it "feels good" it's really not worth the paper it's printed on. Those official service records are everything just like when you're involved in an accident and repair out of pocket it never shows up on carfax but when insurance is involved it does show up. When looking at vehicle would you rather a vehicle with 0 accidents or 1 accident?

Scuba78 · November 8, 2017

i had that too. Dealership Agrees, but GM overrides it. Sucks being the little guy

sdeeter19555 · November 8, 2017

Wait, so the odometer reads correct now?

If all of the "tampering" was at the dealer, that is a legitimate service...not like some backyard yahoo with a drill spinning the odometer back 200k miles.

I had my Dodge cluster replaced, which required the old cluster to be reset to zero and the new cluster programmed for the correct mileage (all clearly stated on the paperwork)...it never showed up anywhere, nor did it affect resale.

Point is, it was not "tampered" with, it was done legitimately by a dealer. Yes, they screwed up, but they fixed it.

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KARNUT · November 8, 2017

Just trade it at that dealership when you’re ready.

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aseibel · November 8, 2017

2 hours ago, Squished said:

The dealer did do a write up acknowledging their mistake and the fact it's corrected. While it "feels good" it's really not worth the paper it's printed on. Those official service records are everything just like when you're involved in an accident and repair out of pocket it never shows up on carfax but when insurance is involved it does show up. When looking at vehicle would you rather a vehicle with 0 accidents or 1 accident?

I think you are making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. The odds that any future buyer even notices is slim. I second what carnut said- If you don't think other will pay fair price for it, trade it in with the same dealer, they should want to be fair with you since it was their mistake.

This is nothing like a hidden accident. If i was buying your truck and you provided me with the dealership and person's name that I could verify the story, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Save yourself a headache and don't bother trying to get a lawsuit. Its only going to cost you time and leave you frustrated more.

jhbrennan · November 8, 2017

3 hours ago, Squished said:

The question is do I pursue with my lawyer or attorney general?

I wouldn't even know where to begin calling GM. The dealership did acknowledge it as their fault and take responsibility.

The dealer did do a write up acknowledging their mistake and the fact it's corrected. While it "feels good" it's really not worth the paper it's printed on. Those official service records are everything just like when you're involved in an accident and repair out of pocket it never shows up on carfax but when insurance is involved it does show up. When looking at vehicle would you rather a vehicle with 0 accidents or 1 accident?

I buy a lot of cars and have never seen an "official service record" nor would I know to ask to see one...so who are you worried might see this and create problems on a future sale?

Lawyer will cost you money so I'd suggest contact the consumer fraud department of the AG and see what they say. Not sure if you'll get any satisfaction anyway you go. Good luck.

Squished · November 8, 2017

43 minutes ago, jhbrennan said:

I buy a lot of cars and have never seen an "official service record" nor would I know to ask to see one...so who are you worried might see this and create problems on a future sale?

Lawyer will cost you money so I'd suggest contact the consumer fraud department of the AG and see what they say. Not sure if you'll get any satisfaction anyway you go. Good luck.

When I purchased the truck I was provided a VIN check of the truck with all of the service records including date it was taken to the dealer, mileage logged, and what service work was performed. Had I receive that and there was obvious mileage discrepancies of it going up, up, up, back down 40,000, then up again I would have walked away from the truck. You wouldn't?

2 hours ago, sdeeter19555 said:

Wait, so the odometer reads correct now?

If all of the "tampering" was at the dealer, that is a legitimate service...not like some backyard yahoo with a drill spinning the odometer back 200k miles.

I had my Dodge cluster replaced, which required the old cluster to be reset to zero and the new cluster programmed for the correct mileage (all clearly stated on the paperwork)...it never showed up anywhere, nor did it affect resale.

Point is, it was not "tampered" with, it was done legitimately by a dealer. Yes, they screwed up, but they fixed it.

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Odometer in truck is correct, yes. In your case, when you brought your truck in if it had 50,000 miles they logged it in with 50,000 and when it left it had 50,000. My problem is that they logged it in with 40,000 miles when it actually had 80,000 miles and there are significant number of service records in between the 40,000 and 80,000 from the last year and a half.

50 minutes ago, aseibel said:

I think you are making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. The odds that any future buyer even notices is slim. I second what carnut said- If you don't think other will pay fair price for it, trade it in with the same dealer, they should want to be fair with you since it was their mistake.

This is nothing like a hidden accident. If i was buying your truck and you provided me with the dealership and person's name that I could verify the story, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Save yourself a headache and don't bother trying to get a lawsuit. Its only going to cost you time and leave you frustrated more.

I have zero interest in a lawsuit, trust me. I just want to cover my butt down the road when i go to get rid of the truck. The "story" you speak of will have to pass from each person that buys the truck. I guess once I sell it I don't give a crap after that but who wants to deal with that? Why not just make the whole thing right?

Knotsure · November 9, 2017

There isn’t really a way to make it right. It was an accident but it’s done now. Just get as much paperwork as you can recording the issue and hope for the best.

If I bought a truck from a dealer and that dealer performed all of the service work on said truck I wouldn’t have a problem with something like that as long as there were plenty of records.

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Thomcat · November 9, 2017

20 hours ago, aseibel said:

I think you are making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. The odds that any future buyer even notices is slim. I second what carnut said- If you don't think other will pay fair price for it, trade it in with the same dealer, they should want to be fair with you since it was their mistake.

This is nothing like a hidden accident. If i was buying your truck and you provided me with the dealership and person's name that I could verify the story, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Save yourself a headache and don't bother trying to get a lawsuit. Its only going to cost you time and leave you frustrated more.

X2 - No big deal, trade it in to a Chevy dealer, if not show buyer the GM service records for the initial and corrective changes, sign the odometer certification and problem over. OP won't see dime one in damages unless he can prove actual damaged were sustained by himself or the vehicle, or that laws were violated.

Once traded an '87 Reliant to a Chrysler dealer where the title, registration and all my insurance records didn't match the VIN one digit an "8" instead of a "B". Dealer said the transaction couldn't proceed until I first straightened it out with DMV - Told him "BS, I bought it here and you were the morons that registered and titled it for me 5 years ago". Manager checked their records to verify, agreed it was their problem to straighten out and the trade was accepted..

Doug_Scott · November 26, 2017

Think about what you are asking. If they went in and removed all traces of this, would you ever trust that system in the future? I wouldn't. Removing that record taint the entire system.
By adding the explanation to the record it retains credibility.

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