Odometer Stopping
An odometer blocker allows the driver to consciously influence a car’s mileage by partially or completely stopping the odometer. That may sound handy, but using it carries significant risks. For example, you could lose your car.
The Netherlands is known as a country that takes serious action against odometer fraud. Yet a relatively new phenomenon is increasingly appearing in the automotive world: the odometer blocker. Its use is illegal in the Netherlands.
An odometer blocker is usually connected to a car’s onboard computer. By interrupting the signal between the speedometer and the odometer, the car temporarily registers no or fewer kilometers. Some versions work with a hidden button, others via an app or even through the steering wheel. They are widely available for purchase online, even though their use is prohibited by law. The consequences of such a apparently clever trick are often much greater than one thinks.
Adjusting the Odometer is Illegal
Adjusting the odometer is illegal. Anyone caught can expect a fine or even prosecution. The police can seize the car, and in some cases, the vehicle is even permanently removed from traffic and possibly destroyed. Problems can also arise when selling a car with a manipulated reading. If the buyer discovers that tampering has occurred, the purchase can be reversed and the seller can be held liable. Additionally, the factory warranty becomes void in case of odometer fraud. Any repairs then become entirely the owner’s responsibility.
But the risks go further. Many modern cars use the odometer reading to determine when maintenance is needed. If the odometer remains stationary, scheduled maintenance is skipped. This can lead to serious wear, for example on brakes, tires, or timing belts. The chance of breakdowns on the road increases, and in the worst case, traffic safety is endangered.
Manipulating the odometer is also a risk for insurance. If it turns out that a car has fewer kilometers on the odometer than it has actually driven, the insurer can refuse the payout or terminate the policy in case of damage due to fraud. And in the case of leased cars, using a blocker can lead to tax problems. Anyone who pays too little additional tax by consciously registering fewer kilometers may later face back taxes, fines, and interest from the Tax Authorities.
Judges Respond Differently
The rulings on vehicles with an odometer blocker show that not everything is black and white within the judiciary either. In most recent cases, courts ruled strictly. In four out of five known cases, the car was permanently removed from traffic. In these cases, the judges found that the manipulation of the odometer could not be reliably restored and that the car was therefore unsuitable to be returned to the owner.
Even when the owner was unaware of the device’s presence, the vehicle was assessed as unreliable and potentially dangerous. Incidentally, in most cases, an appeal is still possible to a higher court. The judge therefore explicitly advised the public prosecutor not to proceed with the destruction of the expensive cars until it is clear whether an appeal will be filed and what the outcome of that ruling will be.
However, there is also a different approach visible. In a ruling by the Overijssel Court, the owner, a German rental company of an Audi RS5, got his car back. The odometer blocker was removed after discovery, the actual mileage was still readable via the car keys, and there was no evidence that the owner was involved in the fraud. According to the judge, the car, despite the previous manipulation, was not unsafe for traffic. Given the high value of the vehicle and the lack of fault on the part of the owner, return was deemed justified.
The differing rulings occur because judges weigh different aspects. They consider the safety of the car, whether the actual mileage can still be determined, and whether the owner knew about the manipulation. It is also assessed whether it is proportionate to permanently remove an expensive car from traffic when repair seems possible.
Buyer Deception
The Association for Tackling Odometer Fraud (VAT) has been advocating for years for a strict policy against odometer manipulation. According to board member Martin Huisman, odometer fraud undermines the entire system of fair automotive traffic. If the odometer reading is no longer accurate, buyers are misled, maintenance is skipped, and dangerous situations can arise. The damage amounts to hundreds of millions of euros annually. The VAT therefore advocates for high penalties for both the use and installation of odometer blockers. In their view, cars with a blocker should be standardly removed from traffic, unless it can be conclusively proven that the vehicle is reliable again.
What Does the Law Say?
There are legal rules in the Netherlands that state you may not tamper with a vehicle’s odometer (motorcycle or car):
– Changing the odometer reading is illegal. Even if you have someone else do it. The odometer must simply show how many kilometers the vehicle has actually driven.
– Devices to stop or change the odometer are prohibited. You may not manufacture, sell, store, or transport devices that can stop or change the odometer of a car or motorcycle.
– You may not drive with a device such as an odometer blocker in your vehicle. The owner of the vehicle may also not allow someone else to drive with it.