CARFAX: Odometer Rollbacks See Dramatic Jump of 14% to 2.45 Million Vehicles

CARFAX (SPGI) reports a sharp rise in suspected odometer rollbacks: roughly 2.45 million vehicles nationwide, a 14% increase year-over-year.

Rhea-AI Summary

CARFAX (SPGI) reports a sharp rise in suspected odometer rollbacks: roughly 2.45 million vehicles nationwide, a 14% increase year-over-year. CARFAX says average loss in resale value for affected vehicles is about $3,300. The company links higher digital odometer tampering to inexpensive tools and more frequent electronic mileage records that can reveal discrepancies.

States with the largest year-over-year increases include Montana +33%, Tennessee +30%, Arkansas +28%, Oklahoma +25%, Kansas +24%, New Jersey +21%, and Florida +20%. The release urges buyers to check vehicle history reports, VIN odometer checks, and get mechanic inspections.

Positive

• Suspected rollbacks +14% YoY to 2.45M vehicles
• Average value loss per affected vehicle ~$3,300

Negative

• Montana saw a 33% increase in suspected rollbacks
• Tennessee saw a 30% increase in suspected rollbacks
• Multiple states report >20% YoY increases in suspected rollbacks

Argus Dec 16 session

+0.05% close to close 1.6x rel. volume Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – SPGI

On Dec 16, the day this news came out, SPGI closed 0.05% above the previous close. That session’s volume was 1.6x the stock’s average daily volume.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Dec 16 session.

Key Figures

Vehicles with rollback: 2.45 million vehicles YoY increase: 14% Prior YoY increase: 4% +5 more

Vehicles with rollback

2.45 million vehicles

Cars on the road suspected of odometer rollback

YoY increase

14%

Increase in suspected odometer rollbacks since last year

Prior YoY increase

4%

Increase in suspected rollbacks from 2023 to 2024

Value loss per vehicle

$3,300

Average value loss for vehicles with odometer rollback

Montana increase

33%

Largest state-level increase in suspected rollbacks

Tennessee increase

30%

State-level increase in suspected rollbacks

Arkansas increase

28%

State-level increase in suspected rollbacks

Florida increase

20%

State-level increase in suspected rollbacks

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 11

5 events

1. Dec 11

   Industry awards

   24h Move

   +0.7%

   Platts Global Energy Awards recognizing leading companies across 21 categories.

2. Dec 10

   Macro supply data

   24h Move

   +0.1%

   Index showing global spare capacity and weak manufacturing demand into 2026.

3. Dec 10

   AI partnership

   24h Move

   +0.1%

   Multi-year Google Cloud partnership to accelerate AI and data distribution.

4. Dec 09

   Energy outlook

   24h Move

   -0.3%

   Clean Energy+ trends report detailing AI-driven power demand and capex needs.

5. Dec 04

   Leadership changes

   24h Move

   -0.6%

   New executives appointed for Mobility division ahead of planned separation.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

odometer rollback, Vehicle Identification Number

2 terms

odometer rollback technical

"Odometer rollbacks occur when someone alters the mileage stored..."

Odometer rollback is the illegal practice of reducing the displayed mileage on a vehicle to make it appear less used than it really is. For investors and market participants, it signals potential fraud, hidden maintenance costs, warranty and liability exposures, and damaged resale values—similar to altering a clock to hide how long something has been used. Detecting or being tied to odometer rollback can cause regulatory penalties, lawsuits and sudden loss of asset value.

Vehicle Identification Number technical

"Check for potential odometer fraud by entering your Vehicle Identification Number..."

A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every motor vehicle that acts like a car’s fingerprint, encoding the maker, model, production details and serial number. Investors and lenders use VINs to verify a vehicle’s history, ownership, mileage and recall status—information that affects resale value, loan risk and insurance exposure much like a serial number helps check the history of any asset.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Alarming Spike In Odometer Fraud Since Last Year Costing Unsuspecting Buyers Thousands

CENTREVILLE, Va., Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Odometer fraud is a serious and growing concern for used car buyers across the country. New CARFAX data shows roughly 2.45 million cars on the road are suspected to have had their odometers rolled back, a sharp 14% increase from just last year. To put that into perspective, 2023 to 2024 saw a 4% increase year-over-year.

"Odometer rollbacks occur when someone alters the mileage stored in a vehicle's electronic systems to make it appear less driven," said Faisal Hasan, Vice President of Data Acquisition at CARFAX. "As modern vehicles have transitioned from mechanical to digital odometers, tampering has unfortunately become more common due to the wider availability of inexpensive tools. At the same time, a car's mileage is now recorded more often, which helps us identify discrepancies and better protect consumers."

This year, CARFAX data shows vehicles with an odometer rollback averaged a loss of around $3,300 in value. The unsuspecting driver is not only paying more for a vehicle with many more miles than expected, but may also incur additional costs for unexpected repairs and potential safety risks.

Top 10 states with the highest number of vehicles suspected of an odometer rollback:

States that saw the largest increase in vehicles suspected of an odometer rollback compared to last year include Montana at 33%, Tennessee at 30%, Arkansas at 28%, Oklahoma at 25%, Kansas at 24%, New Jersey at 21%, and Florida at 20%.

"I needed to buy a car, and I negotiated the price down to something I could afford," said Seven Beverly from Valencia, CA. "I later was curious about the car's history, so I checked the CARFAX and saw that there was a possible odometer rollback. It's definitely something that I wish I knew before buying."

How to protect from odometer fraud:

1. Do your research: Pull the CARFAX report for the vehicle's history and check the title, maintenance, and inspection records to compare the mileage on the vehicle.
2. Check for potential odometer fraud by entering your Vehicle Identification Number at www.carfax.com/odometer.
3. Check out the wear and tear on the gas, brake, or clutch pedals.
4. Always have a trusted mechanic inspect the car before a purchase. They should be able to tell if a vehicle looks older than its odometer suggests.

Editor's note: Localized data available upon request. Please contact Em Nguyen at emnguyen@carfax.com.

About CARFAX

CARFAX, part of S&P Global Mobility, helps millions of people every day confidently shop, buy, service and sell used cars with innovative solutions powered by CARFAX® vehicle history information. The expert in vehicle history since 1984, CARFAX provides CARFAX Used Car Listings, CARFAX Car Care, CARFAX History-Based Value and the flagship CARFAX Vehicle History Report to consumers and the automotive industry. CARFAX owns the world's largest vehicle history database and is nationally recognized as a top workplace by The Washington Post. Shop, Buy, Service, Sell – Show me the CARFAX®.

S&P Global Mobility is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets.

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SOURCE CARFAX

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How many vehicles did CARFAX report with suspected odometer rollbacks in 2025 (SPGI)?

CARFAX reported about 2.45 million vehicles suspected of odometer rollback, a 14% increase year-over-year.

What is the average resale value loss per vehicle with a suspected rollback according to CARFAX (SPGI)?

CARFAX says affected vehicles averaged a loss of around $3,300 in value.

Which states had the largest increases in suspected odometer rollbacks per CARFAX (SPGI) data?

Top increases include Montana +33%, Tennessee +30%, Arkansas +28%, Oklahoma +25%, Kansas +24%, New Jersey +21%, and Florida +20%.

How can buyers check for odometer rollback using CARFAX (SPGI) tools?

Buyers can pull a CARFAX vehicle history report and use the VIN odometer check at carfax.com/odometer.

What practical steps does CARFAX (SPGI) recommend to avoid odometer fraud when buying used cars?

CARFAX advises checking title and maintenance records, inspecting pedal wear, and having a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection.