Instantly verify odometer readings against our database of 100,000+ vehicles. Detect odometer fraud before you buy.
Enter a 17-digit VIN to check odometer history from our database of 100,000+ inspected vehicles
We record odometer readings from every vehicle we inspect across Sydney and beyond, building a comprehensive independent odometer verification database — over 100,000 vehicles tracked and growing daily with every new inspection.
Our system instantly flags vehicles with suspicious odometer changes by comparing current readings against historical records. If the numbers don't add up, you'll know before you hand over your money.
See every recorded odometer reading for a tracked vehicle, including dates and sources. A complete timeline makes it easy to spot gaps or inconsistencies that could indicate tampering.
No credit card, no sign-up, no catch. JPI Sentinel™ is a community service for Australian car buyers. We believe every buyer deserves access to vehicle history data before making a purchase.
Odometer tampering is a common and increasingly reported vehicle fraud type in Australia. Here's what the data shows.
Odometer fraud involves winding back a vehicle's odometer to show fewer kilometres than actually travelled, making the car appear less worn and more valuable. In NSW alone, Fair Trading issued 103 penalty notices in 2021–2022 — a four-fold increase from just 38 penalties in the previous two years. In one documented case, a seller reduced a Subaru XV's reading by over 400,000 km and sold it for $11,000 above its correct value.
Most odometer fraud cases investigated by NSW Fair Trading involve sellers operating through online platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, often using fake profiles. Private sales carry the highest risk because they don't come with the same consumer protections as licensed dealer sales under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013.
Before buying any used vehicle in Australia, take these steps: run a free odometer check using JPI Sentinel™ to compare historical readings, check the vehicle's registration details on the Service NSW website or app (which now shows the last three odometer readings for NSW-registered vehicles), get an official PPSR check for $2 to verify finance, stolen, and write-off status, and book a professional pre-purchase inspection for a complete mechanical and structural assessment.
Odometer tampering is a criminal offence across all Australian states and territories. In NSW, sellers face $1,100 on-the-spot fines per offence, with court penalties up to $55,000. South Australia introduced significantly stricter penalties in 2025, with fines up to $150,000 for first offences and up to $250,000 plus two years imprisonment for repeat offenders. If you've been a victim, you can report suspected odometer tampering to NSW Fair Trading through the Service NSW website.
Buying a second hand car? Follow this free car check checklist to avoid scams, odometer fraud, and hidden problems. These steps can save you thousands on your next used car purchase.
Use JPI Sentinel™ to run a free car km check on any vehicle. Enter the VIN above to instantly verify odometer readings against our database. This free mileage check helps detect odometer rollback before you visit the seller.
FREERun a free rego check on the Service NSW website or app. Since 2024, Service NSW shows the last three annual odometer readings for NSW-registered vehicles older than 5 years. This free vehicle check confirms the car's registration status and basic history.
FREEGet a PPSR check from the government website to verify the vehicle has no outstanding finance, hasn't been reported stolen, and isn't a write-off. This car history check costs just $2 and is essential for any used car purchase in Australia.
$2Use a free VIN decoder to verify the vehicle's make, model, year, and manufacturing details match the seller's description. A VIN check confirms the car's identity and helps spot misrepresented or incorrectly advertised vehicles.
FREESearch the VIN or rego number across Carsales, Facebook Marketplace, and Gumtree to find previous listings. Compare photos and advertised kilometres — if the same car was listed six months ago with higher km, that's a red flag for odometer tampering.
FREEBook a mobile pre-purchase car inspection for a full 150+ point mechanical and structural assessment. JPI inspectors check every component, take 100+ HD photos, and produce an interactive report. Every inspection includes a free PPSR check and Sentinel™ odometer verification.
$258There are several free vehicle check options available to Australian car buyers. Here's how they compare, and why we recommend using multiple tools together for the most thorough used car check.
| Free Car Check Tool | What It Checks | Cost | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPI Sentinel™ | Odometer history & rollback detection from inspection records | Free | All Australian states — 100,000+ vehicles tracked |
| Service NSW Rego Check | Registration status, last 3 annual odometer readings (vehicles 5+ years) | Free | NSW only |
| VicRoads Rego Check | Registration status and expiry date | Free | VIC only |
| QLD TMR Rego Check | Registration status and vehicle details | Free | QLD only |
| PPSR (Government) | Finance owing, stolen status, write-off history, security interests | $2 | All Australian states |
| JPI Full Inspection | 150+ point check, HD photos, PPSR + Sentinel™ included | $258 | Sydney metro & surrounding areas |
A free car check is your first line of defence when buying a used vehicle. Here's what every Australian buyer should understand about VIN numbers, car history, and odometer verification.
A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every car manufactured since 1981. Think of it as a vehicle's fingerprint — no two cars share the same VIN. The VIN encodes the manufacturer, model, engine type, year of production, and the plant where it was built.
When you run a free VIN check through JPI Sentinel™, the system matches this code against our database of 100,000+ inspected vehicles to verify whether the odometer reading has been tampered with. A VIN check is one of the most reliable ways to detect used car fraud in Australia.
You can find the VIN in several places: on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windscreen from outside), on the driver's door jamb sticker, on the vehicle's compliance plate in the engine bay, and printed on your registration certificate. If the VIN on the dashboard doesn't match the one on the door jamb or compliance plate, this is a serious red flag — the vehicle may have been illegally rebirthed.
Odometer rollback — also called "clocking" — involves using electronic tools to reduce the displayed kilometres on a vehicle's digital odometer. Sellers do this to make high-mileage cars appear less worn, allowing them to charge thousands more. A car showing 80,000 km instead of its true 180,000 km could be overpriced by $5,000–$15,000 depending on make and model.
Modern vehicles store odometer data in multiple electronic control units (ECUs), but tampered vehicles may only have the dashboard display altered. A free car km check through JPI Sentinel™ compares the seller's claimed reading against historical records from professional inspections, helping you spot discrepancies before you pay.
Beyond odometer fraud, Australian used car buyers should watch out for several other scams. Curbside sellers posing as private owners are actually unlicensed dealers avoiding consumer protection laws. "Flood-damaged" cars from interstate may be cleaned up and sold without disclosure. Stolen vehicles may be advertised with cloned plates or altered VINs. And "accident-repaired" cars may hide structural damage behind fresh paint.
Running a free car check through JPI Sentinel™ combined with a PPSR check and a professional pre-purchase inspection provides the most complete protection against these common used car scams.
Each Australian state offers a free rego check tool. In NSW, the Service NSW website and app lets you check registration status, CTP insurance details, and (since 2024) the last three annual odometer readings for vehicles over 5 years old. Victoria's VicRoads offers a similar free vehicle registration check, and Queensland's TMR provides free rego checks online.
While these free rego checks confirm whether a car is currently registered and roadworthy, they don't provide the detailed odometer history that JPI Sentinel™ offers. For a thorough free car history check, we recommend using both your state's rego check tool and JPI Sentinel™ together — both are completely free.
Buying a second hand car from interstate requires extra caution. Vehicles from flood-affected regions, written-off car registers in different states, and cars with different registration rules may carry hidden risks. Always run a free VIN check through JPI Sentinel™ and an official PPSR check before travelling interstate to inspect a vehicle.
If you're buying from a Sydney seller, consider booking a mobile pre-purchase inspection. JPI inspectors come to the vehicle's location across Sydney metro and surrounding areas, saving you the hassle of arranging transport to a workshop.
While JPI Sentinel™ verifies odometer history for free, a PPSR check (Personal Property Securities Register) is essential before buying any used car in Australia.
PPSR checks reveal:
A PPSR check costs only $2 and can save you thousands. Every JPI vehicle inspection includes a complimentary PPSR check.
Get Official PPSR Check ($2)Get a professional 150+ point inspection with 100+ HD photos, interactive report, FREE PPSR check, and JPI Sentinel™ verification included.