Odometer Issues. Service Record not matching Prius.

One incorrect log would suggest the service tech typed it in incorrectly. But looking at 20K miles per year on average, it looks like the 115K is reasonable.

Does the odometer say 98K on the instrument cluster? That entire module can be replaced, and the odometer will be whatever the other module is at. Brand new they come with 0 and the dealer is supposed to program them up. Used you can pull one with a car with XYZ miles, and voila the cluster will now say XYZ.

The real odometer info is stored in 2 other ECUs I believe, and I think the genuine Toyota TechStream can "verify" the mileage to prevent this exact thing. But I am not 100% sure on that.

 

If that's your address in there, I'm not sure you want to post it publicly...

Anyhow, can you maybe also run a Carfax check (or something along those lines) to see if there's other evidence of an odometer rollback? So far, the signs aren't looking good given the dates and what's unlikely to be a whole series of errors on the report.

And yep, the combination meter (instrument cluster board) can be replaced and yes, it'll end up displaying whatever mileage it was came with/was set at.

I'm not sure about his last statement though and whether there are other possibly more correct mileages stored anywhere.

 

I think carfax has some sort of guarantee for stuff like this.The CARFAX® Buyback Guarantee®

 

Somebody diddled with the mileage. No doubt. You may want to very carefully examine the paperwork that was generated with the sale. There might be a little check box that you didn't notice that says something like "odometer was replaced - mileage is estimated"

Every state does it differently, so you'll need to find out what happened between Aridzona and where the car is right now (if you're in a different state) and if you bought the car from a stealership, then I'd involve the mother ship and/or the BBB and/or LEO's or at least I'd threaten to loudly and often until I received a satisfactory answer. If you bought the car from a dealership, especially a Toyota dealership they might think (perhaps even honestly) that they're blameless.
That's somewhat debatable since they might be "legally" innocent, which is entirely different than being smart or ethical.
If I were in the biz, and I took a car in on trade I think I would be at least smart enough to do a brief records check to see if the mileage is quasi believable.

If you bought it from an individual....then it's even easier. They presumably signed off on some kinda odometer declaration when the "change owner" light came on.
They make it right, or you litigate.....or press charges as the local laws might dictate.

As far as Carfax is concerned...yes, I pop an angry red flare over them too. I don't have very much experience with them (no offence, but stories like this are why I always buy new ) however (comma!) I'm presuming that their "guarantee" has about as much "honesty" as a political speech. Still....I'd make them defend the flag as well.
OK...
So...
If all else fails, there is a track record for this car, and it appears that some passing attempt was made at routine maintenance. The only things that stands out to me is that the tires were changed out at 31K in 13 months which indicates (to me) that the car was either being driven by a kid or a pretty clueless (or spirited) adult.
31K miles in 13 months usually indicates highway driving and even the low dollar OEM tires should be good for more than 31K miles - even with one of them having been repaired.
Of course...there's also the little matter of the year and a half that's elapsed between the last dealership visit (@115K) and now. You're probably looking at a 140,000-150,000 mile car instead of a 100,000 mile car.
It probably hasn't been wrecked, stolen, or flooded so it's probably an OK car. You just took in in the shorts for about 1-2 years worth of normal wear.
Start thinking about things that you would replace @ 150K and go from there.
It's still very probably good for the better part of another 100,000 miles.

I'm sorry that this happened to you!
Best of Luck

 

Doesn't this apply only if Carfax missed noting a branded title? If no state branded the title as having an odometer discrepancy, then this guarantee doesn't do anything.

 

Agreed better get the refund now than regret later. Good luck hunting!

 

Whether or not they were knowing participants of a rollback scheme, at least they did the right thing by offering to undo the transaction. And better still to give you an additional choice. Good for them.

 

Sounds like the...ah..."Little Dealership" did the right thing...by you at least.
I'm still a little sketchy about how somebody that's IN THE CAR BIZ doesn't catch this when they take ownership of a 98,000 mile car....but that's why I stay away from little car dealerships.

You're in the market for a used Prius?
Guess what???....so are a BUNCH of other people!
Stay away from those corner lots! Generally speaking.....when people buy a new car, they trade out their old car. It's dumb as heck, but they still do it a LOT. When the new car dealership gets a car that's been rode hard and put up wet, they generally wholesale it off to an auction house (since they've already made a lot of money off of the sap that traded it in! )
If they get a car that's decent, then they will often stick it on their used car lot, especially if there's a good history on the car. If it's a REALLY good car? They might put it into a CPO (certified pre-owned) program and slap a warranty on it.
A lot of times a dealership can make more money on their used car lot than they do hawking the new ones. This is because everybody knows (or should know) just about how much you can get a new car for down to the nearest hundred bucks or so. A used car?
Not so easy to stare and compare, is it? And remember...they probably shanked the previous owner when they took possession.
OK...so "shanked" may be a somewhat jaded opinion but I come by it honestly and the car biz is rigged heavily in the house's favor!

SO...try to buy from a private seller, and get as many records as you can.
If you want to shop at a dealership...I'd stick with the bigs, and pay a little more (verifying again!)

Good Luck!

 

When I went to buy my Prius I traded in my Camry. The dealership is the same place that services it. The Carfax states and odometer discrepancy. I was livid. No way no how. The dealership had reported the mileage incorrectly on one of my services it turned out. I had all the receipts showing everything I had done to the car which they matched in the system. None of my receipts showed the mileage that they reported. I raised my voice about how it was their mistake and I shouldn't be penalized for it. They gave me way above Kelly for my trade in to shut me up.

I have a feeling that whomever does the mileage reporting got an a$$ chewing on that one! I mean what if I had gone somewhere else?