Merchants who make false or misleading declarations are committing an illegal act. They are required to provide all the information that could influence your decision to purchase a vehicle.

False information

A merchant cannot, for example, lead you to believe that

• the vehicle warranty covers more than what it actually does;
• the vehicle is more powerful or better performing than it really is.

Hidden information

Although this situation is rare, merchants have been known to conceal information. If you were aware of this particular information, it could dissuade you from purchasing the vehicle that interests you. The following information might be hidden from you:

• the fact that the vehicle was damaged;
• an anomaly or a major mechanical problem;
• an odometer that was rolled back. Altering an odometer is a major offense. In common parlance, you may hear about odometers that were rolled back, altered, tampered with, and so forth. Although it is difficult to determine the extent of this phenomenon, past legal proceedings have shown that some vehicles had travelled more kilometers than what their odometers showed.

Recourse

If you are a victim of false or misleading declarations, you have recourse against the merchant. See In case of problems for further details on this subject.

If the merchant has hidden the fact that your vehicle's odometer has been rolled back, you should also report this information to:

• the Office de la protection du consommateur;
• the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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