If you have been following the news (or following this blog), you are well aware that the onslaught of automobile recalls in 2014 has been as unrelenting as a hurricane. While the GM ignition switch recall received the most attention, dozens of other recalls from numerous automakers concerning product defects have also fueled the rising tide.
When a motor vehicle is recalled, dealerships with new automobiles cannot legally sell their stock until the underlying issue of the recall is resolved. However, you might not be aware that used car dealers are not prohibited by law from selling a used vehicle that is a subject of an open recall.
Some California lawmakers have pushed legislation to prevent dealerships from selling recalled vehicles unless they have made necessary repairs. But, these efforts have all stalled.
Now some consumers and consumer advocates are protesting large used car businesses that put the onus on the purchaser to address any product defects that are the subject of a recall. It is unfair, they say, to expect purchasers of a used automobile to check into any open recalls on a vehicle they have just bought; most consumers expect a certified used automobile to be safe.
For the time being, if you buy or are considering buying a used car or truck, it is important to check into any recalls that may affect the vehicle by running the Vehicle Identification Number through the appropriate channels. If it is too late for that and you have already been harmed because you didn’t know of a vehicle defect, you may have to pursue appropriate legal remedies.
Source: Fox40, “Protestors Urge CarMax to Stop Selling Recalled Cars,” Zohreen Adamjee, Oct. 1, 2014