Unrepaired Recalls: Scary for Used-Car Buyers

More than 46 million cars and trucks on the road — about one-fifth of the total — were recalled because of safety defects! Last year, about 5 million of those were sold to new owners. Some recalls were for serious safety issues: leaky brake lines, shrapnel launching air bags! What to do? First get the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number — 17 digits long). It should be on the sale paperwork or visible on the driver’s side dash as you peer in through the windshield — look at the very bottom corner of the windshield. Then, go to safercar.gov/vin (NHTSA website) and put in the numbers to search for recalls. You can also pay for a Carfax or ask the dealership. Have the dealership search for open recalls IN FRONT OF YOU so you can really see they have checked. Most Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are SUPPOSED TO HAVE open recalls completed, but CPO checks are often a joke and no real check or work has been done. If you feel you’ve been cheated by a dealership on this or other points, contact the Hanson Law Firm for a free consultation. 858.451.0291.