Used car buyers may not be told of auto recalls

WASHINGTON (AP) — Used car dealers may be selling cars and trucks that have been recalled but not repaired because manufacturers don't send them the same recall notifications that are sent to franchised dealers, said a study by a government watchdog.

Even if used car dealers or franchised dealers know of a recall, there is no requirement that they tell prospective buyers or make the repairs before a sale, said the Government Accountability Office study released Wednesday. Nor does the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which oversees auto safety, have the power to order dealers to make the repairs or to warn buyers.

The safety administration also lacks the authority to require automakers to inform used car dealers of recalls.

The situation "could pose a significant risk to the safety of millions of vehicle drivers and may have a negative impact on recall completion rates," the study said. "Many consumers may be unknowingly putting their lives at risk by purchasing a defective vehicle."

More than 35 million used cars were sold in 2009, including 11 million sold by used car dealers.

Used car dealers told investigators that part of the problem is that there is no database that they can check using a vehicle identification number (VIN) — which all cars and trucks have — to see if there are recall-related repairs for that vehicle that haven't been made, the report said.

NHTSA estimates that average of 70 percent of repairs are made within 18 months of a recall. However, investigators said the average from 2000 to 2008 was 65 percent. The average also varied substantially from year to year.

It also varies significantly by manufacturer. Some manufacturers had a better than 90 percent average repair record for recalled vehicles, but at least one manufacturer averaged only 23 percent fixed and another 53 percent. The report didn't name the manufacturers.

The National Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement that its goal is to have 100 percent of recalled vehicles repaired. It urged used car owners to check with a franchise dealer who can search the manufacturer's database to see if all recall repairs have been made.

Wade Newton, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said in a statement that consumers can check directly with automakers or search the safety administration's website, Safecar.gov , to see whether there is a pending recall for a particular model. However, since the government website isn't searchable by VIN number, it's impossible for used car owners to tell whether their particular vehicle has been repaired.

Vin Check - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum

I was so confident in a different civic that i only bought the "one-use" carfax instead of the 5-use value pack, bad idea money saver i guess? to the OP, i suggest you get the 5-use pack, if the car is bad, your already saving money. If it is at a dealer though (even a small business dealer) ask if they have a carfax for the car, usually they have a printed copy for the car.

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