2.5 Million U.S. Cars Have Open, Urgent Recalls

Millions of people are hitting the road every day in cars with serious defects that make them too risky to drive, according to a new report.

More than 2.5 million vehicles are currently subject to open, urgent recalls, data compiled by CARFAX show. Nearly 250,000 of those vehicles are in California, the car research company found.

"Despite efforts by state and federal governments – and the auto industry itself – too many consumers are driving in vehicles that have been deemed too dangerous to drive, or that shouldn't be parked in or near a home for fear of a fire," Faisal Hasan, General Manager for Data at CARFAX, said in a statement unveiling the data.

"Officials and communities need to break through consumer recall notice fatigue and drive home the message: We can save lives today by getting these recalls fixed," Hasan continued.

The 2.5 million vehicles at issue are subject to "do not drive" or "park outside" warnings. 

A "do not drive" warning is issued in relatively rare situations in which a serious safety issue is sufficiently likely to cause an accident or physical harm.  A "park outside" recall comes when vehicles have a high risk of causing a fire, and owners are advised to park outside of garages and parking structures and away from buildings to avoid the spread of a possible fire.

California is home to the highest number of vehicles with open, urgent recalls (245,000), CARFAX found. It is followed by Texas (242,000), Florida (237,000), New York (118,000) and Pennsylvania (106,000).

It does not include the millions of other cars covered by other recalls stemming from defects that pose serious threats to everyone on the road. These recalls are often announced long after cars have left factory floors and dealership lots, and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Approximately 40% of used cars being offered for sale across the country are covered by at least one open recall that has not been addressed, according to research from Consumers’ Checkbook and the Consumer Federation of America. Federal legislation that would require used car dealers to address open recalls before they can sell covered vehicles has stalled in Congress.

Understanding the California Lemon Law

There is some good news for car owners in California: You do not need to wait around for a recall in order to get faulty vehicles fixed.

The California lemon law requires automakers to perform a variety of repairs on vehicles while the cars are under warranty. It also forces those companies to buy back or replace cars that they cannot or simply refuse to properly fix.   

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you are a car owner or lessor stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a manufacturer over repairs, the lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. 

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a lawyer today.