AutoNation Said to Be Selling Recalled Vehicles
» Posted December 27, 2019 • Resources | Share This Post
AutoNation, the largest car retailer in the U.S., has been selling recalled cars to unsuspecting buyers, according to a recent report from a watchdog group.
About 11 percent – or one in nine – of the cars sold by AutoNation are subject to recalls for defects that not been addressed, US PIRG Education Fund and the Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety Foundation say in a new report. Although the company makes information about cars subject to recall available online, the groups said AutoNation doesn’t do enough to flag would-be serious defects and safety hazards.
The recall issues included faulty brakes, steering problems, possible engine fires, and shoddy airbags that could deploy and explode inside a vehicle at any time.
“Those vehicles are potentially hazardous to the people who buy them, their passengers and everyone else on the road,” the groups said in the report. “Vehicles with defects subject to safety recalls – including malfunctioning Takata airbags and General Motors ignition switches – have been responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths.”
The Takata airbags have been the subject of multiple safety recalls. They have been linked to a number of deaths, including that of a Georgia man killed when the airbag in his Ford Ranger deployed and exploded while the man was driving on a South Carolina highway.
Researchers reviewed nearly 2,500 cars up for sale at 28 AutoNation locations across the country. They found 69 vehicles contained recalled Takata airbags that had not been repaired.
AutoNation did not respond to a request for comment for a Vox story on the report.
How the California Lemon Law Protects Car Owners
The AutoNation report is just the latest example of the risks facing anyone looking to buy or lease a new car. The fact is that manufacturers routinely allow cars to leave the factory with significant defects that raise serious safety hazards. Retailers like AutoNation don’t always make it easy to spot those defects.
That’s where the California Lemon Law comes in. The law requires manufacturers to repair vehicles while they are under warranty. It also obligates manufacturers to buy back cars that the company cannot or is unwilling to fix. Although a manufacturer can offer instead to replace the vehicle, it is the owner’s or lessor’s decision whether to accept that offer.
The lemon law also puts the manufacturer on the hook to pay for any legal fees that you incur while enforcing your rights.
Speak With our California Lemon Law Attorneys Today
If you’re a California car owner with a defective vehicle, it’s important that you consult an experienced lawyer to consider your rights and options. The California Lemon Law attorneys at the Bickel Law Firm have represented hundreds of clients in defective vehicle cases across the state. Our lawyers work aggressively to resolve these cases for the people that we represent.
Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with one of our California Lemon Law attorneys.
