San Diego Lemon Law Attorney Talks About the Risks Associated With Buying Used Cars

If your vehicle is not safe because of defects or repeated operational problems, you could become involved in a serious accident that results in death or injury.  A lemon law attorney can provide you with help understanding and taking advantage of consumer protection laws that protect many vehicles owners whose cars turn out to be dangerous.  Unfortunately, sometimes car buyers do not realize there are problems until accidents actually happen.

Purchasers of both new and used vehicles could be hurt or even killed as a result of car defects.  Just recently, the Huffington Post warned about the ways in which used car buyers are endangered by the vehicles that they purchase.

Risks Faced by Car Buyers Due to Vehicle Problems

According to the Huffington Post, millions of vehicles on U.S. roads may have defects that result in auto accidents.  Defects in vehicles have been an especially big problem in recent years. In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it had “received its highest number of vehicle recalls in more than three decades.”

Many of the recalls that occurred involved brand new or late model vehicles that had to be recalled shortly after release when the cars came onto the market and problems were identified. However, not all of the recalls involved new cars. In fact, the majority of the recalls were of older vehicles that are having serious problems that have only recently been revealed.

The high recall rates of older cars that have been on the market for a while is bad news for used car buyers.  Used cars are a popular choice for people shopping for a vehicle, as a used car can cost substantially less than a new car.

The problem is, the used car may be one of the many older model vehicles that were recalled. Used car dealers may not disclose the issue with the car that resulted in a recall, and consumers who buy used vehicles do not necessarily receive the same notifications from manufacturer and dealer which the original driver may have received to make him aware of the problems.

Used car buyers often carefully check vehicles for signs of any damage or for mechanical problems.  Unfortunately, checking the recall history of the car could end up being more complicated and not every used car buyer thinks to do this. Many buyers of used cars assume vehicle recalls have been addressed already, with vehicles either removed from the road or repaired.   Car buyers do not realize how common it is for recalled vehicles- and sometimes recalled vehicles with serious safety issues – to end up sold to the public.

Whether you buy your car when it is new or you buy a used car, no one should have to live with problems when they purchase a vehicle. If you have purchased a new vehicle and you are having issues with the car, you should contact a San Diego lemon law attorney to find out what rights and options may be available to you.