Uncle Sam Puts Defective Cars on the Road
» Posted February 17, 2021 • Resources | Share This Post
The federal government is once again facing heat for leasing and selling recalled cars, including many with serious safety defects that can put people at risk.
“Our government’s priority should be to keep us safe, but one government agency — the General Services Administration (GSA) — has been neglecting public safety by knowingly leasing and selling cars subject to dangerous recalls,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) wrote in a recent op-ed for The Hill.
The GSA is an independent agency responsible for handling a huge fleet of government vehicles. It often sells those cars at auction when no longer needed by the feds.
A news investigation last year showed that the federal government-owned some 25,000 vehicles that were subject to at least one safety recall. Some vehicles reportedly had up to five active safety recalls at the time of the probe.
A total of 15 percent of cars sold by GSA at auction are covered by an “unfixed recall notice” according to Krishnamoorthi. He sponsored legislation passed in the House last year, which would have banned the feds from selling cars covered by an outstanding recall. That measure was not taken up by the Senate.
Krishnamoorthi is now calling on the Biden Administration to institute the same ban at GSA.
“It’s shocking that the federal government would lease and sell unsafe vehicles, and these dangerous policies are even more inexcusable because getting a recall fixed is free to the vehicle owner.”
How a California Lemon Law Lawyer Can Help
The push to get the GSA to take recalls seriously highlights an unfortunate and often overlooked fact: the world’s largest car manufacturers often put vehicles on the road with serious safety defects that place everyone on the road in harm’s way. Those companies recall millions of vehicles per year, often long after the cars have left dealer lots and hit the road.
Fortunately, California car owners and lessors have some significant rights and protections under the state’s lemon law. It is vital to have a seasoned California lemon law lawyer by your side to explore your rights and options.
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires car manufacturers to repair vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also forces carmakers to buy back — or, in some situations, replace — vehicles that the company is not able to or refuses to fix.
If you are a car owner or lessor who is locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over repairs, an experienced California lemon law lawyer at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. Attorney Brian Bickel and his team have represented hundreds of clients in defective vehicle cases in Southern California and across the state. We have a strong track record of success.
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 a California lemon law lawyer today.
