CarMax Has a History of Selling Vehicles with Safety Defects

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Baltimore Car Wreck Lawyers discuss the dangers of used cars being sold with known safety recalls. According to a recent study conducted by the Center for Auto Safety, the Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety Foundation, and the MASSPIRG Education Fund, consumers may want to think twice before purchasing a used car at CarMax.

Researchers found that over 25 percent of the used cars sold at eight CarMax locations across the country had unrepaired safety defects that were under recall.

Safety defects can lead to unnecessary car accidents and injuries. The defects found in cars sold by CarMax included unrepaired Takata airbags, which were the subject of a major recall and linked to numerous fatalities.

This is not the first incidence of used car companies selling vehicles with open recalls. However, according to this study, the sales have climbed steadily since 2015. In fact, the study found that the number of vehicles sold with unrepaired safety recalls has doubled since a 2015 study that looked at five CarMax locations.

Recall Statistics

The review looked at approximately 1,700 vehicles sold at three CarMax locations in the United States, including stores in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The following statistics were found:

  • A total of 461 vehicles had at least one unrepaired safety defect that was under recall.
  • Forty-one of the vehicles under recall could not be repaired because the part was no longer available.
  • Forty-five of the vehicles had Takata airbag inflators, which had been previously recalled due to a serious safety defect.

According to Jason Levine, Executive Director for the Center for Auto Safety, CarMax has access to data that provides documentation about these defects. It is deceptive of CarMax to call a car safe if it has an open recall. As a result, industry officials have taken legal action against the used car company.

Legal Action

Eric Schneiderman, New York state’s Attorney General, recently reached a settlement with auto dealers stating that a disclosure of open recalls must be provided to all potential buyers. General Motors and two auto dealers reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over accusations of marketing used vehicles as safe, even though they had defective parts with open recalls.

In a statement provided by CarMax, the company assured the public that they share all recall information in the store and online. Consumers can refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to find recall information specific to a particular vehicle. Part of the purchasing process at CarMax involves reviewing any recall information with a CarMax sales associate before signing the sales documents.

The number of recalls in recent years warrants a closer look at the car manufacturing industry. There were over 150 million recalls between 2014 and 2016 and in many cases the parts and remedies needed to fix the problem were not available from the manufacturer.

Baltimore Car Wreck Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Clients Who Were Sold Defective Vehicles

If you have been injured in a car accident involving a used vehicle that has an open recall, contact a skilled Baltimore car wreck lawyer at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. For a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.

Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent car accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.