I-Team: Hidden Safety Hazards In Used Cars
BOSTON (CBS) - Used cars are a great option for a lot of buyers. For Angela Davidson, a Dodge pickup with a 125 point safety inspection was a perfect fit. "I was sold," she said. What Davidson didn't know was the truck had an unfixed recall involving an issue with the rear axle. "Had they said to me, 'there is an open recall on it,' I never would have purchased that car," she said.
With 40 million cars recalled just this year, odds are greater than ever that a car you see on a lot could have an open recall. According to Sean Kane of Safety Research & Strategies, a safety research group based in Rehoboth, that's a problem. "These are loopholes in the system wherein a recall can be opened, in other words not repaired, and be sold to you or rented to you without any repercussions," he said.
The I-Team wanted to know just how common this problem is. Using the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's database, we searched VIN numbers for used cars at eight dealership across the state. Then we took our undercover camera car shopping. Some of the dealerships told us about the recalls, but many did not.
When we looked at a Toyota Rav4, the salesperson told us it was completely safe. But we found an open recall for a suspension problem that according to the recall notice could increase the risk of a crash.
We went to another dealership to ask about a Jeep that was listed for sale. When we got there, the Jeep was sold and the recalled brakes were never fixed. We tracked down the owner of that Jeep. She did not want to be on camera, but she told us over the phone the dealership never mentioned anything about a recall.
This is happening all over the country. Our sister station in Sacramento, California captured this sales person promising a producer a Dodge pickup truck was safe. "A recall or anything that needs to be fixed on it has already been taken care of," he said. But we know that's not true because the VIN number showed an open recall.
According to Kane, this important safety issue should not be left up to consumers. "Used car dealers can get those [recalls] repaired and it doesn't cost them anything. The onus should really be on them to do that before they are passing this on to an owner," he said.
There is talk about legislation to address this problem, but for now, it's still up to the buyer. The good news is the government's VIN lookup is a simple tool that will give you the information you need to make sure the car you are buying is safe.
Send tips for the I-Team to iteam@cbsboston.com or call 617-779 TIPS
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