MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota. As many as 45 million cars on the road (approximately 1 in 6 of all vehicles) may be subject to a recall due to a defect. In recent years, the auto industry has issued numerous recalls-because of airbags that can spew deadly shrapnel at drivers and passengers when they inflate, and due to problems with ignition switches, amongst other serious issues. A fault with the ignition switch can be extremely dangerous as this is the switch that operates the main electricals of the vehicle. Normally, if these switches are faulty, the manufacturers that created them will announce that they want to recall these vehicles. They are able to find most of these vehicles due to codes that are marked on each electrical product inside the vehicle. This allows them to track the vehicle. These codes are normally printed onto the electrical device with a continuous inkjet printer. To learn more about these industrial printers, it might be worth visiting https://www.maschinenmarkt.ch/elektro-und-elektronikkomponenten-codieren-a-637561/. Once the code has been tracked, owners of these vehicles are often informed through letters from the car manufacturers that there is a defect. Owners can then bring the car to a dealership to have the repair done free of charge. Yet, many secondhand car owners never receive these letters. Worse, when secondhand buyers purchase a vehicle, they may never learn about possible defects from dealers. This can lead to a deadly and dangerous situation where drivers can suffer from serious personal injuries due to a lack of information. The Minneapolis, Minnesota personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Martin T. Montilino have been watching over the years as millions of cars have been recalled.
New York Times reporters recently attended an auction where half of the cars were subject to recalls or defects that had not been repaired. The cars were being sold anyway. While it is easy to perform a search for recalls on the National Highway Transportation Safety’s VIN database, not all consumers are aware that they can be sold a car subject to a recall. Consumers may also not be aware that they could get their car repaired for free if it has been recalled. These repairs can prevent personal injuries and save lives.
In many cases, the vehicles in auctions are sold to low-income consumers who cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars for a car. While state local regulations governing the sale of used cars may protect some consumers from purchasing recalled vehicles, it can sometimes be hard to enforce these laws. This is why many consumers end up only seeking justice after they’ve been hurt through personal injury lawsuits or wrongful death cases. While it is illegal for someone to knowingly sell an unsafe car, if a dealer isn’t diligent in checking recalls-it can happen. There could be instances when a car requires the attention of a collision repair center or a body shop, but due to the negligence of the dealers, it gets unnoticed. And current regulations don’t always explicitly require used car dealers to repair cars before they are sold.
At the end of the day, the burden falls on the shoulders of the consumer, who may have to do his or her research to avoid buying an unsafe car. According to the New York Times, private dealers who may be willing to sell the unsafe car may sell to less-educated, poorer, non-native English speakers, who also may have difficulty getting credit from other dealers. In some cases, these defective cars are sold multiple times without being repaired. I’ve heard of even Chrysler cars being affected by this. That’s why many people recommend that people with a low budget consider visiting a reputable car dealership that has good reviews. At least that way, you’ll be confident that a used car dealer is reputable. Be sure to read reviews before purchasing from car dealers, then you’ll know that the vehicles you’re purchasing are safe and reliable. When you eventually decide on one that you trust, you may want to use resources like a uk car finance calculator to see how much you are able to afford and what type you are looking for.
Unfortunately, many secondhand car owners only learn about defects after it is too late. If you or a loved one has been hurt due to a defective vehicle, you may be able to seek a recovery for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering from the manufacturer and even from the used car dealer. The Law Office of Martin T. Montilino are personal injury lawyers in Minneapolis, Minnesota who work hard to protect consumer and driver’s rights. Contact us today to seek justice.