Used Car Lemon Law

A recent article in The Los Angeles Times highlighted a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that analyzed fatal traffic accidents in 2008 in which vehicle air bags failed to deploy. According to the study, the most common reason for the failure was the air bag missing from the vehicle, most likely because the air bags had not been replaced after a previous accident. On average, the study discovered that 51 incidents per year in the United States can be attributed to missing air bags but it is not known how many more vehicles are on the nation’s roadways that are missing air bags.

The article notes that many used vehicles have previously been involved in crashes, and then salvaged and resold to consumers, potentially without air bags. Obviously, significant danger exists since the consumer may never know their vehicle is missing this essential safety feature.

Air bags can be very difficult to check on, and are quite expensive to replace, costing between $1,000 and $3,000. According to the article, many auto repair shops have been found to charge a consumer for replacing an air bag but do not actually do the work. For example, in 2009, a couple was awarded $15 million after their son was killed in a truck whose air bags they had paid to be replaced after the vehicle was purchased as salvaged, with the steering column stuffed with paper. It is important for consumers to be aware that when they are purchasing a used vehicle, they should have an independent mechanic whom they trust inspect the vehicle to ensure air bags are present and the vehicle does not have a defect that affects its use, value, or safety which could pose risk to the consumer.

Recently, a bill was proposed in the Senate that would make air bag repair fraud punishable by a fine of $5,000, or up to a year in state prison, or both, in an attempt to reduce this kind of consumer protection violation.

Before purchasing a used vehicle, it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with how you can avoid buying a lemon vehicle. Read the Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Used Car in California by Los Angeles lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver before you visit a used car dealership so you know how to get a good deal. If you have purchased a lemon vehicle from a used car dealer, Mr. Silver can help you understand the legal options available to you. Call 1-866-49-LEMON today.

There comes a point in every car owner’s life when it’s time to buy another vehicle. Whether you simply want a change or have taken your current vehicle to its limit, buying a used car is often a beneficial solution for one’s finances. However, used car buyers should be aware of a dealership’s policy on deposit refunds for a vehicle with mechanical problems, as one man’s story from North Carolina emphasizes.

According to a www.wral.com report, a North Carolina used car buyer paid a dealership a $500 cash deposit for a vehicle before taking it to his mechanic to examine the car for any problems. The man claims that the car salesman signed a receipt stating that the money would be refunded if any mechanical issues were detected in the vehicle. When the mechanic did discover problems with the vehicle’s horn, battery, and wheel bearings, and the man tried to get his deposit back, the salesman reportedly denied him the full deposit.

In North Carolina, the lemon law does not provide consumers with any protection against used vehicles with problems. While several North Carolinians may, for example, believe that, as a car buyer, they have three days to change their mind about a vehicle that they just purchased, this is not the case. A person cannot return a vehicle to the dealer once they have signed an agreement and taken the car away from the dealership.

With used car issues ranked number five on the list of consumer complaints to the Better Business Bureau in 2009, consumer awareness of used car fraud and lemon law may help to avoid these problems. Be sure to get a hold of a vehicle history report before signing anything. This information should help a potential car buyer learn exactly how many owners a vehicle previously had, and whether the car was involved in any serious wrecks that caused significant damage.