WASHINGTON — A consumer watchdog group released a report that said the nation's largest car retailer is selling used cars with unrepaired safety recalls at multiple locations across the country, including one in Marietta.
The report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said some of the cars it reviewed at AutoNation dealerships had faulty ignitions or airbags.
"I think unrepaired recall cars are accidents waiting to happen," PIRG Consumer Program Director Ed Mierzwinski said.
The sale of used cars with recalls is not against the law.
Federal law does not allow dealerships to sell new cars with open recalls, but the law doesn't apply to used cars so a dealership doesn't have to fix those recalls before a sale.
PIRG said it looked at more than 2,400 cars sold at AutoNation dealerships across 12 states.
The survey said one in nine cars had defects.
A spokesperson for AutoNation denied the statistic and said the number is substantially less than that amount.
"A safety recall is one that could have your brakes to fail, your car to stop while you're driving it. We're not talking about emissions recalls," Mierzwinski said.
The report said it found some used cars with faulty General Motors ignitions and recalled Takata airbags. Both have been linked to serious injury and death in cases unrelated to AutoNation.
"We advise you to check on any car you're buying," Mierzwinski said.
The former CEO of AutoNation said in 2015 that the company would stop selling used cars with open recalls but later reversed that decision. When asked why, a spokesperson said the company adjusted its policies to be in line with government regulations.
AutoNation said the company fully discloses any recall before selling a car to a customer and said if the parts needed are available, the company fixes some recalls.
Cox Media Group
