Consumer Groups Applaud GM for Efforts to Protect Used Car Buyers

General Motors has agreed not to sell used cars with unrepaired safety recalls

Consumer groups including Consumer Federation of America (CFA), U.S. PIRG, The Center for Auto Safety, and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) today applauded an announcement by General Motors that the company's new used car sales platform, CarBravo, will not sell used cars with unrepaired safety recalls.

The groups said that many car dealers across the country sell hazardous used vehicles with known safety recall defects, including catching on fire, faulty brakes, stalling in traffic, steering wheels that come off in the driver’s hands, hoods that fly up in traffic, seat belts that fail in a crash, and ticking time bomb Takata airbags that propel metal shrapnel into the faces and torsos of drivers and passengers, too often causing severe injuries and fatalities.

“As the first automaker to make this commitment, General Motors is taking a giant step forward in protecting the public from hazardous vehicles. GM is recognizing what auto safety advocates have maintained for years, which is that vehicles with safety recall defects can injure occupants and others who share the roads with these problem cars,” said Jack Gillis, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of America.

The new used car sales platform will be a direct competitor to established companies such as CarMax, Carvana, and Vroom. The groups noted that these dealers should step up in response to GM's commitment.

“We challenge CarMax, AutoNation, Vroom, Carvana, and other car dealers to meet the safety standard that General Motors is setting with CarBravo,” said Rosemary Shahan, President of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS), which has been leading efforts to curb car dealers’ sales of used vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls.

The consumer advocates also noted there is pending federal legislation that would prohibit the sale of used cars with unrepaired recalls.

Senators Blumenthal, Markey, and Warren have introduced a bill (S 1835) that would allow auto dealers to sell unrepaired recalled used vehicles to other dealers, auto auctions, or other wholesalers, but would prohibit car dealers from renting, loaning, or selling an unrepaired recalled used vehicle to retail consumers.

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