I bought two used cars from the same dealership – both had dangerous issues with crucial safety equipment

A RETIRED man bought two used cars from the same dealership knowing they’d been in accidents – he didn’t know they were dangerously altered, a report claims.

An independent technician reportedly claimed important parts were tampered with, and “did it on purpose.”

ABC Action News

Ronald Egert/ABC Action News

As a retired Florida man with a bad back, Ron Egert recently bought a brand-new Hyundai Sonata sedan.

He said it met the one quality he looks for in a new car .

“I buy cars for the ride,” he told ABC affiliate WFTS .

“As I’ve had numerous back surgeries, I’ve got to have certain cars .”

Before he landed on the Hyundai, however, Egert went on a wild ride after two used Volvos from Hgreg, a used car dealer, turned out to be dangerously defective , WFTS reported.

The first car, a red 2021 Volvo S60, checked every one of Egert’s boxes and was lured by the price listed online.

“The good deals on the car are what brought me to it,” he said.

“That and the fact that it was low mileage.”

Before he drove it home, though, the dealer made him aware that it had been in an accident in its past life as a rental car that caused the airbags to deploy.

They assured him the car had passed a multi-point inspection and was perfectly safe to drive.

“Everything looked great on the car,” he said.

He drove home happy in his comfortable Swedish car – until he was shocked by a warning light on the dashboard.

“The airbag light came on, and it says, ‘Do not drive car. Go to dealership immediately,'” Egert recalled.

At the Volvo dealership, they delivered the bad news.

“They told me that the safety systems were subverted,” he said.

The technician’s report read that “one connector not plugged in,” and the seatbelt resister was “shoved into connector pins.”

It also read the equipment had been “tampered with.”

In the event of an accident, they’re not gonna work. They’re not gonna come out. They’re not gonna do what they’re supposed to do.

Chris Wallin, Chief Technician

Chris Wallin, a chief technician at an independent shop, interpreted the report for WFTS after the dealership declined an interview request.

“They actually went into the restraint control module, which is the computer for the seatbelt restraints, and messed with that,” he said.

“They put resistors into that to trick it. Somebody did that on purpose.”

He continued to explain that by doing that, it bypassed a sensor that would tell the computer module that the airbag is plugged in and functional.

A trick, Wallin said, that could be life-threatening.

“When you’re in a collision, what it does is actually tension that seatbelt and pull you back in the seat,” he said.

“So that you’re not flying forward into the dashboard or the steering wheel.”

After the car was determined to be unsafe, Egert reportedly returned to the dealer and demanded they take it back and give him a different car.

“I showed them the pictures. And I said you’re taking this car back. I go… this car is unsafe to drive,” said Egert.

“No one should be driving this car.”

The dealership took the car back and gave him a 2022 Volvo S60 as a replacement.

Weeks later, he said the airbag warning light illuminated the dashboard.

“Two Volvos. Same dealership. Same exact problems,” said Egert, frustrated.

The history report for the car said the Volvo had been in an accident where the airbags deployed and was bought at auction by the dealer – just like the first Volvo.

Dealership's full statement to WFTS

On average, HGreg sells more than 50,000 vehicles per year. The company does everything it can to eliminate friction from the customer’s journey and to make the process of shopping for (and buying) a car smooth and positive. This philosophy was the north star that guided HGreg Tampa’s service level with Mr. Egert and it’s the same that has guided the dealership with all its customers. The dealership, which opened in the spring of 2021, is now among the leaders in the region. We believe Mr. Egert can attest to this commitment.

At any given point in time, less than .5 percent of the inventory at HGreg would have had airbags deployed (in an accident, for example). When HGreg encounters pre-owned vehicles that have had an airbag deployed, HGreg makes sure to buy only those for which the auctioneer confirms (with full documentation/reports) that the issue has been resolved and that, upon a multi-point inspection, all signals indicate the proper function of the airbags. This is what happened with Mr. Egert’s first vehicle. Before the vehicle comes into HGreg’s retail inventory, the HGreg team carefully reviews the auction’s reports and conducts a multi-point inspection that adheres to the most rigorous industry best practices. These checks include a review of diagnostic (light) indicators and other industry-accepted inspection efforts. If, for whatever reason, HGreg believes the vehicle airbags would not operate as intended, it would not be retailed by HGreg.

Once the reports are reviewed and the inspection completed, HGreg makes it a point to share all documentation and declarations with its customers. The company prides itself on having one of the most – if not most – transparent process in the industry.

This protocol for airbags is the very same one that HGreg follows for any vehicle that has been involved in an accident.

With respect to Mr. Egert’s second Volvo, there were no indications in any of the auction’s reports that the airbags had been previously deployed. (Please know that HGreg only purchases vehicles through the most reputable auction companies in the country. These companies play a critical role in the automotive industry and have duly earned strong reputations.) Our multi-point inspection also cleared the airbags as appearing in working order. There were no indications that the airbags had a fault. As we did with his previous purchase, we reviewed all of the reports with Mr. Egert and, once again, made a clear and unequivocal recommendation that he have the vehicle inspected by his own third-party mechanic/garage. We signed all of the necessary documents together, in full transparency.

When Mr. Egert’s deeper inspection (with Volvo) revealed alleged issues with the airbags, we proceeded to trade in these vehicles for a new one.

Throughout these events, HGreg staff worked hard to listen and respond to Mr. Egert’s needs and concerns. HGreg exchanged the two Volvo vehicles without any cost to the customer. HGreg has a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and believes that this promise was made manifest in the experience of Mr. Egert.

In response to additional questions from reporters, the dealer said:

Firstly, the company does not tamper with airbags – it does not repair nor replace them, nor does it oversee or commission repairs or replacement by any third parties. It relies on its auction partners and our own inspection process (i.e. review of vehicle’s own internal reporting systems and signals) to confirm that repairs have been confirmed and/or airbag is operational.

Secondly, if the vehicle has a history of prior damaged, HGreg personnel strongly advise their customers to go and get them inspected at a dealership or their own preferred garage. HGreg personnel make their customers sign documents that confirm that they have advised the customer of such – with the complete disclosure of all reports obtained on the vehicle in question. When we know that a vehicle has had previous damage, this process/protocols is heightened even further: HGreg asks customers to sign two additional damage disclosure documents advising them of the damage and making further recommendation (in writing and in person/verbally) that they get the vehicle inspected by their own third-party.

Finally, if and when there is any issue or the customer is not happy (for whatever reason, based on disclosed previous damage or not), the company takes the vehicle back* and does everything it can to find a more suitable one, as it did with Mr. Egert on two occasions.  *If HGreg customers cannot have their vehicles inspected before taking them home, the company offers a 5-day/500-mile exchange policy so they can do so after.

A trip to the Volvo dealership determined key parts for the airbag were from a junkyard, and some connectors were rusted.

It also revealed some wires were tampered with, and the seatbelt tensioner wasn’t plugged in.

Wallin said anyone could tell the parts came from a junkyard due to the handwriting on it.

This, he said, made the second Volvo unsafe.

“Any used part that comes out of a junkyard, there’s always going to be marking like that on it,” he said.

“It may have sat out in the rain. Maybe the car was wrecked and lost its windshield or something like that… Anytime you get water and erosion inside electrical connectors, it creates excessive resistance.”

Wallin also said with bypasses (resistors) in place, there is a deadly consequence.

“In the event of an accident, they’re not gonna work. They’re not gonna come out. They’re not gonna do what they’re supposed to do,” he said.

BUYER ADVICE FROM EXPERTS

Patrick Olsen, the editor-in-chief of CARFAX , says cars that have had their airbags deployed can be excellent, safe, and reliable cars.

However, he does suggest a second opinion.

“It shouldn’t be, ‘Don’t buy this car because it’s had an airbag deployment.’ It should be …now, do your homework,” said Olsen.

“Get a mechanic to check it out. Make sure that it’s legit.”

Wallin said something similar – that it never hurts to have a trusted mechanic check the fittings, connectors, and equipment for damage, rust, or tampering.

“I’d plug into it and see what trouble codes are in there and start my diagnosis from there,” Wallin said, suggesting the buyer bring a portable OBDII scanner.

“Maybe you never, ever need it, but when you do need it, you need it.”

The U.S. Sun has reached out to HGreg for comment.