46M Used Cars Have at Least One Unrepaired Safety Recall

A new study from Carfax, a unit of HIS Inc., shows that more than 46 million vehicles on the road today in the U.S. have at least one safety recall that hasn't been fixed.

The study cautions those looking to buy a used car to make sure that the vehicle they want to buy doesn't have any unfixed recall issues.

Five million used vehicles bought and sold last year had unfixed recall issues, according to the study. This happens because there is no legal requirement for dealers or individual sellers to get the repairs done before a used car is sold.

Dealers aren't even required to tell buyers if a car is subject to a recall.

"It's a very major public safety problem," says Chris Basso, a used-car specialist for Carfax, according to the Associated Press. "When those recalled cars go unfixed, they compound over the years, and it increases the chance of those parts failing."

Basso analyzed state registration data to determine that one-fifth of the 238 million vehicles on the road in the U.S. has an unrepaired problem that was subject to a recall.

Reports also indicate that people buying or driving family-oriented vehicles are at more of a risk than those who don't. One in three minivans and one in five SUVs has an unrepaired recall.

Federal regulators in the U.S. have pushed for stricter legislation that requires dealers to fix recalled used vehicles but haven't had much luck yet. Independent dealers oppose such legislations, to no surprise, but they believe they might go along with a requirement to disclose recalls to buyers since the new government database makes it easier to tell if a car on their lot has been recalled or not.

Government data shows that 25 percent of car owners never get recall repairs done, according to the Associated Press.

Federal law requires automakers to alert owners of a recall within 60 days of finding a safety defect. The problem is that there's currently no legal obligation that companies have to contact the new owner if a car changes hands.

If you receive a recall notice about your car, please visit your local dealer to get the vehicle repaired. It will make things much easier if you eventually do decide to sell the car while also keeping everyone a lot safer.