Millions of motor vehicles have been subjected to recall over the last couple of years, and the recalls are continuing. Many of these recalls involve simple fixes that can be completed by car dealerships that specialize in the affected automobiles and for free. However, if the recalls remain unfixed, the motor vehicle defect could be extremely dangerous and result in injury or death to New York drivers and passengers.

This is why 11 different consumer protection groups have banded together in outrage against CarMax, one of our nation's biggest used car sellers. According to the groups, CarMax is knowingly selling unfixed recalled automobiles to its customers. Further, the car seller is telling its customers that the used vehicles it sells are safe and mechanically sound. Indeed, the marketing that CarMax puts out drives home the fact that all its used cars are subjected to intense quality control testing to ensure their mechanical soundness.

A petition signed and submitted to the Federal Trade Commission by the coalition of consumer protection organizations says that CarMax is purposefully and knowingly misrepresenting the safety of its automobiles to American consumers. One of the 11 sponsors of the petition is a national group called the Consumers Union. A spokeswoman for the Consumers Union asserted that checking for recalls should be a simple thing to do for CarMax, especially considering the marketing relating to its in-depth vehicle inspection protocols. Still, a spokesperson for CarMax said that its customers receive information on how to contact automakers for their purchased cars to check for recalls.

Regardless which side is in the right with regard to CarMax, the fact remains that an unfixed motor vehicle defect represents a real danger, not just for New York drivers and passengers inside the defective car, but for others who are sharing the road with that vehicle. In some cases, the injuries associated with a car accident could be made worse if an auto defect is involved -- especially if the defect causes an airbag to fail or some other safety feature (such as with the brakes and/or power steering) to malfunction during the accident. Consumers injured in such accidents may wish to investigate the possibility of pursuing a personal injury claim for reimbursement of any monetary damages incurred.