Blumenthal Applauds AutoNation Decision to Cease Sales of Cars Under Recall

(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Product Safety, issued the following statement after AutoNation, Inc. – the nation’s largest new auto retailer – announced that it will stop selling cars with recalled safety defects until the defective parts are repaired, action that Blumenthal has consistently called on dealers to take:

“I applaud AutoNation’s significant, common-sense step to ensure its customers are not purchasing cars that put themselves, their families, and all others who share the roads at risk from potentially lethal safety defects. Consumers deserve to know that the car they are buying is safe. Current law requires new car dealers to fix safety defects before selling a vehicle, but not used car dealers. Vehicles are not any safer because they are used – if they’re not safe enough to sell as new cars, they’re not safe enough to sell to used car buyers. AutoNation’s decision confirms this, and I urge other dealers to follow AutoNation’s lead to protect consumers and make our roads safer.”

In March, Blumenthal and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act which would require used car dealers to repair any outstanding safety recalls in used automobiles prior to selling or leasing and the Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives (RECALL) Act that would require owners of vehicles with open safety recalls to be notified and help ensure defects are repaired. The senators have also urged auto manufacturers to take necessary action to protect consumers after defective parts are identified and recalled.

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