Are Car Dealers liable for problems found later in a vehicle as a result of an accident of which the buyer was

Question

not informed? I have a 2001 Dodge Durango that was fine upon purchasing. Now a year later I found out through my insurance company (VIN check) that it was involved in a major accident 4 years ago. It also has had "coincidental" electrical problems causing bad ground for a radio and shorts in the system. Should I contest this with the dealer and make them liable for fixing this since they didn't inform me of the previos accident?

Answer 1

If it were a new car purchase, then yes depending on how much damage. For used cars, unfortunately as long as it was a clean title and not a salvaged or rebuilt title, there isn't much you can do. It is not illegal to sell a car that has been involved in accidents and doesn't have to be disclosed unless it has been categorized as a rebuilt title. Homework is crucial before purchasing a vehicle these days because in almost all cases, once you own the car, you own the car, as far as used car purchases are concerned. You could always try to get compensation, so you could consult a lawyer if you would like. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

You can contact the dealership, but you must be able to prove that they knew about the accident. Did you have a CarFax done on the vehicle before you purchased it? CarFax guarantees its reports, so you could contact them if you did. Sometimes the accident doesn't show up on the report until much later. Are the electrical problems related to the entire vehicle or just the radio? Radios are not considered a safety item so it doesn't need to be checked at the time of re-selling a used vehicle. Bottom line: used cars are sold 'as is' and buyers must be aware of that. Ask if they would help you with the cost of parts and labor at least, good luck.

Answer 3

this may depend on whether you can prove they knew about it,they should have done a search and that should be documented in your purchase agreement,
look for a charge for documentation and processing,title search may be included
good luck
why did the insurance company take so long to tell you?

Answer 4

RETURN THE VEHICLE AND RUN AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE!!!!. It was probably very inexpensive for a reason.