When it comes to auto repairs, owners never want to hear that their vehicle needs work - mainly because of the big price tag. As it turns out, even when the repair is free, many drivers are still not getting the critical maintenance performed.
Vehicle history service CarFax recently revealed that there were more than 2.7 million cars put up for sale online last year that didn't have critical recall work performed. Automakers issue recalls for problems that could be potentially hazardous to passengers, but this doesn't mean that the vehicle maintenance gets performed.
In many cases, the buyer may be unaware that the recall work is needed. Automakers notify owners, but this can be tricky if the car has been sold several times. Others may simply have ignored the recall notice and kept driving a potentially unsafe vehicle.
"We're making a lot of progress, but there are still too many open recalls out there," said Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax. "Many of these cars change hands without the buyer ever knowing a recall exists, increasing the safety risks both to passengers in the car and others on the road. We all need to do our part to make sure these cars are identified and fixed – buyers, sellers and owners alike."