A DRIVER has learned that his used car’s airbag wasn’t fixed after being in an accident – and the dealership that sold the vehicle refused to get it fixed.
US Navy veteran Gilbert Santiago bought a used 2022 Volvo S60 from dealership HGreg in Brandon, Florida, which is about 13 miles east of Tampa.
The HGreg Dealership in Brandon, Florida where Gilbert Santiago bought his Volvo[/caption]
In August, an investigation by ABC affiliate WFTS-TV revealed that a man bought two used Volvos from HGreg and returned them after finding out the cars were both previously involved in accidents.
Mechanics discovered that both of the cars had non-functioning airbags and seatbelts.
Months later, reporters with WFTS identified Santiago as a new owner of one of the returned, dysfunctional cars and encouraged him to get the vehicle checked out by mechanics.
Santiago said HGreg didn’t tell him about the car’s problems when he made the huge purchase.
“It was mind-blowing just to know that they knew this was an issue prior,” Santiago told the outlet.
He reported having trouble with the car as soon as he bought it.
“It was the airbag light that came on and said drive to the dealership immediately,” Santiago said.
The dealership technician told him the car had salvaged parts installed, forcing him to replace the airbags and other parts.
“Probably around the ballpark of six grand out of my pocket,” Santiago said.
The veteran told the outlet he contacted HGreg for help – but the used dealership said their hands were tied.
“They said it passed their inspection,” Santiago said.
“Nothing was showing that was wrong with it. So there’s nothing they can do.”
The car’s data showed the airbag system was checked 17 days before Santiago bought it, according to WFTS.
After Santiago paid around $6,000 to replace the airbags, he took it to another mechanic to inspect his seatbelt.
Tips on buying a used car
When looking to buy a used car, U.S. News & World Report experts have a few tips before walking onto the sales lot.
- Set a realistic budget. Some cars are more expensive to insure and register than others depending on engine type, body style, weight, and the amount of doors. Before being swindled by a crafty salesman, it’s important to know what you can and can’t afford.
- Researching what car would fit best into your lifestyle can save a lot of time. Would a sedan work better for your garage or narrow street? Would a truck meet hauling or towing needs? Knowing what suits your needs can narrow down your options.
- Look into certified pre-owned cars. Certified pre-owned cars are backed by the manufacturer and come with comprehensive warranties at affordable prices. Some manufacturers have better deals on CPO cars, so research diligently.
- Not all financing options are created equal. Depending on where you look to finance, if that’s on the table, be very careful about who you finance with. Your best option would be to get preapproved by your bank before going in to give you an idea of what rates are affordable, and to give a dealership incentive to meet or beat those rates.
- Consider a used car inspection. Depending on where you’re buying a vehicle from, you can opt to pay roughly $200 for a used car inspection to have key components examined by an expert.
- Consider a vehicle history report. When things get close to signing, buying a vehicle history report based on the VIN can help clarify the previous owners, maintenance records (if it was taken to a dealership), title status, and more.
Source: U.S. News and World Report
Certified technician Chris Wallin found issues with the car’s seatbelt pretensioner, which he reported was held up by tape.
“What they’ve done is just take a resistor that matches the resistance that the pretensioner is supposed to have and just kind of shoved it in that wiring harness to trick it into thinking it’s got a good pretensioner,” he said about the car.
While it’s unclear who installed the resistor, Wallin said it’s clear that they did the “trick” job intentionally.
Airbags and pretensioners are two car parts that have to be replaced after being deployed in a car crash.
CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
The expert said because the pretensioner wasn’t working, the car’s airbags and seatbelts wouldn’t work properly in an accident – even with its new airbags.
“That’s something that I have to get replaced and repaired right away because I’m putting myself behind danger,” Santiago said.
Santiago then paid another $1,500 to get the seatbelt system fixed – bringing his repair total to $7,500.
“I hope HGreg takes accountability and pays for some of the damages I had to fix myself,” Santiago told the outlet.
He said he still hasn’t heard back from the dealership weeks after the repairs.
“They need to be held accountable for that because we are talking about people’s lives when they’re out there on the road,” Santiago said.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to HGreg for comment.
Santiago’s Volvo had non-functioning airbags and seatbelts (stock image)[/caption]
