Used car dealerships throughout the Tampa Bay area are selling vehicles under recall for fire risks, an I-Team investigation discovered.
I-Team Investigator Jackie Callaway spent only some hours visiting local lots, from Lakeland to St. Petersburg, and discovered a dozen used Kia and Hyundai vehicles for sale – regardless of being flagged as fire risks by the automakers.
Nearly 200 Kia and Hyundai vehicles presently under recall for engine fire hazards were listed for sale on used car lots throughout the Tampa Bay area over just a two-week period starting September 30, as per a CARFAX database obtained by the I-Team.
The I-Team first exposed defective engine recall work is suspected of fires in thousands of Kia and Hyundai vehicles in the country. An ABC Action News interview with a Kia whistleblower led the automakers to recall 700,000 vehicles in early this year.
Experts recommend car buyers check the VIN number of automobiles for open recalls prior to any purchases.
VIN recall checks can be made on the automaker’s website safercar.gov.
