Amazon Autos Listings Criticized by Lawmakers for Including Vehicles With Unfixed Recalls

Lawmakers have warned that selling used cars with open safety recalls is dangerous and have proposed legislation to ban the practice.

A group of U.S. Senators are expressing concerns over Amazon listing used vehicles for sale with unrepaired safety recalls, due to fears that the practice may pose a potentially deadly risk for drivers, passengers and others on the road.

In a letter issued late last month, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) cautioned that selling vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls has been linked to fire hazards, engine stalls and various other defects that put consumer safety at risk.

A vehicle safety recall occurs when an automaker or regulator such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determines that a car, truck, motorcycle, SUV or one of their components contain a defect that does not comply with safety requirements, creating a potential hazard.

In those cases, manufacturers must notify owners and provide repairs at no charge, which may involve anything from simple adjustments to replacement of essential parts like brakes, airbags or electrical systems.

According to the lawmakers, Amazon announced on August 4 that certain Hyundai dealers would be able to sell used and certified pre-owned vehicles through Amazon Autos. The program was expanded to Ford dealers on November 17.

In its correspondence with Ford, Amazon allegedly outlined the vehicle selling process, including providing viewers with service history and vehicle condition reports. However, the lawmakers claim that Amazon has failed to disclose to prospective buyers that a vehicle may have unrepaired safety recalls.

The press release indicates that Amazon has listed and sold multiple vehicles with unrepaired recalls, including:

• A used 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands with two unrepaired recalls for engine stalling
• A certified pre-owned 2021 Jeep Wrangler with a fire risk recall
• A used 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy with an electric fire risk recall

The Senate has long raised concerns about the dangers of selling used vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls and has proposed legislation under the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act that would prevent dealers from selling such vehicles, a prohibition that already applies to new cars.

“Amazon does not need to wait for the law to change to prioritize vehicle safety.”

— Letter to Andrew R. Jassy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amazon.com Inc.

The lawmakers called on Amazon’s President and CEO, Andrew Jassy, to immediately stop listing vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls and to display recall status under vehicle listings.

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