Hi there! I wasn't sure if I could ask this here (it's also my first post) but I'm thinking about buying a white 2013 Honda Fit Sport. It may be a dumb question but is a dealership supposed to be able to sell it despite the recall?

Edit: I was told that they replaced the airbag but I don't know if it's true. Technically it is illegal for them to sell it without the repaired airbag but who knows...

 

they are not supposed to, but i hear dealers are doing it..

 

That's worrying... I'm coming in this week to Honda of Downtown LA to hopefully get a Fit. They said that it has been changed, do you know if there's a way for me to check in the car if it has been changed?

 

recalls.honda.com

 

Isn't that just to see if the model was affected by the recall?

 

there was a member here who bought a used fit and couldn't drive it because the recall was still pending and was given a rental to use in the meantime.

 

Not sure if you recall but do you remember how long ago that was?

I know some people are still waiting on parts but maybe it's possible that the dealership I'm going to got parts but put them on the cars they're reselling (like the one I'm looking at)?

 

Enter the cars VIN to see if there are open (incomplete) recalls that still need done to that particular car.

Of course you will need the VIN of the car in question.

And...it may take a couple days for info to update...For example the recall might be completed on Friday afternoon, the car has the updated parts installed and is ready to go as soon as the mechanic is done with it and rolls out of the shop, but it takes a little time for the work order to get finished and the warranty claim to go through and be accepted by Honda, so the info may not update immediately.

Got lazy people where you work?
I could see some employees waiting until Monday afternoon to start finishing all of the work orders on cars that were done last Friday LOL

 

it was within 6 months ago. i don't remember. maybe dig through the airbag recall thread here somewhere.

i doubt they have parts.

so far as far as we suspect the priority for airbags are :

1. cars in high humidity areas
2. people who got rentals
3. people who are driving their own cars

logically you would think that the dealers would order the airbags for their used cars. but who knows? easier to assume they didn't because that's just how dealerships are.

 

I'll look for the post! Hmm, so do you think it's still a good idea for me to try to get that Fit?

Also, I appreciate the help, this community is awesome!

 

I don't know the exact statistic, but there have been deaths out of millions of airbags recalled. Not to minimize these deaths, but your chances of dying from an exploding airbag is real low.

Negotiate a lower price if the work is not done. At the worst case, you take the care home, and they give you a rental for 3 months or so. The dealer won't care. Honda Corporate will pay for the rental not them. The dealer also make money for the labor doing the recall.

 

My dealer tried to low ball my 09 on a trade-in as they would have to hold it until they got airbag replacement later this year.

 

The driver's side airbag recall happened last Feb. Mine was fixed around June.
Now some Fits (VIN specific) are affected by passenger airbag recall too and parts are not available yet.

 

Yes, they can sell it. I'm not an expert on the law, but I have been sold vehicles that were under recall, and the dealer never told me anything about it.

Off Topic Question: Does Downtown LA have MTs or ATs?

 

Yes , Honda / Acura dealers are selling FITS and other Honda vehicles with the recall for the passenger side airbag . We've been looking at dealers in a 100+ mile radius and many are selling or sold them . Can do so by using dealer sites that show V.I.N # and check at safercar.gov or at dealer site using CARFAX or other form of vehicle history report . The Honda / Acura dealers are advised not to sell affected vehicles . If the car sold by dealer is in a accident and anyone is injured or dies due to the airbag the dealer can be sued ( liable ) , but not the Honda corporation . $ talks , $afety walks .

 

May want to watch these ( Aug. 6th , 16 ) CBS News investigation dealers about selling cars with safety recalls inspires push for change - CBS News ( shows FIT at Toyota dealer that will not sell due to recall , honesty is rare ) and Is your used car dealership selling vehicles with safety recalls? - CBS News .

 

The Fits (and other models affected by the recall) that needed the drivers airbag inflators are the ones that may be eligible for the rental car.
At my dealers storage lot all of those Fits are gone, they have all had their drivers inflators replaced (I can't speak for any other dealers).
The only cars I saw still waiting in our lot as of this morning are some CRVs.

The cars that need the passengers inflator recall are not eligible for rental cars AFAIK, but the dealer could still be held 100% liable if they sell an unrepaired vehicle.

As far as priority, (not including the humidity aspect) the parts are ordered first come first serve, and each inflator ordered has its serial number assigned to the cars VIN (we can't just order a few hundred at a time to keep in stock) so whenever a particular inflator arrives we have to put it in the car it was specifically ordered for.
They don't always arrive in the same order they were ordered in either.


HTH

 

FWIW, I have a 07 fit and I called the dealer in the town my daughter is using the car in for school up in Montana and he told me they can get the inflator in a week if I give them my vin and set up an appointment.

 

One week may not happen, but we get units for other models quicker than that. I'd guess whomever you spoke to just assumed.......yeah.

JUST checked with our parts department, there is not yet a definite release date for the early Fit passengers inflator, still says at least a 2 week delay.

The passengers inflator for my GFs 07 Fit was ordered more than 2 weeks ago, the day after the recall was opened up to allow them to be ordered. Still waiting.

 

yeah just ask for the VIN and if it was replaced it will not show up. Mine was fixed last week and since then it no longer shows up on the VIN search.