Auto Fraud

Tesla is an electric vehicle manufacturer that is becoming more popular in the United States. One of their most popular model is the Tesla Model 3 and it has become of the best-selling vehicle. However, just like with any other vehicle manufacturer, its production process is prone to make mistakes during its assembly. When a consumer purchases a Tesla that experiences a defect that persists after multiple repair attempts by the manufacturer, the vehicle may be a lemon. If this is the case for you and your Tesla, speak with an experienced lemon law attorney to see if you have a potential case.

Tesla Issues Consumers Have Experienced

Some of Tesla’s models have experienced some issues that categorize them as a lemon vehicle. While Tesla is making efforts to improve their production process to ensure that these issues do not occur in new Tesla’s, some issues are still being reported with new models such as the Tesla Model S and  Tesla Model 3.

• Shutdown while driving
• Touch screen failure
• Unintended acceleration
• Memory problems
• eMMC chip failure

These only cover some of Tesla’s issues. Your vehicle may still be a lemon if it is experiencing any defects that could not be fixed with repeated repairs.

As you get excited about purchasing a new vehicle, here are some car problems to look out for before buying a car

Did you know that in 2016, there were over 17 million cars and trucks purchased in the United States alone, as reported by CNN Money.  There were obviously more car purchases throughout the world, but the sheer volume of purchases in America is staggering.  Between the combination of improved economic conditions, used car sales, and easy credit, more and more people are buying cars than ever before.

For this reason it is imperative to be more educated on what to look out for when buying a car, especially if you’re looking at used cars, or what might appear to be brand new cars.

From the outset, here are some obvious things to consider:

Make Sure the Dealership Discloses Prior Accidents

• Sometimes, inventory moves very fast into the dealership that there might have been an overstep of not making note of the accident, so make sure you check for yourself as well
• You are also able to find this information out independently on your own at www.carfax.com

Disclosure of Frame Damage

• Frame damage can be a major issue but very easy to cover up, so make sure to look for and ask about detailed reports on frame damage

Prior Engine Defects and Major Repairs

• These can be tedious to go through but if you really want the car or if its the only vehicle that fits your budget, then you need to ask and look for these items

Some of the Most Common Car Problems and Major Repairs to Look Out For:

• Alternator problems
• Fuel pump problems
• Power steering problems
• Carburetor problems
• Ignition problems
• Muffler problems
• Exhaust problems

Troubleshooting Car Problems

In the event you decide to be intricately involved with your purchase transaction and the full experience of buying a car, you may want to consider learning about troubleshooting car problems.  This could be a hands-on experience on your part at the dealership or as you’re inspecting it during your test drive, I’d recommend you be somewhat versed on how to test and tweak, or at the very least, know the lingo and where, how to look at things about the car.

AutoZone provides a very helpful set of steps and vocabulary for the general consumer to read up on and learn.  

What To Do When You Identify An Issue

One thing no one can take from you is your knowledge.  The fact that you have spent time reading, researching, and gathering data to educate yourself on buying a car is extremely significant.  Knowledge becomes power when you’re able to apply it.

In the event of finding car problems during your search, you will now have the leverage to command a solid negotiation for a better price, or you are better equipped to be more secure about your purchase (knowing that the car has no problems after you spent the time to do your initial inspection).

When you identify and issue do these things:

• Point it out to the sales manager
• Voice your opinion and be diligent about your findings
• Request that they fix it
• Or simply find another car OR dealer that fits your criteria 🙂

Just In Case…

If you already purchased a vehicle and were too excited to consider the potential car problems to avoid and can actually verify several or multiple disclosures from above, then certainly give us a call and we will be happy to connect you to an Auto Fraud Attorney to help you through the aftermath 🙂

Give us a call or fill out the form available.

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The floods that took place in Florida and Texas have widespread ramifications on thousands of cars as flood damage have impacted vehicles in undetected ways.

Buyers Beware of Cars With Flood Damage

Be mindful of the situation you are in when considering purchasing a car from dealerships this year. There will be an influx of vehicles that have been damaged by flood waters entering into the marketplace, especially on the West Coast. There are thousands of cars that are estimated to have been impacted by the water damage. Many national insurance companies have already processed over a hundred thousand auto claims due to excessive water damage.

Many companies including AAA have been proactive about educating the general consumer on what to look out for when purchasing a car.

In theory, after such a devastating natural disaster, many flood-damaged vehicles can be quickly embellished and then put on the market for up to a year after a major flood. These vehicles are often not identified as flood-damaged vehicles which can be an issue further down the line. Most states require dealers to disclose any and all known flood damage but many do a squeaky clean job to refurbish the vehicle and clean up the obvious outward evidence, thus causing a major problem.

Things to look out for are:

• Mud or residue under the dashboard
• Musty odors inside the doors, in the cabin, or trunk
• Mud behind or under hood components (alternator, starter motor, power-steering pump)
• Sensitive electronics may be harmed as well
• Effected air bags, anti-lock brakes

Most of these damages are either covered up or will not show up for days.

Here’s a great list provided by consumer reports.

How to Spot a Flood-Damaged Car

Water damage can be hard to detect, but Consumer Reports recommends that you look for some of these:

• Inspect the carpets to see if they show signs of having been waterlogged, such as smelling musty or having caked-on mud. Likewise, brand-new carpets in an older vehicle may be another red flag.
• Check the seat-mounting screws to see if there is any evidence that they have been removed. To dry the carpets effectively, the seats must be removed and possibly even replaced.
• Inspect the lights. Headlights and taillights are expensive to replace, and a visible water line may still show on the lens or reflector.
• Inspect the difficult-to-clean places, such as gaps between panels in the trunk and under the hood. Waterborne mud and debris may still appear in these places.
• Look for mud or debris on the bottom edges of brackets or panels, where it wouldn’t settle normally.
• Search around the engine compartment. Water lines and debris can appear in hard-to-clean places, such as behind the engine.
• Look at the heads of any unpainted, exposed screws under the dashboard. Unpainted metal in flood cars will show signs of rust.
• Check to see if the rubber drain plugs under the car and on the bottom of doors look as if they have been removed recently. That may have been done to drain floodwater.

If you have purchased a car with flood damage, contact us, and we’ll contact you to an auto fraud attorney who can help with your case. Call 818-697-4295.