"Do Not Drive This Car"...Thousands with Major Defects Flood the Used Car Market

Nearly 14,000 Vehicles with Fire Hazards Listed
Over 8,000 with Airbag and Seatbelt Defects

It has been revealed that tens of thousands of vehicles subject to recall orders due to serious safety defects, such as fire hazards or airbag malfunctions, are being openly traded in the domestic used car market. There are concerns that the actual scale may be much larger if vehicles that have already been sold are included.

This is a scene of used cars parked at a used car market in Seoul, unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to data submitted by Assemblyman Yoon Jaeok of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee to the National Assembly, 2,205,545 vehicles failed to comply with recall orders from 2022 through June of this year, and among these, 62,382 vehicles were listed for sale in the used car market.

Of the vehicles registered for sale, 14,901 had not complied with recall orders related to fire hazards. Among these, 1,741 were BMW vehicles that were subject to large-scale recalls after dozens of consecutive fire incidents occurred since 2018.

Vehicles Equipped with 'Killer Airbags' Also Being Traded Openly

In addition, 8,144 vehicles that failed to comply with recall orders related to airbag and seatbelt defects were also listed for sale as used cars. Notably, among these, 3,513 vehicles were found to be equipped with Takata airbags, which have caused more than 400 casualties worldwide due to "metal fragment airbags."

The Takata airbag is a product manufactured by the Japanese auto parts company Takata until its bankruptcy in 2017. It contains a gas capsule that inflates the airbag upon collision. A defect was discovered in which the capsule could explode, scattering metal fragments inside the vehicle and causing fatal injuries, earning it the nickname "killer airbag."

The scale of these used vehicles with unaddressed recalls only accounts for those currently listed for sale. The actual number is likely much higher if vehicles that have already been sold are included.

Assemblyman Yoon emphasized, "We must not allow the reality where vehicles with unaddressed recalls are traded without any restrictions to continue. Vehicles with defects directly linked to public safety must be addressed promptly, and the system should be improved to ensure that recall information is clearly disclosed in the used car market as well."

Meanwhile, since June 2024, it has become legally mandatory to disclose recall information for used cars, and sellers are required to provide this information in advance. Buyers can directly check the recall history of a vehicle by using its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) at the 'Automobile Recall Center.'