Assembly votes to require used-car dealers to check recalls before sale

The Assembly passed Assembly 6041 (calendar 197), a consumer-protection bill that requires dealers of used motor vehicles to determine whether a vehicle has active manufacturer recalls and to initiate the repair process when a recall exists.

Sponsor Miss Rajkumar said the dealer must make a good-faith effort — such as checking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationdatabase (safercar.gov) by VIN — and, where a recall is found, initiate the repair process so that the recall is satisfied. The sponsor stressed the measure protects New Yorkers from dangerous cars and could save lives.

Several members asked follow-up questions about the statute’s scope: what satisfies a ‘‘good-faith effort,’’ how the rule applies to trade-ins and auctioned vehicles, whether initiation of the repair process is enough to permit a sale, and how the bill applies when parts are unavailable for older vehicles. The sponsor responded the dealership need only put the repair process into motion and that repair costs remain the manufacturers responsibility.

Opponents said the bill could pose practical burdens, particularly for small or rural dealerships that handle trade-ins, accept vehicles from auctions, or lack reliable internet to run VIN checks. Members sought clarifications about whether a sale could be completed before a repair is physically performed and whether auctions would be covered.

After discussion and members explaining their votes, the clerk recorded the result and the bill was passed on the floor (announced tally: Ayes 101, Noes 42). The text as discussed specifies checking manufacturer recall databases and initiating repair steps; the transcript does not record subsequent enforcement or regulatory details.