CarMax was founded to fundamentally change the way Americans buy used vehicles and is the industry leader in integrity and transparency. As part of our commitment to transparency, we notify all customers prior to purchasing any vehicle from CarMax that their vehicle may have an open recall and they should register their vehicle with the manufacturer and have any open recalls fixed. When customers register their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), they can get the most up-to-date information on open and future recalls directly from the manufacturer.

The current recall system is based on the manufacturer's relationship with its franchise dealers and vehicle owners and does not take used auto retailers into account. Under the current system, manufacturers direct recall communications to the vehicle owner of record, not used auto retailers like CarMax. Unlike the manufacturer franchise dealers who are intended under the system to fix recalls, independent used auto retailers, like CarMax, are not provided the authority to complete recall repairs and close out recalls.

Our experience shows us customers are in the best position to act on recall information directly with a manufacturer-authorized dealer. Dealers are often more likely to provide timely recall repair to customers rather than to a competitor, like CarMax, so we will continue to encourage customers to have recalls repaired at a manufacturer-authorized facility.

The new NHTSA VIN lookup website is the first to provide detailed VIN-specific recall information for virtually every make and model. As part of CarMax's commitment to transparency, we are planning to leverage the VIN lookup website to provide all customers with NHTSA recall information. We're in the process of implementing this program and preparing for a nationwide rollout in the coming months.

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