When you buy a used car, you're putting your trust in a lot of other people. It starts with the manufacturer of the vehicle and extends all the way to the seller handing you the keys. Unfortunately, not all of these individuals have your best interests at heart. Previous owners of the car, for instance, may have ignored recall notices and simply passed along the automobile – leaving you to deal with the later problems. 

Cars aren't being fixed
Carfax analyzed state registration data, ultimately finding that as much as one-fifth of the more than 230 million cars on the road have problems that were never fixed, despite recalls. That means about 46 million vehicles are cruising the open road with some type of faulty part. 

The organization also found that the state of New York has its fair share of unfixed recalls. According to the Carfax data, the Empire State comes in at No. 4 with more than 2.1 million unfixed cars on the road. Pennsylvania followed close behind at No. 5 with 1.9 million faulty vehicles. 

Put safety first
Drivers shouldn't leave their safety up to chance. Any car could have a problem in its history, and even what started as a minor issue could have grown to something big over time. It impacts more than the driver as well, as any failure could put passengers or other motorists in harm's way. 

"It's a very major public safety problem," said Chris Basso, a used car specialist for Carfax. "When those recalled cars go unfixed, they compound over the years, and it increases the chance of those parts failing."

Buying a vehicle with a clean history is your best bet, but with so many recalls happening each year, it's not always feasible. Make sure you do your own research to see if the make and model has been recalled in the past. Once you know what to look for, you'll be in a better position to identify fixes and negotiate price. 

Find a seller you trust
If you're shopping for used cars, it's important to find a trustworthy facility to do business with. At New Jersey State Auto Auction, you can deal with sellers and financing experts who are actively working to get you the best deal. The lot also contains hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans, which means you can scope out the automobile's history and make sure its servicing is up to date.