Consumer complaint received 2026-02-10 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease — Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off
Company: CarMax, Inc.
State: CT

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint against CarMax related to a vehicle purchase that has resulted in my inability to register the vehicle due to title defects, misrepresentation by CarMax employees, and CarMaxs failure to resolve the matter despite repeated notice and assurances. 

In early XX/XX/year>, I purchased a vehicle from the CarMax XXXX XXXX, Connecticut location. Shortly after purchase, I brought the vehicle to XXXX for a recall repair and was informed the vehicle required a full engine replacement due to a known defect covered under XXXX extended warranty. Because the repair would take approximately XXXX to XXXX months and I was still within CarMaxs XXXX return window, I returned the vehicle. 

On XX/XX/year>, I purchased a different vehicle in person from the CarMax XXXX XXXX, Maryland location. My mother was added as a co-owner for financing, registration, and insurance purposes. Prior to her credit application being run, we specifically asked whether the vehicle could be registered and insured in her home state of New York. A CarMax representative confirmed that as long as my mother was a co-owner on the loan, the vehicle could be registered in New York, even though I reside in Connecticut. 

Despite this representation, the XXXX XXXX location expressed uncertainty regarding the proper process and attempted to run an additional credit application, which would have resulted in another hard inquiry and potential damage to my credit. I declined and contacted CarMax Auto Finance directly. On XX/XX/year>, CarMax Auto Finance confirmed that registration in New York was permissible given my mothers co-ownership. 

Following this confirmation, CarMax XXXX XXXX sent a New York registration packet. My mother and I have since presented this packet at XXXX separate New York State DMV offices, and registration has been denied each time due to serious title and documentation defects. 

New York State DMV has advised that the documents provided by CarMax do not establish a clear chain of custody and are legally unacceptable. The packet includes a North Carolina title still in the prior owners name, XXXX North Carolina XXXX dealer reassignment forms ( XXXX completed incorrectly ), an affidavit of correction that is not notarized or legally valid, Maryland reassignment documents, and inconsistent address information across ownership and odometer documents. XXXX DMV has advised that CarMax must issue a new, clean title and correct the reassignment and ownership documents before registration can proceed. 

As a result, I am unable to register or legally operate the vehicle. The vehicle currently has a temporary tag, which is set to expire soon. 

I have been attempting to resolve this matter with CarMax since XX/XX/year>. I have spoken multiple times with XXXX XXXX in the XXXX XXXX at the XXXX XXXX location. I was advised to contact XXXX XXXX, who was identified as handling out-of-state registrations. I emailed XXXX XXXX and received no response. On XX/XX/year>, I spoke again with XXXX XXXX, forwarded him my email correspondence, and was advised that the matter would be escalated and that I would receive a call back. That call back never occurred. 

CarMax has not provided me with the proper documentation required to register the vehicle and has failed to follow through on promised escalation or communication. This ongoing delay has caused significant inconvenience and hardship. I depend on this vehicle to commute to and from work in order to provide for my family, and XXXX failure to resolve this issue places me at risk of being unable to legally drive the vehicle once the temporary tag expires.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation