Bought A Used Car From A Virginia Dealership And Discovered An Emissions Bypass

Hey everyone, I'm 19 and this is my first time dealing with something like this, so I could really use some advice.

Back in August, I purchased a used 2021 Honda Civic from a dealership in Virginia. I live in Maryland.

When I bought the car, the dealership told me it had a custom exhaust system, which I was fine with. However, they never mentioned anything about the catalytic converter being modified or the emissions system being bypassed.

After purchasing it, I started having issues with the exhaust and eventually took it to an independent mechanic. He discovered that the exhaust system had been extensively modified and that there was a jumper wire installed to bypass an inspection-related check. According to him, this was deliberately done to get around inspection requirements.

The car also has a Virginia inspection sticker, which makes the situation even more confusing.

I've been trying to work with the dealership for months. They initially told me they would help with the exhaust repairs, but every time I contacted them, there seemed to be another delay or excuse.

At one point, I left the car with their mechanic for over a week, and apparently no work was done. I ended up spending quite a bit of money on Uber just to get around.

Now I'm dealing with another problem. I haven't been able to complete my Maryland safety inspection because the car needs repairs. My temporary registration expired in September, and I was even stopped by the police because of it. I'm currently trying to figure out the registration situation with the Maryland MVA.

The dealership sold the vehicle as-is, which I understand limits some of my options. However, I don't know whether that protects them when the car has an undisclosed emissions bypass.

At this point, I'm not sure whether I should keep trying to get the dealership to pay for the repairs, file complaints, or consult an attorney.

I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from people familiar with Virginia or Maryland laws.

Thanks!

Location: Maryland/Virginia