Used-Car Complaints Top Illinois Attorney General's New Consumer List
A March 2, 2026 Illinois consumer update on the attorney general's new Top 10 complaint list, with used-car sales complaints moving to number one.
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Used-Car Complaints Top Illinois Attorney General's New Consumer List
This Illinois update is current for the week of March 9, 2026. This kind of list travels quickly because it turns broad consumer anxiety into a concrete warning about the transactions Illinois residents are struggling with most.
What happened
Attorney General Kwame Raoul said on March 2, 2026 that used motor vehicle sales complaints moved to the top of Illinois' consumer complaint list for the first time in more than three decades. The office also reported increases in consumer-debt complaints and said it received 19,763 written complaints in 2025.
Why Illinois readers may care
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Used-car purchases remain one of the biggest household expenses where bad financing, hidden defects, and warranty confusion can blow up budgets fast.
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The complaint list gives Illinois residents a sharper picture of where scams, pressure tactics, or unresolved disputes are concentrated.
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It also shows which fraud-prevention topics the attorney general is likely to emphasize in consumer education this spring.
What to watch next
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Expect more consumer-protection messaging on used-vehicle buying, dealership research, and financing terms.
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Illinois shoppers may want to review complaint histories and inspection steps more carefully before signing used-car paperwork.
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The office's mediation and enforcement numbers will likely keep being used to justify stronger consumer enforcement messaging this year.
What Illinois readers can do now
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Use a used-car checklist every time: independent inspection, financing terms, warranty promises, fees, and all promised repairs in writing.
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Save screenshots, ads, text messages, and signed paperwork from the first serious contact onward in case the deal goes sideways.
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Report problems early instead of waiting for the seller to stop responding, because documentation and timing often shape whether a complaint gets traction.
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Even careful shoppers should slow down if a seller tries to rush financing or tells them paperwork details can be handled later.
Source
- Illinois Attorney General (March 2, 2026)
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Published March 2, 2026
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