Bought a car without smog (California)

[gsok]

California

A year ago I bought a car. I obtained a pink slip and I signed and sent in a release of liability form. However, I was never able to get the car registered and smogged because the car broke down shortly after. Recently, the repairs on my car are done and is on the road. I went to get it smogged, but it didn't pass. However, he never gave me a smog certificate nor did he smog it 90 days prior to selling it to me. (I know he didn't smog it because if it was, I wouldn't need to smog it to get it registered in the first place.)

What I'm asking is: Is the seller still responsible for the car to pass smog even though the Release Of Liability was sent in?

 

[FlyingRon]

Normally the seller would be responsible if he sold without smog and the buyer couldn't get it registered. However, the fact you let a year go by and operated the car illegally in the interim may have given up your opportunity to pursue him over the matter. Two years would be an outright bar.