Santander Consumer Purchasers Of Sovereign Bank Car Loan Sold car @ auction before the 15 days. Dallas, Texas

We live in Pa and have been short on money.  I have been unemployed since July.  Was fighting to get my compensation, but I'm still waiting.  So he's been paying for everything. 

Well he has been a few months behind on his car loan with Santander.   They repo'd the car on Oct. 30th.  He recieved the letter on Nov. 3rd.  We called and was told that he owed $570 to get the car.  He told them that he would have it on the 6th.  When he called on the 6th to make the payment, they took the payment over the phone, then told him the number to call to get his car back.

Here the repo company sent the car to auction on the 4th.  We called the auction house and no one would return our calls.  The repo guy didn't even know if it was sold or not.  The bank STILL insists that the car is at the repo guys lot. 

We ended up calling our bank and canceling the transaction to Santander. 

We have no clue where the car is, or if its been sold.  We're going tomorrow to get the stuff from the car and buy a used car.

Can they take the car to auction BEFORE the date listed on the letter from the bank?
And should they have released the car when the payment was made?
And should the bank have not known WHERE the car was when we called?