General Guide to Lemon Law

Current information regarding Lemon Law is not always the easiest item to locate. Fortunately, this article includes the latest Lemon Law info available.

Lemon Law | Definition

What Is Lemon Law? The automobile lemon law is designed to protect consumers from irreparable manufacturer's defects in automobiles that should be covered by a car warranty. Back in 1972, when consumer demand for lemon law protection started to swell, more than 1 million people were found to have paid for vehicles had many problems that dealers could not, or would not, repair. Connecticut and California were the first states to adopt an automobile lemon law, and other states were quick to follow. Today, with the increased accountability demanded by lemon laws, that number has dropped to about 100,000 new cases a year. What Is Covered Under Lemon Law? Although every American state has an automobile lemon law, the specifics of each law vary widely. As a general guideline, you are a candidate for protection under the lemon law if you have a serious problem (or, in some cases, a string of minor problems) that falls under your car warranty. A problem is usually considered serious when it threatens the use, value, or safety of the vehicle. Examples of serious problems that would probably be covered under lemon law include brake failure, transmission problems, and repeated situations where the automobile won't start. The lemon law in most states will not cover situations like funny noises, loose cup holders, and peeling paint. The type of vehicle is also important when it comes to protection under the lemon law. In some states, leased vehicles are covered as well as purchased vehicles. Some states exclude automobiles purchased for business purposes or special kinds of vehicles such as RVs and motorcycles. Even used vehicles may be covered by the lemon law, if they come with a car warranty. Some unscrupulous automotive dealers write a clause in the sales contract that states that no lemon law claims can be made against the vehicle. These provisions, however, are not legally valid and can be ignored. As long as your vehicle has a car warranty and qualifies under the other automobile lemon law provisions, you will be covered no matter what you signed. Before the automobile lemon law applies, you must give the manufacturer ample opportunity to repair the problem. In most cases, this is defined as a specific number of repair attempts (for example, four attempts to repair the same problem) or a certain amount of time when the vehicle is out of commission (for example, four weeks). A life-threatening vehicular defect may require only one attempt at repair before falling under the lemon law. What Happens if I Qualify for the Automobile Lemon Law? If you believe that you qualify for protection under the lemon law, you must file a claim with the manufacturer within a certain period of time. In most states, the case will then be brought for arbitration with the manufacturer. If you win your automobile lemon law case, you will usually receive a replacement vehicle or a refund of your purchase price minus a fee for vehicle use.

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