Vehicle manufacturers in America do an excellent job of producing a reliable product; however, like everything else, there are cars that do not live up to the terms of their warranty. About one percent of all cars produced are lemons; one percent may not sound like much, but it is over 150,000 cars every year.
If you are one of those unfortunate buyers that purchased a lemon, you need to know a little about the lemon law for cars, and how you can get a refund or replacement.
What is a lemon car?
Each state has a version of the lemon law, and there are minor differences, but there are also commonalities. To be defined as a lemon, the car must have one or more “substantial” defects; the problem must have become apparent within a certain number of miles or calendar days and be covered by the warranty. Not only that, the defect must not be able to be repaired after what is defined by the law as a reasonable number of tries.
What is a substantial defect?
Any problem that is covered by the warranty that puts the occupants into an unsafe situation or impairs the vehicles use or resale value is considered to be substantial. If the brakes fail, that is considered a substantial defect, if the rear-view mirror shakes loose, that is not substantial and does not meet the legal definition of the term.
The defect must occur within a specified period, or the vehicle has to have clocked a specified number of miles. The defect must not be the result of abuse or vehicle modification.
Refund or replacement:
If your vehicle meets the lemon law for cars in your state, you have the right to a refund of the purchase price including taxes and fees paid or a new car. Getting satisfaction from the manufacturer is different from one state to another and can be very complicated. In the event you are offered a settlement that does not satisfy you, you can hire a Lemon Law lawyer and pursue your claim.
The Lemon Law for cars is different from one jurisdiction to another. If you think your new car classifies as a lemon, you can find specific details when you visit the website.
