Lemon Laws and Defective Vehicles | You Could be Owed a New Car
In the automotive world, a new or used vehicle that has been
purchased under warranty, which keeps breaking down with the
same fault and is never actually repaired, is said to be a
lemon. There are laws in every state in the US that protect the
consumer from the hands of dodgy vehicle manufacturers - namely,
the Lemon Law.
It is stressful enough that your car break down in the first
place, especially if it is brand new and hasn't even been put
through its paces yet; but if it is under warranty and the
dealer refuses to fix it, go see a lemon law lawyer as
you may be entitled to a new car, a replacement, or your money
back.
It's not just cars that are protected under the lemon law; many
different types of vehicle are covered depending on the state
you are in. For instance, a lot of states also cover trucks,
minivans, SUVs, RVs, campers, boats, motorcycles, and even
jet-skis. It doesn't take much research to see if your
particular vehicle is covered either; simply check the
Federal Warranty Act in your state.
Lemon Law Claims
Manufacturers who know they have been selling rubbish vehicles
or potential death traps have been known to drag their feet when
someone complains about their new vehicle falling to bits for
fear of massive recalls. There is also a flip side to that coin;
other manufacturers may settle fairly quickly as to avoid
unwanted bad publicity caused by your lemon.
One thing you should never do if you have a suspected lemon, is
be tempted in taking the car elsewhere to be repaired thinking
that someone else may do a better job. If a lemon is suspected,
the manufacturer will want to examine your car before making any
decisions and you may even void your warranty by going elsewhere.
So, in short, if your new or used vehicle was bought with a
warranty and it keeps breaking down on you, or has had a serious
defect with the braking system, then speak to an attorney about
the possibility of invoking a lemon law lawsuit. Don't
feel you are being a pain by continually coming back with your
fault; keep at it and don't give in.