Although the number is small, each year about 150 thousand cars have problems that can’t be fixed. If your car turns out to one of them, you can rely on your states lemon law for cars. Although every state has enacted its own lemon law, there are some commonalities.
What is a lemon car?
In the majority states for a car to qualify as a lemon it must have:
* A “substantial” defect that happens within a certain time or mileage as set by law and the defect must be one covered by the warranty.
* The defect must not be able to be fixed after a “reasonable” number of attempts.
There are only a few states that have tailored their lemon law to include used vehicles.
What is a substantial defect?
There is often a fine line between what is considered to be a substantial defect and one that is not. The accepted definition of substantial is a defect, covered under the warranty that impairs the safety of the car as well as the resale value and use.
If it is a substantial defect then it must occur within a time frame set by the state lemon law, this is different from one state to the next but rarely exceeds two years or; the defect must happen within a set number of miles, once again the mileage is set by state law.
Reasonable attempts to repair:
To be protected under you states lemon law for cars you must allow the manufacturer or his agent a reasonable number of chances to fix the problem. The following standards apply:
* A serious defect such as brake failure must be repaired after one attempt
* A defect not safety related must e repaired after three or four chances
The car may also meet the definition of a lemon if it is in the shop for a certain number of days within one year. Usually this is 30 days but can vary.
The lemon law for cars has been established to protect consumers from vehicles that are unsafe or impact their value and use. For information on the lemon law in your state, you are invited to visit us
