SolveYourProblem eLearning Series:
Got Shafted?
Fight Back if Your Car is a Lemon!
( 27 pages )

Lemon Laws:
Knowing the Manufacturers Responsibility

Basically, the Lemon Law requires manufacturers to meet the terms of all of the warranties that they conjure up. The lemon law is what keeps the dealers and manufacturers in line. The manufacturer must repair or correct any defect or condition which impairs the use and value of the vehicle, while it is under the warranty period or during the period of one year after the customer gets it.

If the manufacturer or authorized dealer couldn’t repair the condition after a reasonable amount of tries, then, under the law, the buyer is entitled to receive a replacement vehicle of equal value or a refund that equals the full purchase/lease price and collateral costs. Of course, this is minus an allowance for the customers use.

The law for lemons is assuming that a reasonable number of attempts have been made after:

• At least four unsuccessful attempts to repair the same defect have been made; or
    
• A car has been out of service because of warranty repairs for at least 30 cumulative days during the warranty period or during the year after the car was delivered to the consumer; or
     
• There have been 10 or more tries while the car was under warranty or during the first year of ownership, to fix various defects which will significantly impair the use and value of the car.

However, it is worth noting that the manufacturer does not have to make a refund or replace the car if:

• The defect does not significantly impair the use and value of the car; or
    
• The condition of the car is the direct result of consumer abuse, neglect, or unauthorized alterations of the vehicle by the consumer.

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