Lemon Laws - What You Need To Know

Automobile consumers' rights

No. Lemon law is not something that you ought to be aware of when purchasing lemons.

Usually, if a automobile has been repaired several times for the same defect within the warranty period said in the lemon law & it's not been fixed, it may be regarded as a "lemon." You ought to however go to an authorized dealer to have the repairs fixed.


Despite its name, Lemon Law actually refers to state laws that govern defective vehicles. It offers consumers protection against defects in the automobile & gives them the right to demand for replacement or refund. A lemon, in fact, refers to a vehicle that has defects, diminishing its value, weakening its use & causing issues in safety. The Lemon Law recognizes the right of the consumers to depend on the dependability & safety of the vehicle that they have bought.

Consumers are also given the right under the Lemon Law to pick a refund in lieu of a replacement. In addition, you can also get a refund for the expenses that you have incurred for repair, towing services & the use of a rental vehicle while your automobile is still in the service middle.

The Lemon Law requires the manufacturer & not the dealer to deal with the issue. Consumers who plan to ask for refunds must document the case to the manufacturer in writing if it is written in the warranty materials or user's manual. Keep in mind also to keep all documentations involving repairs in case they are needed when you file your complaint.

Differing state laws

States have different provisions in their lemon law. Some states offer protection for both used & brand spanking new vehicles while others only protect brand spanking new automobile buyers. Lemon state laws also differ in the vehicles that it covers as well as the number of times that the vehicle ought to be repaired before being thought about a "lemon.

Los angeles Lemon Law, for example, stipulates that a vehicle is a "lemon" if it was repaired times already; has been out of service for 30 days or has been repaired two times for a defect that may cause serious injury or death while the state of Arkansas requires only repair attempts & repair attempt if the defect may cause injury or death.

Most states provide a warranty period of 12 to 24 months or 12,000 to 24,000 miles, whichever comes first in their Lemon Law provisions. The defect must occur within this warranty period.

If the defect is serious, involving the steering wheel or the brakes, consumers are granted try to repair. For safety defects that are not as serious, Lemon Law allows for attempts at repair. For other defects, consumers can have the automobile repaired to times. If the vehicle has been in the repair shop for a total of 30 days within a year with at least of those days occurring the first 12,000 miles, then it is thought about a lemon.

Most Lemon Law permit for an offset in the refund given to the consumer in relation to the car's mileage at the time of the refund. Still, there's no specific guidelines over this & consumers can negotiate.

Though it is comparatively simple to deal with some manufacturers, who would voluntarily buy back your "lemon" automobile, there's some who refuse to. In case this happens, services of lawyers are needed. Recognizing these situations, some State Lemon Law allows consumers to refund their attorney's fees.