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About Lemons
A vehicle that continues to have a defect that substantially
impairs its use, value, or safety. Generally, if the car has
been repaired 4 or more times for the same Defect within the
Warranty Period and the Defect has not been fixed, the car
qualifies as a Lemon. All States differ so you should consult
the Lemon Law Summary and the State Statutes for your particular
State. Note that the warranty period may or may not coincide
with the Manufacturer's Warranty.
FREE CAR LEMON CHECK
If the paint is peeling, the light switch came out when
you pulled on it, the car makes "funny noises" but
otherwise drives just fine, or you found 10 things you don't
like about your new car but none of them prevent you from
driving it, then No, you do not have a Lemon.
If the brakes don't work, the car won't go into reverse gear,
it won't start on cold mornings or hot afternoons, the rear
door opens all by itself, the driver's seat wobbles, or the
car chugs along at 30 mph when it should be going 50 mph,
then Yes, you may have a Lemon.
In most States, 10 different defects during the Warranty Period
does not brand the car as a Lemon. In some States, a single
defect that might cause Serious Injury makes your car a Lemon
if the manufacturer cannot fix the problem within 1 attempt.
You may have a Lemon, but if you do nothing to protect your
Consumer Rights, such as documenting your Repairs and allowing
the Manufacturer a chance to fix the problem(s), you lose
all rights under the various State Warranty Acts.
LEMON CHECK CAR
The answer depends upon which State you Purchased or Registered
your car in. In some States and with proper documentation,
you simply file a Complaint. In other States, you will need
to hire an Attorney.
FREE CAR LEMON CHECK
Only about half of the States allow you to recover Attorney
Fees. If your Attorney sues under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act, you will be awarded Attorney Fees if you win. Note that
an Attorney's Fee is based upon actual time expended rather
than being tied to any percentage of the recovery. In some
States, you must pay the manufacturer's Attorney Fees if you
lose.
LEMON CHECK CAR
It depends upon which State the car was purchased or leased
in. Some states include used and leased cars in their Lemon
Law statutes. Some states have separate laws for used vehicles.
Some states provide protection only for new cars. In some
states, even the Attorney General is unable to tell you if
a Leased vehicle is covered due to the way the law is phrased
and you will be referred to an Attorney for clarification
of the law. See the Lemon Law Summary and the State Statutes
for your particular State to determine what is covered.
Most States cover the drive train portion of Motor Homes
(that part which is not used for dwelling purposes). Motorcycles
are generally not covered but a few states do include them
in their lemon law statutes.
If you have a defective Motorcycle, Motor Home, used car,
leased car, or a car used for business purposes and your State
Lemon Law does not cover these vehicles, you still have other
recourses such as the Uniform Commercial Code and the Federal
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (providing you were given a written
warranty). Consult with an Attorney that specializes in this
area.
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