What is a Lemon Law and How it Affects a Consumer
When your newly bought car does not function the way you expected it to, it is no panic time for you but the time to just keep calm and empower yourself with knowledge about your rights as an American consumer. Who knows, perhaps it turns out that you have purchased a “lemon” product, and there is no reason why you cannot get your cash back.
What are Lemon Laws?
These are laws in America that protect those who have bought defective vehicles. These laws differ from one state to the next, and some requirements may be a little different. Therefore, your rights will hinge on the lemon laws of the specific US state where you live or have purchased the brand new car in question. So, you must check the Lemon Law guide for car consumers in your state as soon as you notice the defect.
What Makes a Car a Lemon under Law?
In most states, there should be a “substantial defect” to the car, and this defect should not be one that is caused by its owner after purchase and one that continues to exist even after many repair attempts, and it must happen inside a certain period of time or number of miles, for it to be a lemon under law.
Now, let us get to the “substantial defect” part. This is a serious product defect which affects the vehicle’s safety, value, as well as reliability – think faulty steering or brakes. When this pertains to your new car, have it checked by a mechanic in your area as soon as you can. Once you prove that your car manufacturer or dealer has attempted a “reasonable” number of times to fix the substantial defect and has failed to do so, your vehicle will meet the qualification criteria for a lemon.
What to Do When you Feel your Car Meets the Said Criteria
Although the law offers plenty of protection for those who own cars, dealerships and manufacturers know how to handle a lemon law claim, and they will make it tough for you to prove your new car fits the criteria. Therefore, it is recommended that you get in touch with a lawyer with the skill in dealing with lemon claims and experience going toe to toe with manufacturers. Skillful lawyers will help you grasp the lemon law’s various aspects and will fight for your rights as a consumer.
