Understanding How Lemon Laws Can Assist You

Out of all consumer protection laws, nothing protects car owners more than the Lemon law. Car dealers can unknowingly sell you a lemon with the engine, braking, or gear issues. Unfortunately, what’s covered by this law in Alabama may not necessarily be covered in another state. Every jurisdiction has its unique lemon laws that handle defective vehicles (used and new). On top of that, there are federal laws like the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and express warranty that protect goods under warranty. Here is a general framework to help you determine if you’ve purchased a lemon or not.

Understanding the Lemon Law

Generally, the lemon laws of most jurisdictions cover vehicles with a substantial defect that’s covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. They also cover the ones that continue to have the same defect even after a number of repairs. However, the definition of reasonable number and substantial defect varies by state. For instance, when discussing Alabama lemon law, you need to know that the number of reasonable attempts without success is three.

Substantial Defects

Substantial defects are car problems not caused by the vehicle while driving it. This defect should affect its value or operation to a certain extent or make the car unsafe to use. In some American states, substantial defects have to affect the car’s expectation or serious function and are covered by the express warranty.

For instance, a faulty braking system is a safety issue, while a loose stereo knob can’t be considered a substantial defect, since it doesn’t affect the car’s functionality. Generally, there are several vehicle issues that can fall between a stereo knob and faulty steering. Unfortunately, the legal line separating these defects varies with case and state. However, one thing they agree on is that the defect must occur within a certain mileage or period.

Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts

If your car is still under warranty, then the dealer will repair the substantial defect. Before the law determines that your car is a lemon, the dealer must have repaired it without success a couple of times.

The number of attempts varies, but most states consider any car that’s unsuccessfully repaired four times a lemon. If the defect is a crucial safety issue, then the number of attempts can be lower than four.

Do Lemon Laws Protect Used Vehicles?

While lemon law details cover new vehicles, there are certain states with laws covering used vehicles. Some states extend this law to vehicles that have been sold once or bought within a specific amount of mileage.

Endnote

Lemon laws protect car owners and other road users from unscrupulous dealers selling defective cars. It covers a car with a substantial defect that can affect the car’s functionality, making it unsafe. It also sets the number of times a dealer is allowed to repair the car before it becomes a lemon. Knowing this law can save you a huge amount of cash on major repairs.