Understanding Lemon Laws

The roots of the lemon law began in 1979. It was started by a woman from Lemon Grove, California. After three months of waiting for her car to be repaired, she got tired of it, so she picketed the dealership for five months, enduring verbal abuse from the mechanics and finally got the attention of consumers, which started a citizen's movement and resulted in lemon laws being enacted.

Every state now has a lemon law of some form or another and has since 1993. This law varies from state to state but basically, if you purchase a new vehicle, it must meet certain standards. The federal lemon law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and protects citizens of all states from buying defective vehicles. Most states allow four attempts to fix a substantial problem and two attempts to fix a safety problem before providing a refund or replacement. Also, if the vehicle is out of service for thirty days or more it is considered a lemon. The federal lemon laws cover mechanical defects and perhaps attorney fees too, but this may not hold true in all states.

If you have purchased a used vehicle different laws apply, if the manufacturer warranty is still in effect then you will still be qualified for compensation under the lemon law. If there is no warranty on your used vehicle, you may still be able to collect compensation from consumer protection laws. You must keep good records if you are going to seek compensation under the lemon law. Keep records of your warranties and any repairs done to your vehicle. If you don't have the documentation, you will not be able to get compensation.

Laws vary from state to state. If you think you have a lemon, look up the laws in your state. You may need to consult a lawyer in some states. You may be able to seek other compensation such as attorney fees. There are many sites on the internet to look up the laws in your state.

Purchasing a vehicle "as is" does not exempt the seller from the lemon law. Lemon laws also apply to RV's, boats, motorcycles, wheelchairs, and computers.

If you have bought a vehicle that is broke down more than it is on the road, do something about it. Get informed and take the proper steps to get your money back or the vehicle replaced.