Lemon laws provide legal remedies for consumers who purchase vehicles or other products that fail to meet quality and performance standards. The federal lemon law is the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act, which protects U.S. citizens. State lemon laws also exist and vary in their coverage of issues like used vehicles. To make a lemon law claim, a vehicle must have a written warranty and defect that the manufacturer could not repair after a reasonable number of attempts, usually around four times. Remedies under lemon laws include replacement, refunds, or penalties against manufacturers for willful violations.

1. WHAT IS
“THE LEMON LAW”?

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Table of content
•The idea of lemon law
•Sources of lemon law
•Elements of a lemon law claim
•Lemon law remedies
•Compensation under lemon laws
•Understanding lemon laws
•Warranties
•As-Is
•Time

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Lemon Laws are state and federal laws that provide a remedy to buyers
who purchase cars (and occasionally other consumer products) that fail to
meet standards of quality and performance. The term “lemon” usually
applies to defective vehicles, like automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles,
though there are other “lemon laws” for a variety of different products
ranging from small electronics to animals.
The idea of lemon law

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The federal lemon law is
the Magnuson–Moss
Warranty Act. It was
enacted in 1975 and
protects citizens of every
U.S. state.
Various states have
their own lemon laws,
and what they cover
and the policies for
making claims vary
greatly.
For example, some
states' laws will cover
used or leased cars
while others' will not.
Both the federal lemon
law and many state
laws also provide for
prevailing party
attorney fees if a
lawsuit must be filed by
a purchaser in order to
recover for a lemon
vehicle or other
product.
The federal lemon law
generally covers
mechanical defects, but
stat lemon laws can be
more expansive.
Sources of Lemon Law

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Learn what the lemon laws are in your
state and what the definition of a lemon
is
Ask for any technical service bulletins for
your car from the dealer.
Find your car’s records, such as purchase
contracts, service orders, warranties, and
the owner’s manual
Take notes in any conversation with
dealers or service technicians
Compensation under Lemon laws
Log how long your vehicle is in for repairs
Compensation under lemon laws varies by state and the type of problem experienced by owner.
You can take steps to get compensation under lemon laws.
Consult a lawyer about your options and
ask them to evaluate your case.

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Look at consumer organizations’ reviews
of cars, such as Consumer Reports
Test drive the car before buying it
Look for complaints about the car model
on safercar.gov
Go with a manufacturer authorized
dealer that is reputable
Understanding Lemon Laws
Learn your state’s lemon laws.
You can potentially avoid buying a lemon with some basic steps.
Some steps you can take while buying a car are:

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Elements of a Lemon Law Claim
Vehicle must have a written warranty, and
Vehicle must have a defect or a “Nonconformity”, and
Manufacturer unable to repair
After a “reasonable number of attempts”
“Reasonable” is usually ~four attempts. One repair attempt over 30 days
sufficient.
Presumption of reasonableness if, within 18 mo/18,000 miles:
1. Two repairs for a defect “likely to cause death or serious bodily injury;” or
2. Four repairs; or
3. Cumulative 30 days in shop.

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Lemon Law Remedies
Replacement of vehicle
Recession
Return the vehicle and get down payment,
payments back. Subject to an offset for use.
Attorney’s fees
Penalties
If violation was “willful”

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Warranties
Lemon laws are usually designed to exceed the contractual protections described in
warranties. Indeed, many lemon laws take the form of “implied warranties,” or
warranties that the law imposes upon a transaction that assures that the products are
what they claim to be and reasonably fit for their intended purpose. Just as with a
contractual (often called an “express”) warranty, the implied warranties created by
lemon laws require the seller or manufacturer to correct any defects or face liability.

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As-Is
Although laws vary greatly by state, one general requirement is
that a product must be purchased with a warranty in order to be
eligible for protection under lemon laws. If the vehicle is
purchased “as-is,” this is usually an express agreement between
the buyer and the seller that the buyer assumes the risk of any
defects in the product. If that is the case, the buyer, in essence,
assumes the risk of any defects in the product and loses the right
to seek recovery for those losses from the seller or manufacturer.

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Time
The time period in which one must make a claim for a lemon product also vary
greatly. Some jurisdictions and products have terms as short as several days,
while others may last for months.
Every product deteriorates with use and a number of other variables affect the
performance of a consumer good over time, so most of these time periods are
relatively brief (usually no longer than 60 or 90 days).

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For further information visit:
http://lemonlawcourt.com/
https://www.case.org.sg/pdf/Lemon%20Law%20FAQs.pdf
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/lemon-law-used-cars-30107-2.html”

14. THANK YOU!