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Lemon Law Basics: Arizona Lemon Laws
What is Covered Under Arizona Lemon Law?
Who is covered?
Arizona lemon law applies to new and used vehicles that are intended for
primarily for personal transportation on public highways, so long as their
gross vehicle weight is under 10,000 pounds. The law applies to used vehicles
and to the vehicular sections of mobile homes. People who are leasing
their vehicle are not covered, nor are people who purchased the vehicle
for the sole purpose of reselling it for a profit.
What kinds of problems are covered by Arizona Lemon Law?
Arizona lemon law protects owners from defects that cause nonconformity
with the express warranty of their newly purchased vehicles. The nonconformity
must be serious and affect either the value or your ability to use the
vehicle. The nonconformity must be the fault of the dealer or manufacturer,
and cannot be caused by neglect, abuse, or modification on the part of
the vehicle's owner. The nonconformity must be reported to the manufacturer
within the warranty period, within two years of receipt of the vehicle,
or within 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
How can I make a claim?
You can make a claim under Arizona lemon law only after the manufacturer
has had a reasonable chance to repair the defect. Arizona lemon law defines
a reasonable chance as four attempts to repair the nonconformity or thirty
days of the car being in the hands of the repair shop. If the manufacturer
is unable to make the repairs, the owner must file a claim within six
months of the expiration of the warranty, the end of the first two years
of ownership, or the vehicle reaching 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The owner must give the manufacturer written notice of intent to invoke
the Arizona lemon law.
What kind of settlement can I expect?
If the vehicle manufacturer has an approved arbitration system in place,
the owner must go through the arbitration process. If he or she is found
to qualify for protection under the Arizona lemon law, he or she will
be awarded either a comparable replacement vehicle or a cash settlement.
The settlement will consist of the full purchase price of the vehicle
plus all collateral expenses minus a reasonable amount for the owner's
use of the vehicle.
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