Lemon Law Basics: Further Recourse

Lemon Law Basics - Lemon Laws by State - Lemon Law Lawyers - Lemon Law Information

Lemon Law Basics: Learn how to protect yourself

Further Legal Resources for Consumers Not Covered by Automotive Lemon Law

Automotive lemon law is a powerful tool used to ensure that automobile manufacturers stand behind their warranties and provide consumers with safe and reliable vehicles. Although consumers have the right to expect that their new car is free of serious defects, the very fact that each of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia has its own lemon law attests to the frequency of problems in new automobiles. Automotive lemon law provides a standardized way for consumers to be able to receive repairs or a fair settlement from the manufacturer when things go wrong with a new vehicle.

But what if the automotive lemon law isn't enough? The lemon laws of most states have very specific guidelines regarding the kinds of vehicles that are covered, the timeframe for defects to be reported, and the documentation that must be presented in order for a settlement to be guaranteed. This makes it easy to be disqualified from coverage. However, lemon laws are only one form of protection for automotive consumers. Even if your situation isn't covered by the automotive lemon law for your state, you may still be eligible for protection under the law if your vehicle has a warranty issue that the manufacturer is unwilling or unable to repair.

In addition to the automotive lemon law, there are both state and federal laws which help protect consumers from defects which should be covered by warranty. One example is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act which was passed by Congress in 1975. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act provides broader warranty coverage than state lemon laws do, ensures that businesses live up to their warranty obligations in a timely manner, and makes it easier for consumers to sue for breach of warranty and to recover court costs in these cases.

Aside from the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, other federal warranty acts and state consumer protection laws might also provide legal relief for consumers whose situations are not covered by automotive lemon law. Therefore, you should not be discouraged if your situation is not specifically covered by the lemon laws in your state. There may still be other ways for you to take legal action and receive a fair settlement from the manufacturer if your vehicle is a lemon.

Each state also has different lemon laws so be sure to check out the lemon laws for your particular state.