Used And New Vehicle Lemon Law Violations

Most states have their own respective lemon laws. Lemon laws provide frustrated and victimized drivers of cars and some other vehicles with relief if their vehicle has been repeatedly in the shop for the same repair(s) for a certain number of times or for an extended period of time.

In many states, if the consumer’s vehicle is deemed a lemon then the consumer may be entitled to a replacement vehicle or to have their vehicle repurchased, which is a big help if you have been paying on a loan obtained from a bank or finance company for a vehicle that is not safe to drive.

Lemon laws exist to ensure that manufacturers and dealerships are held accountable. All vehicles sold should be fit for the purpose for which they were bought, for the drivers of the vehicles to be able to drive them safely. There should not be substantial defect(s) in any vehicle sold that would impair its use and/or safety, and that would require the vehicle to need multiple repairs for the same defect(s) during the warranty period outlined by the state’s lemon law, or repairs for the same defect(s) for a cumulative amount of time during the warranty period outlined by the state’s lemon law.

Individual State Laws

Below is a list of some of the necessary requirements to be entitled to possible lemon law relief in a few states, primarily for new vehicles.

States can have different lemon law protections for used vehicles as well; for example, in Massachusetts, a vehicle cannot be out of service because of repair or by invalid refusal to repair within the warranty period for at least 11 business days, or out of service because for repair within the warranty period for three times for the same defect with the defect then continuing to exist or recur during that warranty period.

Massachusetts

Summary: Vehicles, except those used primarily for business purposes, off-road vehicles, auto homes and motorized bicycles.
Repair attempts/days out of service: Three repair attempts – 15 business days out of service
Coverage Period: 1 year or 15,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

Michigan

Summary: Four-wheel vehicles used for personal, family or household use, or fleets of less than 10, including pickups and vans, excluding buses, trucks and motor homes.
Repair attempts/days out of service: Four repair attempts – 30 business days out of service
Coverage period: Express warranty period or 1 year, whichever is first.

New Hampshire

Summary: Purchased or leased vehicles with a gross weight under 9,000 lbs except tractors, off highway recreational vehicles and mopeds.
Repair attempts/days out of service: Three repair attempts – 30 business days out of service
Coverage period: Within one year of expiration of express warranty period or final repair attempt.

No one should be stuck with a lemon vehicle. In the state that a consumer resides in, a consumer protection agency, the Office of the Attorney General, and/or a consumer protection attorney who is licensed in the consumer’s respective state can help a consumer in getting help.