Lemon laws, powerful consumer protection statutes, empower buyers of vehicles or other consumer products that repeatedly fail to meet quality and performance standards after a reasonable number of repair attempts. These laws stand as a shield, protecting consumers from being stuck with severely defective or “lemon” products.
Most lemon laws, in their fairness, grant consumers the right to a replacement or a refund of the purchase price if a new vehicle or product has a substantial defect that the manufacturer cannot repair after a specified number of attempts or within a certain period. This entitlement is applicable if the defect is covered by the warranty and substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the product.
Lemon laws lay out specific procedures and requirements that consumers must adhere to in order to invoke their rights. These include providing the manufacturer with a reasonable opportunity to repair the defect, usually through a set number of repair attempts, and maintaining detailed records of all repair attempts. These records are crucial as they serve as evidence of the defect and the consumer’s efforts to resolve it, ensuring a clear and documented process.
These laws also define a “reasonable number of repair attempts”. They may include provisions for covering incidental costs, such as rental car expenses or attorney’s fees, if the consumer prevails in a lemon law claim.
Lemon laws vary from state to state. Some apply only to new vehicles, while others cover a broader range of consumer products. However, it’s important to note that lemon laws may not cover all types of defects or all situations. By establishing a legal recourse for defective products, lemon laws incentivize manufacturers to improve quality control and provide effective warranties and repairs.