Tag Archives: automobile lemon law

Wisconsin lemon law statutes

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

The Wisconsin lemon law statute 218.015 became effective in Nov. 1983 as a remedial assistance to owners of defective autos or lemons.

The law is reputable for keeping auto makers in check, and has been largely attributed to the Mercedes recall, jaguar recall, land rover recall, Porsche recall, audi recall, Mitsubishi recall and Hyundai recall in Wisconsin.

Majority of these reputable auto makers have had to play by the rules of Wisconsin lemon law or get driven out of business after some of their products failed to comply with the federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Most of the reported problems with the above vehicles, and which the manufacturers took long to rectify and that have prompted recall have been tire pressure monitoring system problems, noise vibration, malfunctioning locking cable, fuel tank leaks, vehicle stalling as a result of fuel injection problems.

The statute stipulates that if a new motor vehicle fails to conform to the expressed service warranty, then the non-conformity has to be rectified prior to the expiry to of the service warranty or 12 months following delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer.

According to section 218.015 (2A) of Wisconsin lemon law, if the manufacturer fails to meet the conformity requirements even after various attempt at repair, then manufacturer must be ready to accept the return of the defective vehicle, and as the consumer directs either offer a full replacement or a refund.

The law further states that the above has to be inclusive of any tax, finance charge, and any other costs minus a sensible usage allowance. Attempts at repair according to the non-conformity statute, is pegged at four attempts after which the motor vehicle continues to be unusable for a maximum of 30 calendar days.

The statute is said to be breached when the auto maker or his authorized dealer fails or refuses to repurchase or replace the defective vehicle at will within a period of 30 days after receiving the consumer’s notification. The failure to comply with the lemon law at will amounts to a breach of the law and this act invokes the punitive statute of the law.

Wisconsin lemon law was enacted as a way of safeguarding the rights of motor vehicle owners by improving manufacturers’ quality controls and also reduce the emotional trauma, frustration, and unnecessary expenditure, suffered by owners of defective vehicles.  Statue 218.015 has undergone several amendments.

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How Does WI Lemon Law Define A Lemon?

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

wi lemon law defines a motor vehicle as a lemon if it is not more than a year old, has valid warranty, and severe defects  that the auto dealer or authorized agent cannot fix in four or more attempts. It also classifies a vehicle as a lemon if its defects prevent the owner from using it for 30 or more days.

The vehicle defects under wi lemon law must severely affect its market value, and or the safety of the motor vehicle and this must be covered under the service warranty. A simple noisy rattle may not qualify your car as a lemon but stalling is a definite plus.

wi lemon law covers all new automobiles, trucks, and motor boats you purchase or lease in the state of Wisconsin, this applies even if you register the auto in another state. This law also covers official and execute vehicles, but steers clear of used trailers and second hand vehicles.

Under WI lemon law, your vehicle is regarded a lemon if it fits under the following category:

It was purchased or leased in the state of Wisconsin
The said vehicle is a car, motor-cycle or truck.
The vehicle defects developed during its first year prior to the warranty expiry
The said defects seriously impair the vehicles usage, diminish it’s value or affects its safety.

If your vehicle fits the above category, then it’s definitely a lemon under WI lemon law and you’re advised to do the following:

Ensure that you get a repair order during each repair visit; this is regardless of whether or not the repair shop manages to cure the problem. The repair order must indicate the problem being addressed plus the dates you check in with your car for repair.

Make sure that your purchase orders, warranties and repair orders are well kept; this will help you prove that your car is indeed a lemon. Avoid keeping repair orders in places that they could be easily destroyed as you’ll need them to prove you have a lemon as stipulated by the wi lemon law.

Suppose you return to the manufacturer a motor vehicle that has unrepaired defects beyond ordinary wear and tear like dents and scratches. Ensure that the defects have been properly appraised at location of your choice; you can also have it repaired other than pay for a deduction.

Suppose you fail to secure a refund or vehicle replacement by written notification, then try the vehicle auto makers arbitration program.

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Learn About The Oh Lemon Law

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

Oh lemon law can be very confusing and just as it s with lemon laws in most American states, the law is open up to various legal interpretations making it hard to understand if you are not familiar with how it works.  A better way to learn is to consult with a lemon lawyer for a case evaluation.

Majority of car owners in ohio do not know that they can be entitled to a brand new car, full or partial refund if they fall under the oh lemon law. Several Federal warranty statutes grant up to 100 per cent free legal assistance to distressed Ohio car owners.

The statute covers new automobiles, non commercial vehicles, and other recreational autos that do not conform to service warrant, this could be due to mechanical defects or any other condition that renders the vehicle service unworthy to the owner, significantly reduces it’s resale value or compromises the user safety.

The vehicle under the law, should fail to conform even after several attempts at repair have been undertaken to correct the situation. The repair attempts must have been carried out by the manufacturers authorized dealer or service center for it to qualify.

According to the law, the repair to remedy the defects should occur within the first 12 months or after the vehicle has covered 18,000 of mileage. The Ohio lemon laws also covers you as the owner of a car that has been in the repair shop for three consecutive times, this is the same regardless of the condition being addressed by the service facility, as long as the defect could likely result to fatal injury or even death.

The statute also covers car owners that have taken their vehicles for repair during the first year of purchase, for more than 30 consecutive days.

The Hyundai recall of May and April 2008, Jaguar recall of May and April 2009, Porsche recall of December 2007 and February 2008 and Audi recall of August 2007 were as a result of the vehicles violation of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard which prompted the manufacturer’s action to recall the affected models from the mass market.

Whether your car falls under limitations established by the OH lemon law or not, there are multitudes of federal warranty breach laws that still apply. Beware of lemon law attorneys taking your case on contingency; this can be very expensive since they’re entitled to a portion of your winnings if the case is ruled in your favor.

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Understand Your Rights Under The Indiana Lemon Law

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

Indiana lemon law and the magnuson moss warranty act – also the federal lemon laws were enacted to protect Indiana car owners from unscrupulous car dealers and auto makers who seek to profit from consumer woes.

The law wages the consumers rights war and ensures that auto makers maintain excellent quality standards for their vehicle models and impeccable service by their authorized dealers. Non conformity of this law has resulted to many auto makers recalling their vehicle models from consumers.   

Audi recall, Jaguar recall, Porsche recall, Mercedes recall, Kia recall, Hyundai recall, Suzuki recall, and Mitsubishi recall are all results of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard non-conformity under the indiana lemon law.

The statute as a consumer protection mechanism has several eligibility requirement, this ensures that only genuine claims pass through. To qualify under the indiana lemon law, a car owner must have a vehicle that has been subjected to several unsuccessful repair attempts covered by the auto makers service warranty.

Compensation under the law can take the form of vehicle replacement, total refund or monetary compensation.

If you’re covered under the statute and you have a lemon, then the following steps are worth noting:

Identify your vehicle model authorized dealer and take the vehicle to them for repair. Make sure that you report the problem 18 months prior to or after purchase of the vehicle and after having driven the vehicle for total mileage amounting to 18,000.

Ensure that you allow the vehicle dealer sufficient time to repair the defects. This should be not less than four attempts in total as stipulated under law. The vehicle must have been out of service due to repair for a minimum of 30 days.

Ensure that you retain a copy of the repair order every time you have your vehicle repaired by the dealer, you’ll need this to prove that your motor is indeed a lemon under the indiana lemon law.

Find out if the auto maker of your vehicle has an informal system in place for handling claims filed under the indiana lemon law, suppose the auto maker has an informal arbitration procedure in place that has been certified by the attorney general, then check if the information is available from your vehicles written service warranty.

If the information is present, then it’s prudent to follow the process prior to filing your claims under the Indiana lemon law.

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Illinois Lemon law Demystified – Know Your Rights

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

Illinois lemon law is similar to lemon laws is most other states, this similarity lies in the fact that illinois lemon law also requires the owner of a lemon to notify the auto maker about the vehicles defects within a year of taking possession of the motor vehicle.

The statute also requires that the lemon owner notify the auto maker about the problem after the vehicle has covered approximately 12,000 odometer miles. This is to give the manufacturer sufficient time to address the problem

As a car owner, you’re always advised to have a lawyer represent you in the claim processing. This is the sensible thing to do since auto makers can afford a cluster of lawyers to fight of lemon law claims, something that minimizes your chances of success if you opt to represent yourself.

The biggest advantage of having a legal expert represent you in a lemon law case is that you’ll be getting excellent service at no cost; this is because the statute stipulates that the auto maker foot the attorney fees in victorious lemon law claims.

Having a lemon lawyer represent you in an Illinois lemon law greatly increases your chances of success in a lemon law suit. It also gives you the upper hand in getting the kind of settlement that you deserve.

Auto makers often have powerful attorneys on their side to fight their lemon law compensation claims; they only play by the rules when faced with lawsuit threats from lemon law attorneys. In such cases they settle for quick resolution because they understand that the costs of going to court can be many times higher.

Lemon law has forced many auto makers to recall their vehicles due to non-conformity issues, cases such as the jaguar recall, Audi recall, land rover recall, Porsche recall, Hyundai recall, Suzuki recall, kia recall, Mercedes recall, and Mitsubishi recall clearly illustrates the point of how Illinois lemon law similar to other states are helping shield consumers from manufacturers malpractices.

illinois lemon law requires that a complainant  or the owner of a lemon go through an arbitration process prior to filing a suite against the manufacturer or an authorized dealer or service centre of the manufacturer. Other states only allow that when the auto maker has a certified arbitration procedure in place. Therefore, you are advised to find out about this prior to proceeding with your claim processing.

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Learn How The FL Lemon Law works

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

FL lemon law was enacted to cover conditions and defects that significantly impair the usability, market value and safety of new motor vehicles, otherwise referred to as non-conformities under the law.  

The statute is only effective if the defects have been reported to the auto-maker, its authorized dealer or service agent during the lemon law rights duration which typically happens to be the initial 24 months preceding the vehicles delivery to the consumer.

Should the auto-maker fail to conform the motor vehicle to the service contract expressed warranty, even after reasonable consumer attempts at having the vehicle defects repaired, then the FL lemon law clearly states that the auto-maker purchase back the defective auto from the consumer and also give the consumer total refund of the original vehicle cost, or a replacement at no cost.

The  law rides clear of damages resulting from road accident, user neglect and abuse, unauthorized user modification,  and deliberate delay in notifying the manufacturer of the problem.

Auto owners are advised to maintain proper records of all auto repairs and maintenance. fl lemon law further states that users should obtain service from qualified service agents for all repairs and examination covered by their vehicles warranty. Records could take the form of repair dates, and notification of the day repair work was completed.

Mileage reports regarding the day and date the vehicle was damaged vehicle was taken to the dealer repair shop and the day and date the owner was notified to pick the vehicle up from the dealers repair shop. Purchase invoices and receipts should also be safely kept.

fl lemon law also states that the consumer notifies the manufacturer through registered, certified or express mail about the final opportunity to repair the vehicle, if the automobile has been taken to the service agent more that 3 times for the same problem. The vehicles warranty book, defect notification form, log book or any supplement material issued by the manufacturer could be well suited to this purpose.

On receiving the notification, the manufacturer usually has ten days to respond by directing the vehicle owner on how to access competent auto repair facility and extra 10 days to vehicle delivery and actual repair.

Suppose the auto-maker fails to provide a replacement or refund of the motor vehicle, then the vehicle owner is allowed to appeal for his/her right under fl lemon law through 1 or 2 arbitration programs in Florida.

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Learn how automobile lemon law can protect your rights

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

The automobile lemon law was enacted to protect the rights of the American consumers from vehicle manufacturer whose only goal is to make profits at the expense of car owners.

The statute covers owners of defective vehicles and entitles them to compensation when the defects are deemed to result from the auto makers manufacturing shortcomings.

The law is meant to ensure that car ownership is stress a free process, this makes the whole car buying question an easy one to answer because consumers feel protected by the law and are free to exercise their rights to own automobiles.

When shopping for a car, you’re advised to shop at your own time and not the time that the car salesman thinks is right. Always try to shop during the dealers rush time, often the last two hours prior to the end of the business day for the dealer. This will give you an edge at negotiating the price since the dealer will be eager to make a sale and close for the day.

The statute is there to protect you but don’t shop blind just because of that, when shopping for a new car do not be lured into paying for add-on stuff like paint protection, undercoating, upholstery and any other item that is the responsibility of the auto maker.

Be keen to check out the price tag and vehicle title from a competitor, this information can be very useful as a negotiating point. Automobile lemon laws doesn’t cover you against car prices, which is your responsibility.

Remember that car dealers are not insurance agents; therefore, do not attempt to purchase disability insurance or credit life from them. If you need one then you’re better off getting it from a licensed insurance agent. This too, is not covered by the automobile lemon law; hence your need to be careful.

Be careful when entering into a car leasing contract. Remember that agreeing to one means that you’re willing and ready to keep a car until the lease period lapses; else the buyout price will be high up. The best thing is to steer clear of all leases since your lifestyle & income could fluctuate in the future.

Be in control during the whole car buying process, this is important since it’s your money at stake. If you feel uncomfortable about the deal, simply walk out and try somewhere else. Don’t allow the dealers pressure to get the best of you, if they do & give you a raw deal, then you can always summon the automobile lemon law to your aide.

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Attorney Lemon Law Selection Guide

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

Have you bought or leased a defective vehicle or has your vehicle manufacturer, authorized dealer or agent conned you, a close relative or friend? Then you may need to get an attorney lemon law advisory service for you to file for compensation claims.

As with any case involving quality advisory service, then you will always get what you pay for. Attorney lemon law advice shouldn’t cost your head though, since most lawyers work on a contingent fee basis, meaning that they only receive their pay when your case is solved, this typically means that the earlier the better for them, which may not be the same for you.

You require services from an lawyer that perfectly knows what he’s up to, the attorney must have sufficient experience dealing with lemon law cases for him to do it right. The lawyer must also be willing to take your lemon case to trial should the defendant refuse to settle the case the way you want.

Courts often require that attorneys appear in the courthouse, this means that if your lawyer has to jet in from a different state, then you should find out if this could affect the attorney lemon law advisory service quality or not. Otherwise you may find it convenient to locate an attorney that is based in the same state as you, since laws differ by state.

The following factors may be very useful in choosing a lawyers service to use:

Do not sign anything you don’t fully understand – this also applies to giving interviews or recorded statements. Be especially careful not to grant this to people from the manufacturers side without consulting with your attorney first. This is because the statements could be easily used against you; hence jeopardize your chances for success.

Before deciding on the lawyers service to use, make and keep records, it’s prudent to do this regardless of who is at fault. Keeping records of your repair documents from authorized agents and dealers is highly advised. Note the names of the people you deal with at the car dealers shop and also the person you talk to from the auto-makers side. Record the dates and conversations you have with all these people.

Before you make your final decision to buy into an attorney lemon law advisory service, find out the concerned attorneys qualifications, background and past experience handling cases similar to yours.

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Learn more about Arizona Lemon Law

Posted by admin on August 22, 2009 None comments

Lemon laws are different in every state and Arizona is no different, the arizona lemon law is found in Section 44-1261 to 44-1267 of the Arizona revised statutes. The statutes state that if a newly purchased automobile doesn’t conform to all expressed and applicable warranties, then the auto maker, dealer or agent or issuer of the warranty is liable to make those repairs so that the vehicle conforms to the expressed warranties.

The possible solutions to the statute breach is:

If the vehicle manufacturer, authorized agents, or dealer fails to conform the vehicle to the expressed service warranty through either repair or fixing of defects that significantly weakens the vehicle value or use, the dealer, manufacturer, or agent must:

Accept the vehicles return from the user or consumer and give a full refund of the original cost; this must be inclusive of all guarantee charges less of a reasonable mileage allowance as stated in section 44-1261 to 44-1267 of the Arizona lemon law.

In the extreme case of a violation, the manufacturer must replace the automobile with a completely new one. Should the consumer choose to seek legal redress of the matter and prevail in the process, then the court will award the consumer modest costs and legal fees.

The above doesn’t mean that vehicle manufacturer, dealers or agents are a losing party in a claim. The vehicle dealer, manufacturer or agent has the option of filing a defense under the  law citing possible reasons as stated below.

One possible defense that the manufacturer can use under the statute is the case where the supposed non-conformity doesn’t completely impair the vehicles market value, or usability.

Second defense point is a scenario where the alleged non-conformity occurs as a result of neglect, non-authorized modifications or abuse on the side of the consumer.

Under the Arizona lemon law, it usually assumed that adequate time has been given to the manufacturer; agent or authorized dealer of a motor vehicle to make sure that it conforms to the expressed warranties if either:

The vehicle has been out of service due to non-repair for a total of 30 or more days during the active phase of the expressed warranty term or in duration of two subsequent years or 24,000 miles whichever comes first.

It has to be noted that this assumption doesn’t apply to the auto-maker except in a case where the automaker has been notified in writing by the consumer or his representative for the alleged defects and has been given sufficient time to address the problem. Otherwise he becomes liable to penalties under the Arizona lemon law.

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