Lemon Law Blog

The end of the year is here but we have been busier than ever at 1800 LEMON LAW assisting distressed drivers with their defective vehicles.  Since many folks don’t believe how well the State Lemon Laws and Federal Warranty Statutes work, we always like to update readers on recent refunds and repurchases.  Many of these cases were settled in a matter of months. Here’s the latest highlights from December:

2010 Jeep Wrangler, water leak x3,  full repurchase under the New Jersey Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2011 Can Am Spyder Motorcycle, loss of power, replacement bike under Ohio Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2009 Mazda RX 8, no start, registered in Pennsylvania, $5,835 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2006 CPO Land Rover Range Rover with 52,000 miles, registered in New Jersey, steering issue, $4,000 plus attorneys fees 9and they get to keep the car)

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, engine problems, replacement vehicle under New Jersey Lemon Law.

2011 Ford Focus, steering vibration issue, registered in Pennsylvania, $5,000 plus attorney fees (and they keep the car with full warranty)

2008 Chevrolet Silverado with 43,000 miles, registered in Ohio, oil leak, $4000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep the car with full warranty)

2010 Dodge Charger with 26,000 miles, registered in New York, sunroof leak.  $5,550 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car with full warranty).

2011 Honda Accord, clicking noise in rear from being welded improperly, replacement vehicle under Massachusetts Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2007 Ford Mustang Shelby,, registered in New Jersey, transmission problem, $6,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car will full warranty)

2010 Chevrolet Malibu, steering vibration problem, registered in New Jersey, $5,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep the car with full warranty)

2011 Subaru Outback, steering problem, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2011 Hyundai Sonata, transmission issues, registered in Pennsylvania,  $4,000 plus attorney fees (plus they get to keep ther car with full warranty)

2011 Jeep Wranger, water leaks, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2008 Hyundai Satnta Fe, braking problems, full repurchase under Ohio Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2009 Buick Enclave, no start problem, registered in Pennsylvania, $6,500 plus attorney fees (plus they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2011 Dodge Caliber, check engine light problem, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2010 Buick Lacrosse, Out of service 30 days & fixed, registered in Ohio, $6,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep the car with full warranty)

2011 Toyota Tacoma,transmission problem, full repurchase under Maryland Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2008 Ford F350 truck with 60,000 miles, transmission problem, registered in Pennsylvania, $3,500 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep the truck)

2011 Chevrolet Malibu, check engine lights, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2010 Hyundai Tuscon, check engine lights, new replacement vehicle under Maryland Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2011 Hyundai Sonata, brake problems, full repurchase under New Jersey Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2010 Chevrolet Traverse with 27,000 miles at first repair, no start, registered in New Jersey, $5,000 plus attorney fees (plus they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2009 Chevrolet Impala, error lights, registered in Pennsylvania,  $6,250 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2012 Buick Lacrosse, service light on for 30 days, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law plus attorney fees.  SETTLED IN 10 DAYS!

2009 Ford E250, broke down, registered in Delaware, $5,250 plus attorney fees (and they got to keep their vehicle)

2010 Buick Lacrosse, towed in 4x, full repurchase under Michigan Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2008 Chevrolet Silverado, registered in Ohio, oil leak, $4,500 plus attorney fees (plus they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2008 Subaru Impreza with 58,000 miles, check engine light problem, registered in Pennsylvania, $5,000 plus attorneys fees (plus they got to keep the car)

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, remote key problem, registered in Pennsylvania, $5,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep the vehicle with full warranty)

2011 Ford F250 truck, problem with reverse aid sensor, registered In Pennsylvania, $5,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their truck with full warranty)

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan, water leak, new replacement vehicle under Connecticut Lemon Law plus attorney fees

2007 Freightliner Truck, engine problems, registered in Ohio, $13,200 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their truck)

2011 Land Rover LR4, full repurchase under Pennsylvania Lemon Law

2008 Cadillac CTS, no start problem, registered in Pennsylvania, $5,000 plus attorney fees 9and they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2009 Ford Escape, front end problem, registered in New Jersey, $5,000 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car)

2010 Jaguar XJ, window problem, registered in New Jersey,  $4,500 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their car with full warranty)

2007 GMC Acadia, water leak & no start, registered in New Jersey, $10,377 plus attorney fees (and they get to keep their vehcile with full warranty)

In 2011, we successfully resolved thousands of Lemon Law and breach of warranty claims throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York,  Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Washington DC, Michigan, Ohio, Wyoming and Tennessee.  If your car is driving you crazy, it’s important for you to learn your rights.  You could be entitled to complete cost-free legal representation.  For more information, fill out our Get Rid Of Your Lemon form or call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652).  You have nothing to lose but your lemon.

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The 1 800 LEMON LAW hotline has been abuzz with Subaru WRX drivers calling in complaining about issues with their transmission and/or turbo engine.  Problems include loss of power, check engine light, clutch noise,  fluid leaks, and assorted transmission issues.

If your Subaru Impreza WRX is heading back to the repair shop repeatedly, or if the car has been in the shop for an extended period of time, please e-mail us and share your problems.  We will be glad to discuss your situation with you and see if you qualify for recourse under the Lemon Law or Federal Warranty Statutes.

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The message boards and the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline are both buzzing with 2011 Hyundai Sonata drivers who are complaining about two major problems, both of which significantly affect the use, value and safety of the vehicle.

First, we are seeing a number of problems with the transmission in the limited edition Hyundai Sonata turbo engine models.  We have seen issues where the car was banging into gear and the check engine light was coming on within the first 5,000 miles of ownership  Dealers are aware of the problem and it appears Hyundai is attempting to come up with a fix but so far, they have been unsuccessful.  If your Hyundai Sonata is in the shop three or more times for transmission problems, or it is in service for an extended period of days, you could be entitled to significant remedy under State Lemon Laws and/or Federal Warranty Laws.  Contact us either by e-mail or call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW and we would be glad to discuss your situation and how we can help.  Of course, if we can help, it’s completely free to you.

The second issue we are seeing with the Hyundai Sonatas involves the tires.  We have been accepting numerous cases where the car is pulling the right or left, significantly affecting the alignment.  In one recent claim, the  alignment expert came to the dealership and told the consumer there was nothing they could do for the problem.  Once we were involved, Hyundai agreed to repurchase the vehicle under the New Jersey Lemon Law.   If you are back in the shop repeatedly for your alignment issue on your Hyundai Sonata, make sure you call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW.

And always remember be it for the transmission, the tires or any problem, even if they cannot fix the problem, make sure the dealer always  provides  service invoices to illustrate you are bringing the matter to their attention.  These invoices can make or break a lemon law or breach of warranty claim.

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As we have frequently reported in the Lemon Law Blog, this downtrodden economy has eroded the quality of manufacturers warranties.

The industry has placed tremendous limitations on warranty repairs.  Manufacturers have set specific time limits on how long it should take for a mechanic to duplicate a problem and fix it.  Unfortunately, many problems are not addressed right away, often leaving a driver with an intermittent problem that could leave them stranded at a moment’s notice, anytime, anywhere.

Factories are closing left and right,  resulting in parts being on back order for months at a time.  Imagine leasing a convertible  that you cannot dive through the Spring months, or being offered a loaner coupe to drive your three children to soccer practice while your minivan’s in the shop.  It’s happening throughout the Country and while the Lemon Law does provide protection in these situations, not every consumer is aware of their rights.

Now we are faced with a new ever-growing dilemma.  The service advisor knows that there is a problem, they verified it, but the manufacturer does not have a fix at this time.  Whose fault is that?   Are you supposed to sit idly by and wait for technicians to come up with a fix?  Or do you take action?

If you find yourself in this predicament, the first thing you need to do is make sure the service advisor puts the term “no fix at this time” in writing on your repair invoice.  This confirms that they are aware of a problem and in essence, they are breaching their manufacturers warranty.  After all, this warranty ensures that problems will be fixed efficiently and effectively, and that is not happening.  Next, make an appointment at another manufacturer authorized dealership for a second opinion.  Take the service advisor on a test drive where you can illustrate and duplicate the problem for them.  If they also tell you there is no fix, make sure you obtain a second invoice and ask if the manufacturer has provided anything in writing to their dealerships pertaining to this problem.  At that point, you should contact 1-800-LEMON LAW or another  lemon law attorney in your state to discuss your situation and a strategy to get the matter resolved.

Remember, if you do not fight for your rights, no one else will.

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Many Ohio consumers do not realize that the Ohio Lemon Law is one of the strongest Lemon laws in the nation. 1800 LEMON LAW Communications Director Michael Sacks made a return visit to NBC4′s Daytime Columbus recently to discuss the law with host Gail Hogan. The segment provided helpful advice on what distressed drivers should do if they feel they have been stuck with a lemon car.

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It’s the number one question that comes through the 1800 LEMON LAW hotline “Do I have a Lemon?” Because each state has different Lemon Laws, we’ve devised a quick online questionnaire to help folks with this process.  While it’s sometimes a fairly complex process to figure out if you are driving a lemon car, we’ve simplified it down to the basics to help satisfy most consumers in addition to being available to answer any specific question as needed.

We created this lemon law web application to give people a better insight into the qualifying process. Often folks can be a little shy about reaching out, and we know it sometimes is fearful to go after the billion-dollar automobile companies. This new app provides distressed drivers the key they need to rev up their consumer rights.

Let’s review some important components of this questionnaire by answering a few questions and reviewing the overall process.

Driving a Lemon Questionnaire

We made sure to keep the page clean and uncluttered to ensure that the questions were the main focus. You’ll also notice that we have incorporated some social media elements to make it easy to share with your own network. We’ve also incorporated some tips to help consumers as they answer questions along the way.

The first qualifying point we ask is whether the consumer purchased their car New or Used. All states have a Lemon Law for new cars while some offer protection for used cars. There is also a federal law that protects consumers of used cars which is called the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act and covers all items that fall under an original or extended manufacturers warranty. We’ll choose “New”.

State Lemon Laws Vary

As we explained earlier, Lemon Laws vary from state to state. Some states have similar qualifications, while others are completely different. New Jersey requires only 1 repair attempt for a defect that may cause death or serious injury while Massachusetts requires 4 repair attempts for the same defect before they qualify. Pennsylvania’s  coverage period is 1 year or 12,000 miles while New Jersey is 2 years or 24,000 miles. This is why we need to ask where you purchased your vehicle. Our corporate headquarters are in Pennsylvania so we’ll choose that.

Pennsylvania Lemon Law Qualification

So the Pennsylvania Lemon Law qualification is when a car is within its warranty period, 12,000 miles or 1 year of purchase. Well it just so happens that my car is indeed within this criteria so I’ll answer “Yes”

Again the number of repair attempts vary as well as the number of days out of services. Some include calendar days, others are only business days. Some require 4 repair attempts, others only 1 if they are deemed to be injury-causing. My car has had 3 repair attempts for the same issue so I’ll answer “Yes”.

It looks like I qualify for the Lemon Law and should pursue my case. Due to the fact that it is free for me, I’m going to have Kimmel & Silverman take care of my case so will need to fill out this online form with all my details.

Yipee, I do qualify for the Lemon Law in my State

So it took me about 3 minutes to complete the Driving a Lemon survey to find out if I actually have a lemon and then another five minutes to fill out the Get Rid of your Lemon online form and the process begins! After only a few days online, we’ve seen over 1000 visitors to the survey and more importantly, have helped consumers to be more aware of the Lemon Laws and how they are used to protect us.

If you are not certain whether you qualify for the Lemon Law, go ahead and check out our new online Driving a Lemon application. It’s only 3-5 minutes and may well save you weeks, months or years of agony.

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