Buying a new car is always an exciting venture, but one that many Pennsylvania residents come to regret. In some instances, a new vehicle ships off the line with a defect that interferes with the vehicle’s safety, usability, and value. While a manufacturer warranty may cover repairs, there is still a significant lifestyle disruption that can affect your ability to work or enjoy life.
Most Pennsylvania residents don’t know that state and federal laws protect them if they buy a so-called lemon. If you’ve struggled with a defective vehicle, you may have legal recourse to either financial compensation or a replacement vehicle, depending on the circumstances.
What Is a Lemon?
A lemon is a car or personal truck used for personal family and household use that has a defect that substantially impairs its utility and value. Pennsylvania has a range of state lemon laws covering consumer rights and manufacturer responsibilities regarding new cars. These laws protect consumers and give you legal recourse if you’ve received a lemon.
Pennsylvania Lemon Law Fast Facts
Pennsylvania lemon laws cover any purchased or leased car or personal truck for the first 12 years or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Manufacturers have to provide free repairs to cars with non-conformities for the first 12 months of purchase, first 12,000 miles, or within the expiration term of the manufacturer warranty.
If you bought a car with a non-conformity that has undergone a reasonable number of repair attempts that failed to solve the issue, or if your vehicle has spent a cumulative total of 30 days at the repair shop, the manufacturer must:
- Replace the vehicle with a similar model of equivalent value, or
- Refund the full purchase price of the vehicle
There are also several federal consumer protection laws that fall outside of the scope of the Lemon Laws but still protect owners of vehicles that undergo consistent repair attempts while under warranty. These also cover motorcycles as a consumer good, giving motorcyclists legal recourse as well.
Pennsylvania lemon laws require that the manufacturer pays for all legal fees if you win your case. This means that hiring a lemon law attorney is always cost-free for you, and there is no risk in pursuing the case.
What to Do if You’ve Bought a Lemon
If you’re sick of dealing with the frustration of a defective vehicle, give J.P. Ward & Associates’ Pennsylvania Lemon Law Attorneys a call. We offer free consultations where we’ll review your circumstances and decide if you have a case. If you’re covered by Pennsylvania lemon laws, we’ll pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law and protect your consumer rights.
Many consumers worry about the legal fees involved in a lemon law case. However, under Pennsylvania law, you don’t have to pay for anything, whether you win or lose your case, meaning there’s no risk and potential benefits.
Call J.P. Ward & Associates at (412) 426-4878 to find out what legal recourse you have today!