The Lemon Laws Protect consumers who have purchased or leased a vehicle with manufacturing defects that affect the safety, value, or use of the vehicle. In most cases, if the manufacturer or dealer are unable to fix the problem after a reasonable number of repair attempts, they are bound by their warranty to refund or replace the vehicle. There has, however, been circumstances of warranty denial because the consumer breached the warranty agreement.

• Aftermarket Modifications: The manufacturer new car warranty agreement usually says that alterations and modifications to original equipment could prevent you from making a claim under the lemon law. This includes replacing tires or rims, changing electrical components, and adding lift kits to your vehicle. If your lemon law claim is successful, the manufacturer is not required to reimburse you for items that have not been factory installed.
• Poor Vehicle Maintenance: It is important to maintain your vehicle in accordance to the vehicle’s maintenance schedule. Whether you take your vehicle to the garage or do the work yourself, it is important to keep receipts and invoices as proof of maintenance. Keep records of the date and mileage when the maintenance was performed, and what was done to the vehicle.
• Vehicle Abuse: It is rare and difficult to prove, but if the manufacturer or dealer can show that the vehicle has been driven abusively, they can deny replacement or refund under the lemon law.

Vehicles often experience malfunctions that are common to a certain make or model of vehicle. Manufacturer defects often become recalls or technical service bulletins (TSB’s) making it easy for the consumer to research common vehicle problems. Recalls are government mandated and the manufacturer will notify you and repair the problem for free. While TSB’s are public, the manufacturer is not obligated to inform consumers of the problem.