Okay so you live in Pennsylvania and you just bought a new car. You have been having issues and eventually it has been determined that what you bought was a lemon. Now what do you do? First of all, you need to know and understand exactly what the lemon laws are in the state of Pennsylvania and what they cover.
Formally, the PA lemon law states that it applies to any new vehicle that is bought or leased to be used as a passenger vehicle. It can only be used to transport up to fifteen people. Motorcycles, motorhomes and off-road vehicles are not included under PA’s lemon laws. They may however be covered under Federal warranty laws so it is important to consult a lawyer.
When Good Cars Go Bad
The defect must fall into a category stating that the problem makes the vehicle unsafe or the vehicle cannot be driven—something that affects the use, value or safety. This issue must also occur within a 12 month period after the initial purchase of the vehicle, before 12,000 miles of driving, or before the warranty runs out. If your vehicle cannot be fixed in three attempts then you are eligible for possible vehicle replacement or reimbursement. In Pennsylvania the law will cover cars that have been in the repair shop a total of 30 days over the first year.
If your car is a lemon and cannot be repaired after the three attempts required by the state of PA then you may have a few options. You may be able to obtain a new car or a full buyback. You may also be entitled to a partial refund or an extended warranty if you continue to own your car.
The reason states have lemon laws in place is to give consumers a leg to stand on when they need to fight the big, bad automobile manufacturer. It holds the manufacturer responsible to make good when their vehicles turn up defective. When you purchase or lease a new vehicle and it turns out to be unsafe or you just can’t even drive it, then those laws are there to help you, to give you a voice if you will.
I hope you never have to endure a lemon. But, if you do in fact purchase one it is good to know the Pennsylvania Lemon Law can help you get back on the road to recovery.
Stephen Craig is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @SCraigSEO.