When someone buys a brand new vehicle the last thing they expect is trouble. If your car is one of the one percent of all new cars built that turns out to be a lemon, you can look to the Louisiana Lemon Law and Florida lemon law for help.
Which vehicles are covered under the law?
If you buy a new vehicle, a demonstrator or a lease car where you are responsible for repairs and maintenance it is covered by the Florida lemon law for 24 months from the date of delivery. The vehicle must have issues which impair the safety, use or resale value. A vehicle in the context of the law is a car, truck or RV as long as the problem is chassis, not the living quarters.
Preserving your rights under the law:
Even though your vehicle meets the criteria, relief under the law is not automatic. To qualify under the law you must have maintained accurate records detailing the problem and the work undertaken to correct the problem. The work must have been done under a written repair order from a repair shop that was authorized by the vehicle manufacturer.
Repair attempts:
For protection under the law you must give the manufacturer an opportunity to bring the vehicle into full conformance. To qualify your vehicle must have been unavailable to you for a total of 30 days or the vehicle must have been in for repair a minimum of four times in the first 24 months of ownership.
Time limits:
After the vehicle has been in the shop three times or it has been out of service for 15 days you are obliged to address the possibility that it is a lemon. You must advise the vehicle manufacturer and give them one final attempt at repairing the problem. Within 10 days the manufacturer will send you to an authorized repair shop and then a further 10 days are granted to fix the problem. If the problem still exists you can set your claim in motion.
For further information on the Florida lemon law and an introduction to a lemon law attorney in the state you are welcome to visit the web site of Lemon Law America.
