When the unexpected breakdown of your brand new car occurs, clearly this is not just an inconvenience but could also raise legal issues. The law gives some protection to consumers with respect to warranties and new vehicle defects. More especially, when your brand new car breaks down, here is what you do from a legal standpoint.
Alt : An electric car Review Your Warranty Coverage
The very first legal step that a person should take when a car breaks down is to contact experienced attorneys like Ohio Tiger Lawyers. However, there are some things to do before that just to be sure. Examine the warranty coverage that the manufacturer has provided. Most of the new vehicles are coming with a so-called bumper-to-bumper warranty that carries many repair lots for mechanical failures within the period ranging from 3 years to 5 years after a certain number of miles. According to the particular vehicle’s warranty, one may be allowed appropriate free repairs or replaced parts for any manufacturing defect or any mechanical failure that was supposed to have been detected within the period of the warranty. Keep warranty papers ready. You may have to carry your warranty papers when you call the dealership or service center as proof of the condition before any work is done. In case the problem is under warranty, ideally you shouldn’t pay anything for the repair or the parts.Contact the Dealership or Manufacturer
After knowing what your warranty covers, get in touch with the place you bought the car or the maker of the vehicle. Inform them about the problem, and inquire what the further processes are to get the car repaired under warranty. Ensure you keep a record of this communication. Make a note of the date and to whom it was, as well as any directions that were given.
If your car is under warranty, your dealer or manufacturer must fix it for free, as the law states so – provided the cause is not misuse or an external factor. They may sometimes give you a rental car while fixing your vehicle, which also mostly comes under warranty.Understand Your Lemon Law Rights
So if your car’s been breaking down repeatedly and it’s a new car, or it continues to be unrepaired after several trips to the shop, you’ve got some kind of a case with these lemon laws. Lemon laws are those laws that protect the consumer from such defective vehicles. Their recourse lies in being refunded the money or given another vehicle in place of the defective one.
There are regulations regarding lemon laws that are specific to each and every state; however, in general, if your vehicle is still under warranty and has a defect that significantly impairs its use, value, or safety, and if the dealership or manufacturer is unable to correct the problem after a certain number of attempts within the allotted time frame, then you are eligible for a replacement or a refund.
