If a New Car Breaks Down After Purchase, Lemon Laws Can Help

Alex Tofer | 888-981-5607 | Free Consult

It can be disappointing at best and a money-pit at worst when a new car breaks down after purchase. Under the lemon law, you have certain rights if you were sold a defective vehicle and could be compensated by the manufacturer for the defective car.

Alex Tofer is the managing attorney and the founding president of Tofer and Associates, PLC in Beverly Hills, California. If you think you have a lemon on your hands, he can speak with you free of charge.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-5607 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Lemon laws protect car owners from finding themselves stuck with a faulty car (AKA a “Lemon”) that they can’t afford to get rid of.

Every U.S. state has a lemon law, which is great news if you’ve recently purchased a car and are now experiencing some difficulties with it. Under the lemon law, if you are able to prove you were sold a defective car, either new or from a used car agency, you may qualify for a claim that could entitle you to the manufacturer buying it back.

Keep records of the issues your car experiences and the dates they happen.

Remember to take your car to a dealership when attempting to have it fixed. If you take your car to an outside mechanic, the manufacturer will no longer be held responsible for the car’s defects nor will they be obligated to buy the car back from you. Generally, once the manufacturer has tried to repair the same problem multiple times or multiple problems occur at once which prevent you from using the car, you might be ready for a lawsuit.

Attempts to fix your car generally need to be made while your car is still under warranty.

Most car warranties last about two to three years from when you buy the car. This is true as well for cars under warranty from a used car dealership. Generally, once the warranty expires, you will be responsible for handling the car’s issues on your own and the manufacturer cannot be held liable.

If repairs have made it impossible to use the car for a total of 30 days since owning it, your car likely qualifies for lemon law protections.

This is another reason it’s important to keep records of the issues your car experiences, how you handled them, and what dates the problem occurred. If you take your car to be fixed at the dealership, don’t forget to file that paperwork away in a safe place, since it could be a huge help to your case later.

Car problems can include any defect, not just those related to safety.

From bad brakes to a broken radio, if your car is exhibiting a defect from a safety hazard to a nuisance, you may qualify for lemon law protections. If your car is breaking down or certain features are repeatedly not functioning, it could be a good idea to contact an attorney regarding your case so they can help you recoup your losses.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-5607 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Video Transcript:

Rob Rosenthal:

Here's a Quick Question from AskTheLawyers.com™. Do you know what the lemon law is? We asked Los Angeles attorney Alex Tofor.

Alex Tofer:

So basically, you purchase a new or used vehicle from a dealership or entity like a Carmax or a business where there’s a sales contract. And after you take that vehicle, it starts having defects. It's breaking down. It's making rattling noises. Certain features of the vehicle are not functioning properly. For example, the radio keeps shutting on and off. Windshield wipers don't work. Anything of any type of a defect can cause the vehicle to be deemed either unsafe or a nuisance. And in those cases, our law firm can assist you in forcing the manufacturer to repurchase the vehicle back from you.

Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. In some states, this video may be deemed Attorney Advertising. The choice of lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.