People who make an investment in a brand-new vehicle should be able to rely on their new transportation for years. Unfortunately, a small percentage of the vehicles shipped to dealerships every year are lemons.
They have substantial issues that make them unsafe to drive and prevent them from conforming to warranty standards. In Texas, a vehicle becomes a lemon when the buyer notices issues and has to repeatedly present the vehicle for repairs at the dealership. They may be able to pursue a lemon law claim if the dealership cannot fully repair the vehicle in a timely fashion.
How long do those who have purchased new vehicles have to initiate a claim under the Texas lemon law?
Buyers must act promptly
Ideally, buyers dissatisfied with the condition of a new vehicle take action as soon as possible. Typically, that means notifying the dealership as soon as they notice issues or hear about them from a trusted mechanic.
Given that dealerships may have up to four repair attempts to correct the same issue with a brand-new vehicle, it could be many months before the vehicle actually meets the standard for a lemon vehicle in Texas. New car buyers have a brief window of opportunity to hold manufacturers and dealerships accountable for selling them a lemon.
Typically, they should try to act before the manufacturer’s warranty expires. Once it does expire, they have only six months to initiate their lemon law claim. The state also limits lemon law actions to within two years after the date of purchase or before the buyer puts 24,000 miles on the vehicle.
What happens in a lemon law claim?
When people use the lemon law to address an unsatisfactory new vehicle, they typically have three options. The first is to have the dealership repair the vehicle at no cost to them. However, when repairs prove unsuccessful, they then have to choose what form of recourse they prefer.
Buyers may have the option of returning the vehicle for a full refund of the purchase price. They may also be able to obtain a replacement vehicle. The extent of the issues with the vehicle, how common they have been with other vehicles and whether the situation has damaged their trust in the brand may influence which solution a buyer prefers.
Discussing the issues that have arisen with a brand-new vehicle with a skilled legal team can help those pursuing a Texas lemon law claim properly assert themselves and pursue the best solution possible. Buyers often need help navigating complex lemon law claims, as dealerships may try to trick them into giving up their rights or making unnecessary concessions.