What Is a “Lemon”?
A lemon is a general term often used by people when referring to a car, or other motor vehicle, that has ongoing problems or defects.
Interestingly enough, a lemon is much more than a casual term thrown around by the general public. A motor vehicle can actually be considered a lemon by the state, meaning the owner of that lemon is protected by laws that safeguard him or her from unnecessarily wasting money on problem vehicles.
What Does the Wisconsin Lemon Law Cover?
Each state has its own laws regarding lemons. In Wisconsin lemon law, there are certain guidelines and circumstances that must take place before you can pursue legal action against the manufacturer from whom you’ve purchased the problematic vehicle.
Under Wisconsin law, a vehicle is considered a lemon only if the following are true:
- It is a new vehicle that is a year old or younger.
- The vehicle is covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.
- The vehicle is a car, motorcycle, mobile home or truck.
- You have given the dealer at least four times to fix the same problem pertaining to the motor vehicle, or your car has been in an inoperable condition for at least 30 days.
Please note that these parameters do not apply to vehicles purchased online or purchased out of state.
I Think My Car Is a Lemon. Now What?
If you suspect that your car is a lemon based on the guidelines above, begin taking note of when your vehicle is in the shop and how long it takes to repair. If the required repairs are not made within four attempts, or your vehicle has been inoperable for 30 days or more, you should ask for a refund of your purchase, or ask for a new vehicle comparable to the one you currently have. If even those parameters aren’t met, it may be time to consider hiring an attorney.
All in all, it is important to know your rights when it comes to the Wisconsin lemon law.
