Dealing with repeated repairs on your car is certainly frustrating, and particularly so when the repairs you’re making are on a car that you recently purchased. Fortunately, Virginia’s Lemon Law is very clear in defining what exactly constitutes a lemon, and how you can go about proving that the car you purchased qualifies. If your car is a lemon, you are entitled to a full refund of the purchase price of the vehicle, so maintaining records of all your repairs is a great idea.
There are 3 Ways that a Car Can Be Classified as a Lemon under Virginia Law
- If the same "significant" problem is worked on 3 times (i.e you have three separate repair orders) and still exists after that, then your car can be classified as a lemon.
- If your car has a life-threatening defect that affects its driveability, and the defect still exists after one repair attempt, then you have a lemon.
- If the vehicle has been in the shop 30 or more calendar days over the life of the vehicle for ANY problem or defect, and there is still something legitimately wrong with the car, then it's a lemon.
Once you have "notified" the manufacturer, in writing, no matter how many times it has tried to fix it before, there is one "final repair attempt" not to exceed 15 days to correct the problem. If after this time the problems still exist, then you definitely have a lemon and are entitled to a full refund. You can find instructions for giving notice to the manufacturer as well as a Sample Letter to Put the Manufacturer on Notice here.
Our Attorneys Can Handle Your Lemon Law Claim
If you believe your car is a lemon, contact our offices today for a consultation. We’re dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers throughout Virginia, and serve the entire state from our headquarters in Richmond. Call 804-282-7900 to get started.