If your car or other motor vehicle is found to have a defect, by law it is referred to as a lemon. There are lemon laws that are intended to protect the owner of a defective vehicle, but only under certain circumstances. These include if the car is covered by a warranty, if the defect occurred within a certain time period after the purchase, and if the defect can’t be fixed after multiple repair attempts. These laws are useful, but you still might be wondering what qualifies as a substantial defect for your vehicle. Defects can cause deadly car accidents, so it’s crucial drivers know how to spot a defect.
HOW CAN I DETERMINE IF MY CAR IS DEFECTIVE?
In most cases, a substantial car defect typically includes any issue that has an impact on the car’s use, value or safety. These defects are especially consequential if they can be considered a serious safety defect that could result in serious injuries or fatalities.
Some examples of dangerous car defects include faulty brakes, poor steering and/or alignment, absence of or broken seatbelts, gas leaks, and cracked or broken windshields. Any cosmetic or smaller issues with your car, such as a loose radio tuner knob or an upholstery tear, are not covered under any state lemon laws. Lemon laws do vary from state to state, so if you are a Tennessee resident it’s important that you determine what the state’s regulations are. If you find that your car does have a substantial defect, your car dealer or manufacturer usually has to fix it. If your manufacturer still can’t fix the issue after a certain amount of time and/or attempts, your car will be labeled as a lemon.
Finding a defect in your car can be annoying, but it’s important that you attempt to fix the problem in order to reduce the chance of a serious car accident on the road. If you have been injured in a car accident due to a car defect, contact our attorneys at Stan Davis Law so we can help you with your next legal moves.