A lemon, as you know, is something that does not work properly, a sour deal. "A lemon car", to put it simple, is a vehicle that has been a frequent visitor to a repairs shop, whose defect hasn't been successfully eliminated. As soon as the owner recognizes that his car is a defective one, he can demand a full refund from his automobile dealer or a car manufacturer.



What are the ways to define if your car is a lemon or not? The definition of "lemon" varies from state to state. Each state has its own lemon law, which reveals certain differences depending on the territory. Some states qualify a vehicle that has been repaired four or more times for the same mechanical non-conformity within the warranty period and that defect continues to exist as a lemon.

Others call a vehicle a lemon, if a manufacturer cannot fix a defect, which can cause a grave injury, within one attempt. It is also likely to be the case if a vehicle has been to the repairs' for a period exceeding 30 days.

Still, the law of some states confirms that you can have 10 various defects during the warranty period, but that does not classify your new car as a lemon. As long as they get repaired and allow your car to drive at a speed that you choose, you can be confident - you've got some other fruit.

As a rule, a lemon vehicle has some hidden imperfections when you buy it, which the automobile dealer or manufacturer is responsible for. After you get familiar with the former, you want your dealer/manufacturer be made aware of it and claim your money back. To carry it off without a hitch, you have to submit a report of the repairsmade and give the manufacturer a chance to fix the car.

The term "a lemon car" mainly refers to new cars, however some states include used and leased cars in their lemon laws.

In the case if the defect that has undergone several repairing attempts persists, you should launch a complaint in writing. If it hasn't been satisfied, you take it to the arbitration court and hire a lawyer. But in some states, you will need to seek an attorney's advice skipping a complaint stage.

The National Highway for Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) compiled and published a file of the most popular lemon-car complaints with Mazda MPV topping the charts. In attendance were Ford Excursion, Honda Passport, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Land Rover Range Rover, Audi A6, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Volkswagen Passat, etc. They were the subject of the biggest number of complaints in 2002. To prove that the defect has been persisting over a time and is not the result of your yesterday's drunk driving, you should present a Repairs Report, which means that you should be documenting each and every time you are taking your vehicle to be fixed. Otherwise, you may be stripped of your consumer rights in accordance with state warranty acts.