Buying a new car in Ohio and finding out that is plagued with problems can be very frustrating. Fortunately, the state lemon law can help.
How Does A Vehicle Qualify?
The lemon law in Ohio covers new passenger cars, light trucks, and motorcycles. To qualify, the vehicle must have one or more major unresolved issues that compromise its safety. Also, the vehicle must be less than one year old, and it must not yet have reached 18,000 miles on the odometer.
Meeting these qualifications is not all, though. Before you can proceed with a claim, you must give the vehicle manufacturer or an authorized dealer an opportunity to fix the warranty issue. If it is a single problem, the manufacturer or dealer gets three chances to fix it; for multiple problems, you must allow them eight tries, and in all cases, the vehicle must have been in the shop for 30 days or more.
If the flaw could cause serious injury or death, the manufacturer or dealer only has one chance to fix it.
Filing A Complaint:
If your vehicle meets that required by the lemon law, you can ask for a full refund of the purchase price or a replacement vehicle. When making your request, you have to support it with copies of repair records and the VIN. If the manufacturer is satisfied that the car is a lemon, they may yield to your request. In most cases, they ask for one more chance to fix it, whether you agree or not is your decision. If your claim is disputed, the manufacturer will advise if an arbitration program approved by the Ohio Attorney General is available.
If there is not an arbitration program in place or you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you are free to hire an attorney and file a civil lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Think your new vehicle is a lemon; a trusted Ohio lemon law attorney can help. Find one by visiting Lemon Law America.
