Lemon Law For New Cars Varies by State

Auto repairs are a natural part of owning a car. Even when a car is still "new", it can encounter problems that send it to the repair shop, which should be covered by the manufacturer if the car is still under warranty. But how many repairs are too many for a new car? According to the lemon law in most states, lemon law for new cars says that if a car is repaired for the same problem a certain number of times within a certain time frame or within a certain number of miles after its delivery date, it qualifies as a lemon car.

For example, New Jersey lemon law for new cars states that a car qualifies as a lemon if it had been repaired for the same problem three or more times within 18,000 miles of its delivery date or has spent more than 20 days being repaired since its delivery date. Although some states have lemon laws that govern used cars, a "new lemon car" is generally defined as a car that is still under warranty.

While the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act establishes federal lemon laws, state lemon laws vary by state. The general differences between state lemon laws usually amount to a difference in the number of repairs that a new vehicle must undergo since its delivery date or the amount of time it must spend in the repair shop since its delivery date to qualify as a legal lemon. Yet, regardless of the criteria for establishing a car as a lemon, lemon car owners can expect to receive the same compensation options in each case: a full refund of the vehicle's purchase price, less a mileage based allowance, or a problem-free replacement vehicle of similar price and performance.