A lemon car is a defective vehicle with manufacturing issues that affect its overall safety, usability, and value. Owning a lemon car means you face a future of repeated, unfixable problems. 

Luckily, there are lemon laws in place that offer consumer protection. We explore what is a lemon car, how to tell if you own one, and what you can do about it. 

### What is a Lemon Car?

In general, the definition of a lemon car is a motor vehicle that has one or more safety defects that prevent it from being driven. Defects include problems like a completely dead engine, damaged transmission, and faulty brakes. If a manufacturer or authorized dealership cannot repair a vehicle despite a reasonable number of repair attempts, then you have a lemon on your hands.

An estimated 150,000 motor vehicles each year are lemons. Unfortunately, it is easier than you think to purchase a lemon car because most people interested in buying a new or used car turn to online shopping. However, cars are an expensive purchase, and simply going on the good faith of a private seller could lead to a lemon purchase. 

Lemon cars can be used or new vehicles. However, it is more difficult to spot one in used cars because of possible discrepancies in the vehicle history report. 

### State Lemon Laws

State lemon laws offer car buyer protection and are powerful statutes that specify when the automaker has breached their written warranty on the vehicle. The law removes barriers to seeking court relief because they award the lemon law attorney fee for those car buyers who prevail. 

State lemon laws vary from state to state since they have different definitions of what qualifies as a lemon. However, most lemon laws involve the vehicle's market value, driveability, and safety. 

The lemon law in most states authorizes the consumer to receive a replacement car or even a full refund from the automaker if the substantial defect is irreparable after a number of repair attempts - usually four. 

__In order for a vehicle to qualify as a lemon under most state lemon laws, the car must:__ 

- Be irreparable after a reasonable number of attempts. 
- Have a substantial defect covered by the automaker's warranty, which happened within a specific time period or the number of miles driven after purchasing the defective car. 

The lemon law exists as a new car lemon law in most states since it only applies to new cars. 

__There are only seven states that have used car lemon laws, namely__: 

- Connecticut
- California
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York 

In 1975, a law was passed that required all vehicle warranties to be easily understood and completely transparent. This helped avoid customers being at the end of a scam after unknowingly purchasing a defective car. 

There is also the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. It is a federal law that protects consumers who purchase any product above $25 if the item comes with a written warranty in place. 

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### How to Tell if you Bought a Lemon Car

__Below are some telltale signs that your car is, in fact, a lemon:__ 

- Has bad or strong odors: If your car smells like smoke or something is burning or leaking, it could indicate a serious problem with the car. 

- Poorly written advert: Go back to the original advert that encouraged you to buy your car. Was something off with the advert, or did it misrepresent the factual information and history of the car? If you answered yes, the seller may have had something to hide! 

- A bad warranty: A lemon car will typically have a low purchase price and may come with a warranty that is rendered useless for the most part. Before you sign for any vehicle, make sure it has a valid manufacturer's warranty with a decent warranty period. Always read the fine print. 

- Defective steering: Pay attention to your car's steering while driving. If your car drifts and you need to frequently correct the steering in a straight direction, you may have damaged or worn out the steering.

- Check your tires: Tires can be an indication of a defective vehicle. Look at how they have worn out. Cupped tires that have uneven lines can indicate a brake malfunction and steering and suspension problems.

- Check for recalls: Always check for recalls issued by an automaker to see if your specific model had any recorded factory faults. This should be done before purchasing new or used vehicles. You can look on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website (http://www.nhtsa.gov/) for the listings of official recalls. 

- Several repair attempts don't fix the problem: If you have taken your car for several repair attempts and you have all the malfunctions, then you definitely have a lemon car. 

### What to do if you Have Bought a Lemon Car

Before submitting a lemon law claim, you first need to allow the dealership or automaker the opportunity to make a reasonable number of attempts to repair the car. 

__Usually, you must meet one of the following requirements before you have protection under a state lemon law:__ 

- If there is a serious safety defect, it must remain unfixed after one repair attempt.

- If the defect isn't a safety hazard, it must remain unfixed after three or four attempts (depending on your state's lemon law). 

- If the car is in the workshop for a certain number of days (usually thirty days in a twelve-month period) to repair one or more substantial warranty defects, then it may be considered a lemon car. 

- If your car meets the lemon law requirements for your home state, then you have the right to request either a refund or a replacement vehicle from the automaker. The process varies from one state to another, but you must first inform the automaker of the defects in all states. 

- If you are not satisfied with how your lemon law claim was handled, then most states require you to go to arbitration before approaching a court. Arbitration is basically a dispute resolution program. 

Manufacturers use several different arbitration programs, and in most cases, they will choose a program on your behalf. If you can select your own arbitration program, then it may be better to select a state consumer protection agency program. 

If you want to submit a successful lemon law claim, you need to provide substantial documentation and evidence to support your claim. 

__The types of documents that will help include:__ 

- Any marketing material about the vehicle - the automaker will have to live up to all its claims. 

- Vehicle service and repair records indicating how many times you tried to repair the car. 

- Any other documents detailing your attempts to get the dealer to assist with the defects. 

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### How to Avoid Buying a Lemon Car

Finally, the best way to prevent dealing with a lemon car is to avoid purchasing one in the first place. 

While it is important to check the vehicle's official history report, it doesn't tell you if it was involved in an accident, stolen, or has a reversed odometer. This means it isn't always reliable in sifting out whether the vehicle is a lemon or not. 

__Below are some ways to help you avoid purchasing a lemon car:__ 

- __Research consumer feedback:__ You can check the car's reliability record by looking over various consumer reports relative to the make and model you own. 

- __Check disclaimers and the fine print:__ Look at the window sticker on the vehicle. Most car dealers post pricing and information on each vehicle's window. If a car was returned because it was a lemon, manufacturers must divulge the car's status. The window sticker may indicate if the car was a lemon law buyback or a manufacturer's buyback. While a manufacturer's buyback may be the result of pleasing an unhappy customer, it could also mean the car was a lemon.

- __Check the exterior:__ Walk around the car and look for broken light housings, chipped paint, cracked windows, dents, and mismatched paint or body parts. If you notice any gaps between the panels, then the car may have been in an accident.

- __Check the interior:__ Look for a sagging headliner, missing buttons, handles or knobs, or a cracked dashboard. Frayed seat belts, floor pedals, or a sagging driver's seat are signs of an old car with high mileage. Frayed seatbelts could also be an indication that the vehicle was in an accident. Inspect the interior of the car for water leaks or a mold or mildew smell. You do not want a vehicle with flood damage. 

- __Inspect the car's engine:__ Closely inspect the battery for any grease or corrosion. The belts and hoses shouldn't be hard or worn out, and if you notice wet spots, there may be a fluid or oil leak. Look at the electrical wiring; if the wires have melted or the firewall is black, there may have been an overheating issue or even a fire.

- __Check the transmission dipstick:__ The dipstick could indicate possible damage or extensive wear if you notice a burnt smell. 

- __Look at the undercarriage:__ Look at the tread on the tires for excessive wear and inspect the steering for any slack or extra play. Don't forget to push down on each fender to see if the suspension is good. 

- __Check the exhaust:__ Black smoke coming out of an exhaust indicates a problem with the air filter or another component. Blue smoke is a sign of burning oil. If you notice either color smoke, rather walk away from the car because the engine may need extensive repairs. 

- __Take it for a test drive:__ Drive the car before you buy it. Not only will you decide whether the vehicle is right for you, but you may pick up possible damage to the vehicle. If the engine revs excessively before accelerating, there may be a worn-out clutch or damaged transmission. If you hear knocking, the car may have bad timing, or it is overheating. 

- __Research recalls:__ As mentioned earlier, check for any recalls on your make, model, and model year. Have a mechanic inspect the car: Have a qualified mechanic inspect the vehicle properly. They know what to look for and will find any hidden surprises. 

- __Purchase the car from an authorized dealer:__ While it may not eliminate the chance of buying a lemon car, the odds are less if you purchase your vehicle from an authorized dealer. 

Your car's defect is irreparable and may compromise your safety and the car's function. You may have a lemon car. We look at what is a lemon car and how to avoid one.

Is My Car a Lemon? What To Do and How To Avoid Them

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