When you purchase a new vehicle you expect it to be perfect, in the greatest majority of cases they are but periodically a car has problems that simply cannot be repaired. Fortunately for the buyer, the Ohio lemon law is there to help.
Qualifying as a lemon vehicle in the state of Ohio:
First off, to qualify as a lemon under Ohio law the vehicle must have one or more major unresolved problems that compromise the safety of passengers and the operator. The vehicles that are covered include passenger cars, light trucks and motorcycles as long as they are:
- Less than 12 months old
- There are less than 18,000 miles on the odometer
It is not a matter of simply telling the manufacture or the dealer that you want a replacement or your money back, you must first give them a reasonable opportunity to repair the defect. There must have been:
- A minimum of three attempts to rectify a single problem
- A minimum of eight attempts to rectify multiple problems
- The vehicle must have been in the shop for at least 30 days in total
In the event the defect is such that it could be the cause of serious injury or death the manufacturer only gets one chance to fix it.
Filing a complaint:
If your vehicle meets the criteria, under the Ohio lemon law you can ask the manufacturer to replace the vehicle with one which is the same or you can request a full refund of the money you paid for the vehicle.
To start the process, you must send the manufacturer a certified letter that details the problems and the attempts that have been made to rectify them. In the event the manufacturer agrees with your claim, your request will be met; if not, the manufacturer can request one final chance to fix the problem but that is up to you. If the manufacturer disagrees with your premise, the case will go to arbitration or if all else fails, you can sue for damages.
If the manufacturer fails to agree to either replace the vehicle or refund your money you should hire an Ohio lemon law lawyer. You are invited to visit us for complete details.
