A new car is a big investment, for many people, it is second only to buying a house. When you buy a new car, and it turns out to be plagued with problems, the Ohio Lemon Law can help.
What is a lemon in Ohio?
The Ohio Lemon Law covers passenger cars, light trucks, and motorcycles. To qualify under the law, the vehicle must be less than 12 months old, and the odometer must have less than 18,000 miles on it.
Before you can go ahead with a claim under the Lemon Law in Ohio, the manufacturer or dealer must have been given three opportunities to repair a single problem, and the vehicle must have been in the shop for repair of the problem for 30 days or more. If the fault is such that it could cause serious injury or death, only one attempt at repair is required.
Filing a complaint:
If your new vehicle meets the criteria, you have the right to request a replacement vehicle or a refund of the purchase price. To do this, you must send a certified letter to the manufacturer, detailing the issue as well as the efforts that were made to repair the problem. State whether you want a refund or replacement.
The manufacturer may meet your demand, however, in most cases you will be asked to allow one final attempt to fix the problem, whether you do or not is your choice.
If the manufacturer refuses to meet your demand, arbitration may be available.
Arbitration:
If the manufacturer of your vehicle has a recognized arbitration program in place, you must use it before filing a lawsuit.
Arbitration usually takes place over the phone, once the impartial arbitrator has heard the evidence, a decision will be made after a couple of weeks. In the event the arbitrator rules in favor of the manufacturer, you have every right to hire a Lemon Law attorney and file suit in civil court.
If you have purchased a new vehicle and it has repetitive problems, you may qualify for relief under the Ohio Lemon Law. For more details, you are invited to visit us.
