Pennsylvania Lemon Law FAQ

What is the Pennsylvania Lemon Law?

In Pennsylvania, a vehicle (including cars and passenger trucks) may qualify as a lemon if a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle is reported to a dealer within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, and the vehicle requires more than three repair attempts to repair the defect or condition. The Lemon Law is also triggered if the vehicle is out of service for thirty days or more for any number of defects or conditions. Only the first report of a defect or condition must be reported within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles. The subsequent repair attempts or days out of service may occur after the first year.

What Does A PA Lemon Law Claim Cost?

Nothing! The PA Lemon Law requires the manufacturer to pay all of a plaintiff’s legal fees and court costs if you prevail. At Power & Associates, we take each case on a NO COST/NO FEE BASIS. When we win your case, the manufacturer pays our fees and costs. If we lose, you owe nothing!

How Long Does The PA Lemon Law Process Take?

The process can take as little as thirty days. However, manufacturers often refuse to follow the law and give you the remedies you are legally entitled to. If we cannot settle your claim directly with the manufacturer, we will file suit against them in a court of law. We generally say it takes anywhere from 1-10 months to settle a claim with the majority settling fairly quickly.

Does The Car Have To Be New?

To qualify under the Pennsylvania Lemon Law, you must have originally purchased or leased the car as new, although you can assert your lemon law claim years after the purchase or lease date. The Pennsylvania Lemon Law requires that the vehicle is purchased (or leased) and registered in Pennsylvania. . In addition, if you buy or lease a vehicle outside of Pennsylvania and immediately register the vehicle in PA, the Pennsylvania Lemon Law applies. If you purchased or leased a used vehicle that has recurring defects or conditions you may have a breach of warranty claim as long as the defects or conditions first arose when the car was under warranty.

Do I Have To Make A Lemon Law Claim In The First 12 Months Or 12,000 Miles?

Your car is covered under the Pennsylvania Lemon Law as long as you first report a substantial defect or condition within the first 12 months and 12,000 miles of vehicle use. The subsequent repair attempts can occur after the first 12 months and 12,000 miles. You have four years after the third repair attempt (or 30 days out of service) to formally file for lemon law relief.

What If My Car Problems Started After The PA Lemon Law Cut-off?

If your problems vehicle problems started after the lemon law cut off but while the vehicle was still under the manufacturer’s warranty, you may possess a Breach of Warranty claim.

What If The Dealership Can’t Reproduce Or Verify My Vehicle’s Defect?

Many Pennsylvania Lemon Law cases involve vehicles that have intermittent conditions, conditions that come and go. Often a dealership will inform a customer that they can’t fix a vehicle that won’t “act up” for them. The PA Lemon Law covers these situations. It is not the consumer’s fault that the dealership won’t spend the extra time to diagnose recurring problems. So long as you made the complaint to the dealership, it counts as a repair attempt under the lemon law whether or not the dealership performed a repair.

What Am I Entitled To If My Car Is A Lemon?

If your car qualifies as a lemon, the Pennsylvania Lemon Law states that the manufacturer must, at the consumer’s choice, either repurchase the vehicle or provide you with a comparable new vehicle. If you choose to have your vehicle repurchased, the repurchase price which the manufacturer must pay you is equal to the monies you have paid for the vehicle, including any down payment, any net trade in allowance and, if you financed the car, all car payments made. In addition, the manufacturer must pay off the balance on any vehicle car loan. There is a usage offset which is deducted from the monies you receive, but that amount is only 10 cents per mile on the number of miles you drove the vehicle until you first reported the defect or condition to a dealership. The mileage offset is never higher than $1,200. If you choose to have the manufacturer replace your vehicle with a comparable new vehicle, you are entitled to receive a comparably equipped new vehicle to replace your lemon.

Can I Settle For Cash And Keep My Vehicle?

Many consumers with PA Lemon Law claims wish to attain a cash settlement and keep their vehicles rather than obtain a repurchase or replacement vehicle. Manufacturers are are usually willing to discuss this form of settlement with us.

Do I Have A PA Lemon Law Claim If My Vehicle Was Finally Repaired?

The PA Lemon Law requires the manufacturer to repair the vehicle after a reasonable number of repair attempts which is usually defined as three repair attempts. If the dealership took more than three repair attempts or if the vehicle was out of service over thirty days, you still have a lemon law claim even if the car was ultimately repaired.

My Car Is A Lemon, What Should I Do?

Pennsylvania Lemon Law “KNOWLEDGE IS POWER” at Power & Associates. Let us evaluate your case and explain your rights. We can help you get a new car, a full refund, or a partial refund for your lemon under the PA Lemon Law at no cost to you! Call us at 1.866.536.6611 or use the email form on the right to tell us about your lemon and get FREE Lemon Aid.