Generally (with a few exceptions), it has to be a new car and you have to be the original owner. You have to have purchased the car in the state where you live (again, with a few exceptions). You have to give the dealer several chances to repair it (typically 3 or 4 tries). Or it has to sit at the dealers for more than 30 days. And the issue typically has to be safety related, or a major kind of defect. Something like a busted air conditioner can be in a gray area some places..
In some states, even after you win, you have to give the dealer one final chance to fix your car.
If you don't otherwise qualify for lemon law, you can still talk to a lemon lawyer or your state's consumer protection agency. You may be able to get some help under another theory, like a warranty kind of claim.
Answers
Generally (with a few exceptions), it has to be a new car and you have to be the original owner. You have to have purchased the car in the state where you live (again, with a few exceptions). You have to give the dealer several chances to repair it (typically 3 or 4 tries). Or it has to sit at the dealers for more than 30 days. And the issue typically has to be safety related, or a major kind of defect. Something like a busted air conditioner can be in a gray area some places..
In some states, even after you win, you have to give the dealer one final chance to fix your car.
If you don't otherwise qualify for lemon law, you can still talk to a lemon lawyer or your state's consumer protection agency. You may be able to get some help under another theory, like a warranty kind of claim.
Think You've Been Stuck With a Lemon?
Used-Car Lemon Laws
Here's another angle to think about:
The Secret Warranty