The dealership reset the check engine light before both of my test-drives and claimed it had no issues
Posted March 23, 2015Anyone that has recently leased or purchased a vehicle will expect that the car is in reasonably good condition, but what happens when the customer finds out they were mislead by the dealer? One of the most common ways for dealers to mislead customers is to reset the check engine light just before making a sale. Not only will this change the value of the car, but it could also affect the safety of the vehicle and its passengers. Pennsylvania Lemon Laws, also referred to as Automobile Lemon Laws, may protect customers that have recently found themselves in this situation.
When is the Dealer responsible?
One of the biggest factors in this situation will be if the vehicle was new or used. If you purchase or lease a used vehicle, then this situation may fall under consumer protection laws. These laws were designed to ensure that customers would not be misled or completely lied to when purchasing any product. The Lemon Laws take place if the vehicle is new or kept under a certain amount of miles. The key points of these laws state that the dealer must fix any major defects at no cost to the driver if the defects were there before the vehicle was sold.
Unfortunately, if the dealer has purposefully reset the check engine prior to making a sale, then drivers are most likely dealing with an unscrupulous dealer and will need legal help. These cases require in-depth knowledge about the Lemon Laws as well as the multitude of consumer protection laws that may apply. This begins with attempting to have the dealer remedy the situation without a civil trial or out-of-court mediation. Depending on the type of car that was purchased or leased, the dealer may have three attempts to fix the problem before the vehicle must be labeled as a “lemon” and replaced or refunded.
Time restraints in The Lemon Law
If the dealer refuses to meet their legal obligations, then you will need to work closely alongside our attorney to come up with a plan. An important point to remember in this process is that you only have a limited time to exercise your rights. Generally, you have under one year or 12,000 miles for this entire process to be solved amicably. Once the vehicle has been off the lot for over a year or has been driven for over 12,000 miles, the driver may lose some of their options when it comes to reimbursement and it becomes more difficult to prove that the defects existed before the sale.
If you or a loved one need help in dealing with Lemon Laws call (405) 528-5520 or contact us online today.