Stop Paying for a Lemon: Florida New Car Lemon Law

When you buy a new car in Florida, you expect it to work properly. Cars can break down over time, but your brand-new vehicle should not have any major issues. If it needs repeated repairs, you may come to the conclusion that you have unfortunately been sold a lemon.

This is when it is important to understand Florida’s lemon law for new vehicles, and we can help at Cousins Law Firm. Founding attorney Patrick Cousins has more than three decades of legal experience, as our firm has been serving Florida since 1994. We offer free virtual consultations.

New Vehicle Lemon Law Claims In Florida

The new car lemon law in Florida applies to defects that impair your ability to use the vehicle. When you notice these defects, you have to report them to either the dealer or the manufacturer. As a general rule, you should make these reports within the first 24 months.

The first step will likely be to repair the defects, which the manufacturer has the option to do. You cannot immediately send it back. They need to have a reasonable number of opportunities to fix the vehicle so it adheres to accepted standards.

If this fails, however, then you may want to consider new vehicle lemon law claims. If your claim is successful, the manufacturer has to buy back your defective automobile. You will typically be given a replacement or just have the purchase price refunded to you.

How Many Reasonable Attempts To Fix A Car?

The manufacturer needs a reasonable number of attempts to repair a car before it is replaced or refunded. Often, this means that you can take it back for the same issue three times. If it is still not fixed, then the manufacturer may have one more opportunity to make the repairs, perhaps because the dealer simply could not do so adequately.

It is important to note that these recurring issues have to be the same problem every time. If you have three separate issues with the car and the dealer is able to repair all of them, you may not be able to start a lemon law claim. But if repair attempts do not fix problems that persist, you may need a new vehicle entirely.

Exploring Your Rights With A Consultation

New vehicle lemon law claims can be complex, and it is common to get some pushback from the dealer or manufacturer. It is important to understand your rights, so call Cousins Law Firm at 866-605-9909 or use the online contact form to set up your initial consultation with our experienced West Palm Beach lawyer.