Idaho Lemon Law for vehicles

Whenever you buy something new, whether it’s the latest phone or a pen, you expect it to work as it should. Larger purchases are the same, and so when you buy a new car, it really should be the reliable, effective transport it is claimed to be. Most of the time, a new car is just that, but sometimes things go wrong, and you can end up with a new vehicle that cannot be relied on, but what do you do about it?

The good news is that if you do end up with one of those rare vehicles that never quite work properly even after multiple attempts to repair them, there is help at hand. Legislation that many are unaware of exists in the state, known as the Idaho lemon law, this set of regulations is there to protect you from these unreliable vehicles. The lemon law in Idaho covers vehicles that are subject to a manufacturer’s written warranty, have been purchased and licensed in Idaho, and weigh 12,000ibs or less. The vehicle must have been purchased primarily for business or personal, family or household use on the public highway. However, the Idaho lemon law does exclude motorcycles, farm tractors, ATVs and trailers.

With this protection in place, you can make a new vehicle purchase with confidence, knowing that a lemon car in Idaho I extremely unlikely in the first place, and you are well covered if the worst should happen. However, as with any legal process, if you do need to file acclaim under the lemon law in Idaho, it is important to do so the correct way to get the result you need. To ensure that you avoid any mistakes with your Idaho lemon vehicle, we have created a guide to help you every step of the way.

How does a vehicle qualify for the Idaho lemon law?

If you find yourself stuck with a vehicle that you cannot rely on, that is in the shop for repairs more often than it is on the road, or that has a constant problem that never seemed to be fixed, then there are ways to deal with things. Before we look at qualifying under the Idaho lemon law, it is important to remember that not every problem or fault means that you have a lemon car. There are valid reasons for this, because if every small problem could result in a replacement vehicle or refund, we would have few if any dealers or manufacturers left.

If you do have a problem with your new vehicle, it should of course be dealt with swiftly for you by the dealer, and it is this that is central to understanding whether your vehicle qualifies as a lemon vehicle in Idaho.

Idaho lemon car requirements

For your vehicle to qualify as a lemon car under the Idaho lemon law, the fault or faults must occur and be reported within either two years from purchase, 24,000 miles or the expiration of the manufacturer’s warranty, whichever comes first. Within this qualifying [period, one or more of the following must have occurred:

• The manufacturer or dealer have made four or more attempts to repair a problem thataffects the usability or safety of the vehicle under warranty
• The manufacturer or dealer have unsuccessfully attempted to repair a fault once that has caused a complete failure of the steering or braking system and which is likely to cause death or serious injury.
• The vehicle has been unavailable to use for more than thirty days in total, not necessarilyconsecutively, when dealing with warranty problems.

Because the lemon law in Idaho is tied to the duration of themanufacturer’s warranty, it is vital that you maintain all warranty requirementsthroughout this process. That means only using approved repair centers and following all recommended servicing schedules, even if the vehicle is constantly being repaired. It can be tempting to think a service is not worth it, but that will only hinder your lemon car claim.

Proving your Idaho lemon law claim

Along with the strict guidelines of what does and does not qualify as a lemon car in Idaho, as with any legislation that results in a legal case, you will be required to prove everything that has caused you to file a claim under the lemon law in Idaho.

This is crucial to your success, but of course it means taking steps to document everything even before you know that you have a lemon. For this reason, if you buy a new vehicle, always document everything. From your service and repair bills to conversations with the dealer about the problems. To qualify as a lemon car, your vehicle must have had at least four unsuccessful attempt to repair a specific problem, or it has been in the shop for 30 days in total during the warranty period. The best way of achieving this is to document everything connected to your vehicle, this includes:

• All phone calls regarding the vehicle. This should include dates, name of theperson you talked to and what the call was about, any promises made.
• All written correspondence, including service bills, repair confirmations and so on.
• Any conversations with your dealer about ongoing issues should be included in their service notes

Remedies available from the lemon law in Idaho

Because the legislation itself sets out the remedies available for consumers who have made a successful lemon law claim, you know what you are working towards. The options on offer are:

• Replace the vehicle with another of comparable features and value
• Refund the purchase price of the vehicle, with a deduction to cover the reasonable cost of any use of the vehicle.

The lemon law in Idaho also covers leased vehicles, with the vehicle returned and a refund of payments made including any early termination fee.If you are awarded a refund, there is an arbitrage process for manufacturers in Idaho that you must go through if the manufacturer requests.

Filing a claim under the lemon law in Idaho

One of the important things to understand about filing a claim under the Idaho lemon law is that the manufacturer will defend the case. Their legal team will feature expensive legal representatives who are well briefed, and they will seek to undermine your claim and avoid the payout. In these circumstances, while it is possible to represent yourself, it is unwise.

Whether in court or during arbitration, you are better served by using an experienced lawyer to represent your case. This will guarantee the best chance of a successful outcome for your claim under the Idaho lemon law.