MA Lemon Law Basics
Arbitration Manual New Car Leased Car
The Massachusetts Lemon Law protects consumers who have serious defects in their new cars. The lemon law defines a lemon as a new or leased motor vehicle that has a defect which substantially impairs the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle, and which has not been repaired after a reasonable number of attempts.
If your new or leased vehicle has a substantial defect that still exists or recurs after a reasonable number of repair attempts, then you may have the right to a refund or replacement vehicle. Keep in mind that not all car problems are serious enough to qualify under the massachusetts lemon law.
Vehicles Covered By The Massachusetts Lemon Law:
Any
new car, motorcycle, van or truck bought in Massachusetts from a
new-car dealer for personal or family purposes is covered by the Lemon
Law for the "term of protection" of one year or 15,000 miles of use
from the date of original delivery, whichever comes first. The lemon law also
covers vehicles that are resold during the one year or 15,000-mile
term-of-protection, and new vehicles leased after July 1, 1997.
Vehicles Not Covered By The Massachusetts Lemon Law:
- auto-homes;
- vehicles built primarily for off-road use;
- vehicles used primarily for business purposes;
- vehicles with defects caused by owner negligence, accidents, vandalism, or unauthorized repair of the vehicle by a person other than the manufacturer or authorized agent; or
- vehicles leased before July 1, 1997.
Term of Protection:
The
term of protection is one year or 15,000 miles of use from the date of
original delivery, whichever comes first. This means that the defects
you are complaining about and the required repair attempts must occur
during this period. However, the manufacturer’s final repair attempt
can take place after the term of protection.
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