Jul 09 2019

The automobile industry is fully aware of your lemon law rights and the money they lose whenever a successful case is brought against them. In the State of Texas, you can assert your lemon law rights by following the “reasonable repair attempts” rule and saving your repair invoices, but what happens when the automobile manufacturer willingly delays your ability to prove that your defective automobile is really a lemon? 

As Texas Lemon Law attorney who have handled hundreds and hundreds of claims against automobile manufacturers for drivers in the Lone Star State, we believe that all drivers should be wary of how automobile manufacturers can compromise their lemon law rights. 

They Said It Was Fixed…

Excitement can quickly turn to agitation when your new car’s transmission warning light appears out of nowhere. To see what’s wrong, you’ll likely have to take the day off from work and visit the service center at the dealership you purchased the vehicle from. Fortunately, knowing that your vehicle is still under warranty, you’re confident that the issue will be resolved quickly and at no expense to you. 

When you arrive, the lead service technician will probably look you square in the eye, shake your hand, and assure you that your car will be fine. And a few days later when you return, that very same tech might tell you: “It’s fixed!” And you’ll be pleased with the news. Unfortunately, the light flashes on three months later, and you’re forced to bring it back to the dealership. Now, you have two problems:

  1. Your automobile is in disrepair.
  2. You’re three months closer to the Texas Lemon Law statute of limitations.

Subpar repairs can jeopardize your ability to file a lemon law claim by giving you a temporary fix to a dire problem. Your car might function fine in the short-term, but if the statute of limitations passes and it turns out that your “fixed” vehicle is actually defective, you’ll be the one left footing the bill. If your new vehicle is spending more and more time in the repair shop, don’t waste time, consult a Texas Lemon Law attorney.

Waiting for Authorization

Sometimes, the service technicians at the dealership you purchased your car from won’t be able to fix your vehicle. When this happens, they may tell you that they need “authorization” from the manufacturer to fix your car. In this scenario, the manufacturer will typically send a representative to assess your vehicle. It could take weeks for a representative to finally arrive, which eats into the statute of limitations for your lemon law rights. To further complicate matters, a visit from a representative doesn’t guarantee that your vehicle will be fixed. In some cases, they may even ignore the issue and claim that your vehicle meets their standards for quality. 

When the dealership tells you that they need authorization before fixing your vehicle, consult a Texas Lemon Law attorney to ensure that your lemon law rights are maintained. 

If you would like to speak with one of our Texas Lemon Law attorney, please submit our free case evaluation form today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.