The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC): Under the UCC, a used-car sale automatically includes an implied warranty that the car is fit for transportation.What if Your State Doesn't Have a Used-Car Lemon Law?įor consumers who don't live in a state with a used-car lemon law, or whose state laws don't cover their individual situations, there are federal laws that may help: We found Car Lemon (an attorney referral site) and Autopedia's Lemon Law Information Page to have the broadest information on states' used-vehicle lemon laws. Many consumer advocacy sites, such as The Center for Auto Safety, discuss new car lemon laws in detail, but obtaining information on used-car laws is trickier.
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And a 1999 European Union directive allows consumers to seek redress for any problem that makes a vehicle unfit to drive for a full two years after the purchase.Īs is always the case when buying a car, the only way to fully protect yourself is to come armed with information. In France, for example, a car buyer may cancel the transaction up to seven days after the sale. For new cars, though, those terms extend to two years or 24,000 miles.īy contrast, many European consumers have stronger protections. "Most existing used-car lemon laws are so limited in scope - the number of days the car is covered and the allowable mileage - that the consumer may not experience the problem or won't have a chance to act on the problem in that time period," he said.įor example, Arizona law covers a used car only if a major component breaks within 15 days or 500 miles of its purchase - whichever comes first. Van Alst says that most states aren't very effective at protecting used-car buyers from the myriad ways they can be swindled. But only those states with true used-car lemon laws require the dealer to provide a replacement or refund for the car. Still other states, including North Carolina, have an unfair and deceptive practices statute that buyers can invoke. If those fixes don't work after several tries, the dealer usually must either replace the car or refund the buyer's money.Īt least seven states have some other form of used-car buyers' rights, requiring used-car warranties or setting minimum standards for the sale of used cars: They are Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. If the vehicle exhibits problems during the warranty period, the dealer gets a chance to repair them. The laws provide a statutory used-car warranty, often based upon the age or mileage of the vehicle. Currently, though, only six states - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York - have used-car lemon laws on the books. The frequency and severity of consumers' used-car problems has led some state legislatures to pass new laws.