Every year, thousands of defective motor vehicles in Pennsylvania and the rest of the United States are bought back by manufacturers because of repair issues. Despite popular belief, the titles of these vehicles are not marked to indicate that they are lemons. The manufacturers will resell the same vehicles, even if they have not been repaired. These vehicles could then be back on the roads and back in need of repair.
There are lemon laws in every state in the country, and they establish minimum standards for having vehicles repaired under warranty. For vehicles with defects that cannot be repaired after multiple attempts or within a certain time period, the manufacturer is required to buy the vehicle back or give the consumer a non-defective vehicle in its place.
What happens to the lemon vehicles will depend on the state where the vehicles are shipped. However, a lemon could be sold again to a new consumer who may not be aware of the vehicle’s unsavory repair history.
Special titles are often used for vehicles that have unusual histories. It is the practice in many states to have the titles branded so that owners and potential buyers are aware that there is a notable history attached to the vehicle, but the manner in which the title branding is handled depends on state laws, which vary widely.
An attorney who practices consumer protection law may assist a client who unknowingly purchased a lemon vehicle. In many cases, financial compensation could be warranted. The seller of the vehicle and the vehicle’s manufacturer may be sued for misrepresentation and hidden damage.