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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the consumer, automotive or lemon laws in my state?
We're sorry, but we don't keep track of individual state laws. There are too many states to keep track of and we have too few employees..
The laws on contracts and redress vary from state to state, and municipality to municipality. It is important to ascertain what laws do apply. And if this is an interstate issue (more than one state is involved) you'll need to know the laws of both states.
It is always a good idea to contact the District Attorney or the Consumer Affairs Department in your area. These organizations often have lawyers that can give you a basic overview of the law, free of charge, before you contact an attorney. Sometimes they have special units that handle automotive or maintenance fraud as problems in these areas abound. To say the least.
Most lawyers have relatively low consultation fees, say $100 per hour for an initial consultation. (That's low!) Spending a few dollars on a problem where thousands have been invested makes good sense, most of the time.
Four sources of specialized lawyers are:
- State and county/city bar associations
- National Association of Consumer Advocates, Boston, MA
- Center for Auto Safety, Washington, DC
- Another attorney knowledgeable of others law practices in your area.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to hear about safety defects through their Hotline or website. So if the problems are safety related -- not just general maintenance problems or wear and tear -- register a complaint with them as well. You can check the large NHTSA databases with complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins on their website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/. Also technical service bulletins are available on the NHTSA site. This helps consumers know if the problem they are experiencing is common.
