Defining Lemons
Lemon laws require that the company who manufactured a product must
refund, replace, or repair the product when the product malfunctions.
Lemon laws most often are in relation to the automotive trade but are
possible in other trades. When a motor vehicle is refunded, the
manufacturer is required to pay the selling price.
Lemon laws are only possible if the product is defective upon purchase
and to no fault of the owner. The United States has yet to create
federal lemon laws, so each state has their own guidelines for handling
this type of problem.
To reduce fraud on the system only certain types of problems will be
named as lemons. Normally if an individual has taken his or her new
motor vehicle to be repaired four or five times for the same problem,
the odds are the problem qualifies as a lemon. The motor vehicle
problem must, legally, be associated with safety, motor vehicle usage,
or value. In general terms lemon law save consumers from being trapped
by faulty, new motor vehicles.
Wyoming Basics
Lemon laws in Wyoming were created to aid buyers when purchasing new
vehicles. This state has quite a wide range of defects that it names as
lemons. These include transmission problems, engine problems, paint
defects, brake problems, electrical problems, rattles, bad smells,
vibrations, water leaks, steering problems, and other specific defects.
When defects do not come under Wyoming's list of defects, an individual
may take his or her motor vehicle to another state where the defect is
legal.
Chapter Seventeen
Wyoming lemon law Chapter 17, 40-17-101 defines several important
basics to the state's lemon law system. This chapter states whom is a
consumer, what exactly a motor vehicles is, what the allowable consumer
use is on reasonable terms, and defines a manufacturer's warranty or
express warranty. Though these terms may seem apparent, to avoid fraud
the state of Wyoming has defined every detail.
Chapter Seventeen also states that amount of time in which a motor
vehicle can be repaired, generally one year. In some cases of
nonconformity, the one-year limit is extended. Another section of the
chapter states that if the manufacturer is unable to repair or refund
the fair market price of a motor vehicle, they company is required to
replace to vehicle with the same model or refund the money including
interest and collateral charges.
Wyoming lemon laws of Chapter Seventeen even state the minimum number
of repairs a consumer must attempt prior to consulting lemon laws.
State laws say three or more attempts is normally applicable or when a
motor vehicle cannot be used for thirty or more business days because
of repairs. Wyoming even has a section stating that no other state or
federal statute may construe consumer rights nor can rights be
eliminated.
Nevertheless consumers must first exhaust their remedies under state
and federal regulations before refund, repair, or replacement is
possible. Lemon laws are not applicable to consumers in Wyoming who
have altered their motor vehicles or caused abuse, neglect, or
modification in an unauthorized manner. Manufacturers must also receive
prior notification of the malfunction before legal action can take
place.