Nobody likes taking their car to the shop, but after the third or fourth time you may be thinking your vehicle may be a lemon. Depending on the type of problem and age of your car, Iowa’s “Lemon Law” could help. Known officially as Iowa’s Defective Motor Vehicles law, this regulation covers cars, light trucks and vans with less than 24,000 miles, less than two years old, and still under the manufacturer’s warranty. Kevin Wittrock, dealer-owner of Wittrock Motor Company, explains what exactly qualifies a car as a lemon.
Issues that qualify a vehicle under the Lemon Law are if your vehicle has been in a shop three or more times for the same problem and the issue still exists, the vehicle has been in a shop for a potentially dangerous defect or your automobile has been out of commission for 20 or more total days. Wittrock says it is rare for a car to be classified as a lemon and even rarer that it goes to court.
Wittrock says that most manufacturers will work with a customer if serious problems occur with their new vehicle. He points out that the Lemon Law is between the owner and the manufacturer of a vehicle, but the dealership can be a huge help when working through a possible lemon situation.
If you believe you have a vehicle that qualifies under the law, the Iowa Office of the Attorney General suggests you contact a private attorney.
