Lemon Law

Ohio Lemon Law Lawyers

It is important to understand which vehicles are covered by Ohio's lemon law. Not every car that breaks down is a lemon. However, if you bought a car in Ohio and believe it may be a lemon as defined by law, you may need our help. Call or e-mail us at Willis & Willis Co., L.P.A., in Akron if your bad car fits the lemon description:

Ohio's lemon law applies to consumers who purchase or lease a new motor vehicle for personal use. According to this law, the vehicle will be presumed to be a lemon if, during the first year or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, the vehicle begins to experience problems and meets one or more of the four following criteria:

1. Substantially the same non-conformity has been subject to repair three or more times and either continues to exist or reoccurs;
2. The vehicle is out of service because of repair for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days;
3. There have been eight or more attempts to repair any non-conformity; or
4. There has been at least one attempt to repair a non-conformity that results in a condition that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven, and the non-conformity either continues to exist or reoccurs.

The purpose of lemon laws, and particularly Ohio's lemon law, is to put consumers back in the position they were in before they entered the ill-fated transaction. If you qualify, you have the choice to require the manufacturer to either replace the vehicle or repurchase the vehicle and reimburse the “full purchase price.” The “full purchase price” is defined as:

1. In the case of a sale, the contract price for the motor vehicle, including charges for transportation, undercoating, dealer-installed options and accessories, dealer services, dealer preparation, and delivery charges; all finance, credit insurance, warranty, and service contract charges incurred by the consumer; and all sales tax, license and registration fees, and other government charges.
   
   
2. In the case of a lease, the capitalized cost reduction, security deposit, taxes, title fees, all monthly lease payments, the residual value of the vehicle; and all finance, credit insurance, warranty, and service contract charges incurred by the consumer.

Justice for Consumers

Often, manufacturers argue that they are entitled to some type of set-off for the mileage the consumer put on the vehicle. This is contrary to Ohio law. As experienced trial attorneys, we fight for our clients' legal rights in lemon law cases.

Ohio’s lemon law requires the consumer to participate in an arbitration program prior to commencing suit, if that arbitration program is identified by the manufacturer and has been approved by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. While most manufacturers identify an arbitration program in their warranty book or owner’s manual, many of these have never been approved by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Our attention to this and other crucial details makes our law firm stand out for consumers whose rights we work to protect.

Ohio's Lemon Law Includes Provisions for Attorney's Fees

In addition to making the consumer whole by replacing the vehicle or reimbursing the “full purchase price,” Ohio’s lemon law entitles the consumer to reasonable attorney's fees. We often work on lemon law cases on a contingency basis and wait to be paid from the amount determined to be reasonable by the court or an amount agreed upon by all parties in a settlement.

If you have further questions regarding Ohio’s lemon law, please feel free to contact us by sending an e-mail or by calling 330-535-2000.

Serving Northeast Ohio and West Virginia.