While the PA Lemon Law is fairly comprehensive, it does not cover every conceivable problem that you might encounter with your vehicle. All the following are generally off the table when it comes to Pennsylvania’s Lemon Law:

• Any problems with the vehicle that can be attributed to negligence on the part of the vehicle’s owner
• Any problems with the vehicle that were caused by work performed on it by anyone other than its manufacturer, an authorized dealer, or another authorized service provider
• Any defects or problems associated with the vehicle that do not significantly affect its safety, value, or overall use
• And defects associated with the vehicle that were caused by vandalism, an accident, or an act of God

In order to trigger legal protections under the Pennsylvania Automobile Lemon Law, the first repair your vehicle requires must happen within the first 12 months of owning the new vehicle or within the first 12,000 miles of driving it. At this point, if your vehicle requires two or more repairs related to the same defect or problem without a reasonable solution, you can proceed with a Lemon Law claim. Additionally, if your vehicle requires more than a total of 30 days in the shop during its first year, the Lemon Law applies. While there is no statute of limitations (or time limit for filing a lawsuit) addressed in the state’s Lemon Law, you generally have four years from the date of the third related repair in question to do so. You are well-advised, however, to address the matter sooner rather than later.

If your car purchase turns out to be a lemon – or you think it might be – the most important step that you can take is reaching out to a seasoned Pennsylvania Lemon Law attorney. A vehicle is a major purchase, and Lemon Law claims are complicated, which makes proceeding with professional legal counsel on your side very well advised. A skilled Lemon Law attorney will assertively advocate for your rights – in the focused pursuit of a claim resolution that works for you.

Exceptions to PA State Lemon Law and Breach of Warranty

A claim for lemon law must be filed within 4 years after the purchase or lease of the vehicle. There are exceptions to this rule that state that the 4 years starts when the consumer knew or should have known of the breach.

Commercial vehicles, motorcycles, motor homes and off-road vehicles are not included under lemon law, but may be covered under breach of warranty.

Extended warranties and service contracts are excluded from breach of warranty claims.  The issue must be covered under the original manufacturer’s warranty.

To qualify as a lemon in the State of Pennsylvania, the precipitating problem must have occurred during the first 12 months (or 12,000 miles) that you owned the new vehicle. If your car’s problem or defect did not come to light until after this date, the state’s Lemon Law won’t apply, but if your vehicle is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, you may have a viable breach of warranty claim.