Is Your RV a Lemon? Here’s What the RV Lemon Law Has to Say About Your Rights.
You love driving your RV, and you depend on it to keep you safe when you’re camping, hiking, fishing, and engaging in other activities that send you trekking through the wilderness. It can be frustrating at best – and scary at worst – when your RV experiences mechanical and/or electrical problems that leave you concerned about its reliability.
If you’re dealing with this irritating problem, good news: you’re protected. Lemon laws can force your manufacturer to pay up or replace your RV if you’re dealing with a lemon. In addition to federal legislation that protects consumers against lemon RVs, each state also has a Commercial Code law and a Consumer Act that provides you with further protection.
If you’re driving a recently-purchased RV that seems to break down again and again, now is the time to reach out to a lawyer to learn more about RV lemon laws. You spent a serious amount of money on your RV, and you deserve to have a recreational vehicle that’s dependable, reliable, and safe.
What’s The Federal Lemon Law?
The official name of the federal lemon law is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. No matter what the lemon laws in your state, the federal lemon law act protects you if you’ve purchased an RV that turned out to be a lemon.
The federal lemon law provides people who have purchased defective vehicles with financial relief. Your lawyer can work with you to help you understand whether your current situation with your defective RV could qualify you for compensation under the federal RV lemon law.
How Do I Know If My RV Is a Lemon?
Simply put, a lemon is a vehicle that hasn’t driven well since day one. No matter how many trips you make to the mechanic or how much money you invest in repairs, a lemon never quite drives correctly. You might find that you’re dealing with slow acceleration, electrical problems, mechanical issues, or other problems that stop you from fully enjoying your RV.
If you’re driving a lemon, you likely spend more time worrying about whether your RV will get you safely to your destination and back home again than thinking about fun adventures to take in your vehicle.
Owning a lemon can be frustrating, especially after you’ve invested a large portion of your savings into your RV. If you’re spending more time repairing your RV than enjoying it, there’s a good chance that you’re dealing with a lemon.
Should I Have Repairs Done On My RV?
When you realize that you’re dealing with a lemon, it can be tough to know what to do next. You may be tempted to take your RV in for repairs so that you’re able to enjoy it (even though this has proven, time and again, to only keep your RV up and running for a short time).
If you’re trying to decide whether it makes sense to continue to take your RV in for repairs, talk with a lawyer before you shell out cash to have your RV fixed.
My Manufacturer Is Offering an Extended Warranty. Should I Take It?
In a word: no. If you accept an extended warranty from your manufacturer, you could void your chance for compensation under the federal lemon law. When your RV manufacturer offers an extended warranty, they’re offering to fix your vehicle again – but you’ve likely already tried going that route.
If your vehicle has a single problem that needs to be fixed, a warranty is helpful. If you’re exploring lemon law compensation options, it’s unlikely that another trip to the mechanic is going to solve the problems you’re having with your RV. It’s a better idea to talk with a lawyer about how you can use the federal lemon law to help you get compensation or a replacement for your RV.
How Am I Protected?
If you’ve made reasonable attempts to repair your RV and you’re continuing to have issues that stop you from enjoying your vehicle, you may be protected by the federal lemon law. When you reach out to a lawyer, you’ll go over the details of the issues you’ve had with your RV, and together, you’ll decide whether you have a case.
If you don’t have current records of all the times you’ve had your RV serviced, check in with your mechanic to get your vehicle’s service history. This can help you begin to build your case with your lawyer.
If you’re driving a lemon, you deserve better. Reach out to a lawyer today for a consultation on whether you have a case that may entitle you to compensation under the federal RV lemon law.
