Wisconsin has laws in place to protect car buying investment.. An experienced attorney can guide you through the procedures and advise you on whether your vehicle is eligible for relief . Wisconsin's Lemon Law, one of the strongest in the country, has now provided protection for Wisconsin consumers for over 24 years. Obtaining relief under the lemon law is a procedure that must be followed carefully. An attorney can be helpful in determining whether you have a lemon law claim and to guide you through the lemon law process. Under the law, a vehicle is considered a lemon if it has one or more defects that substantially impair its use, value or safety. Such defects must be covered by warranty, and problems must occur in the first year of the warranty coverage. Although defects and repair attempts must occur in the first year, vehicle owners have up to several years after that to file a lawsuit.
- The law provides for double damages if a consumer wins a Lemon Law case in court.
- The law provides for the manufacturer to pay actual attorney fees and costs if the consumer prevails.
- There is no mileage limitation.
- The law requires arbitration boards that have been certified by the state to strictly apply the lemon law to their decisions.
- There is no express statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit.
A consumer whose vehicle meets the definition of a lemon, having a substantial defect or condition, four repair attempts for the same problem or 30 days out of service for a variety of problems, needs to first contact the manufacturer to request a refund or replacement. The manufacturer has 30 days to respond. If the manufacturer does not respond or offer a refund or replacement vehicle, the consumer has a private right of action to sue the manufacturer in court.