Know Your Illinois Lemon Law Rights

You buy yourself a brand new dream car in Illinois. This new dream machine of yours would, instead of hitting the road, spend its time and your money in an auto repair shop. If this scenario rings bells in your own case, time you took advantage of the Illinois lemon law.

A lemon is a defective car that is found to have numerous or severe defects not readily apparent before its purchase. Any vehicle with these issues can be termed a 'lemon,' and for that matter, any product which has major flaws that render it unfit for its purpose can be described as a 'lemon'.

Here are a few questions most frequently asked by car consumers in Illinois and answers he must take cognizance about. It is possible that you would find answers to some of the questions that keep bugging you about the lemon status of your new vehicle.

How would I know if my new vehicle is a lemon?
According to the Illinois lemon law, a new vehicle is a lemon if:

* It has a nonconformity that substantially impairs its use, market value or safety
* The same nonconformity is not repairable by the dealer or manufacturer in at least four repair attempts
* The vehicle is out of service for a total of 30 or more business days

Which are the vehicles covered by the Illinois lemon law?
The Illinois lemon law covers:

* New cars purchased or leased
* Light trucks and vans under 8,000 pounds
* Recreational vehicles, excluding their trailers
* Vehicles in their first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first
* Vehicles purchased in Illinois

Which are the vehicles NOT covered by the Illinois lemon law?
The Illinois lemon law DOES NOT cover:

* Used cars
* Altered or modified vehicles
* Motorcycles and boats

How does the Illinois lemon law work?

To get the Illinois lemon law work:

* The consumer must contact a designated manufacturer representative for the lemon vehicle

How does a designated manufacturer representative help me with my lemon vehicle, under the Illinois lemon law?
Under the Illinois lemon law:

* This designated representative will ONLY forward the required information and forms to you
* The Illinois lemon law claims cannot be initiated directly through the dealer

Is there a time frame for filing my claim under the Illinois lemon law?
Under the Illinois lemon law:

* The time period in which an Illinois lemon law complaint has to be filed is 12 months from the date of purchase of the lemon vehicle

Can I proceed under the Illinois lemon law through my car dealer?
Under the Illinois lemon law:

* Your Illinois lemon law claims cannot be initiated directly through your car dealer

Many a consumer has lost his Illinois lemon law protection because he waited longer than 12 months from the purchase date of your lemon vehicle

How do I go about filing my claim under the Illinois lemon law?
Under the Illinois lemon law:

* Never ever believe that you can proceed under the Illinois lemon law through your dealer
* It is extremely important that you file your Illinois lemon law claim with your designated representative before your right to do so expires
* The time period in which an Illinois lemon law complaint has to be filed is 12 months from the date of purchase of the lemon vehicle

What compensations can I expect for my lemon vehicle under the Illinois lemon law?
Under the Illinois lemon law you can expect one of the following compensations:

* A replacement vehicle of similar value
* The manufacturer buys back your vehicle from you, less the value for miles driven

Do I have any other recourse if I fail to get protection under the Illinois lemon law?
If you fail to get protection under the Illinois lemon law there are:

* Other Federal and Illinois laws that deal with contracts and warranties for new products or cars
* Before deciding on a particular course of action, you are required to consult a lemon law attorney
* The lemon law attorney can discuss various alternatives and determine the best course of action for getting your consumer protection against your lemon vehicle

To get the best out of the Illinois lemon law, you should act promptly to try to resolve the problem fairly and quickly to your advantage.