People often buy new cars for the peace of mind that comes with trouble-free ownership, especially in the first few years. However, some new cars, despite being brand new, can have significant manufacturing issues that persist even after several repair attempts. These problematic cars are often referred to as ‘lemons.
If you’re eyeing a Jeep or just got one, beware of potential issues—it’s not uncommon. Imagine getting your dream Jeep, only to face costly repairs that never quite fix the issue. It’s a situation no one wants to be in.
Here’s what to do if your Jeep turns out to be a lemon. This guide helps you avoid lemons and know your options if you end up with one, so keep reading.
What Is a Lemon?
Understanding what a lemon car is helps you avoid buying one or handling the hassle if you do. Luckily, only about 1% of new cars end up being lemons, so the chances of encountering one are pretty low.
Each state has its own rules for lemon cars, which are vehicles with serious issues. Generally, a car is considered a lemon if it has major problems or can’t be fixed after several attempts.
- A significant issue covered by the warranty, occurring within a specific mileage or time after buying the car.
- A recurring problem that stays despite several repair tries.
To find out if your car’s a lemon, check these details. Lemon laws typically cover new cars, with some exceptions
Substantial Defects
A ‘substantial defect’ means something wrong with your car that really affects how safe or useful it is. For instance, peeling paint might not make your car unsafe, but it can seriously lower its resale value. On the other hand, a tiny paint drop probably won’t hurt its value or safety much.
Reasonable Repair Attempts
For the lemon law to apply, the issue must be a safety concern, like faulty brakes or steering that hasn’t been fixed after one repair attempt. If the problem doesn’t affect safety, the manufacturer might get up to three or four chances to fix it, depending on where you live. Also, if your car has been in the shop for 30 days or more within a year, it could qualify under the lemon law, even if there are multiple problems.
What Are Lemon Laws?
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, nicknamed the lemon law, helps protect consumers from factory defects in products, even beyond the manufacturer’s warranty period.
While the specifics of this federal law can differ by state, the idea is consistent: the buyer shouldn’t pay anything for repairs, replacements, or refunds.
This law covers anyone purchasing a car, truck, commercial vehicle, motorcycle, boat, or wheelchair. Regardless of how much time has passed, the manufacturer must fix any factory defects using one of these methods.
What Defines a “Lemon”?
In many states, a car is considered a lemon if it has a major problem covered by the warranty that shows up within a certain time or mileage after purchase. The issue must remain unresolved after several attempts to fix it. Generally, these rules apply to new cars, though there are some exceptions.
What Type of Issues May Qualify Your Jeep as a Lemon?
Whether you drive your Jeep every day or just for off-road fun, you count on it to work reliably in any conditions. Yet, Jeeps are known for having recurring mechanical problems that even repair shops struggle to fix, despite numerous tries.
Many jokes circulate about Chrysler’s reliability, especially among Jeep enthusiasts. If you’ve faced persistent issues with your Jeep from day one, it might qualify as a lemon. Mopar.com even has a section on lemons, and there are experts in lemon laws specifically for Jeeps. These facts suggest that more than a few faulty Jeeps have rolled off the production line.
When it comes to faults that might label your Jeep as a lemon, there are several common ones. These include error codes acting up, brake problems, steering issues, electrical glitches, stalling, coolant troubles, and fuse seating problems.
Here’s a breakdown of the common problems Jeep owners face per model:
- Grand Cherokee: engine, leak, transmission, and dashboard issues
- Compass: engine, leak, vibration, and dashboard issues
- Gladiator: steering defects, engine and transmission issues
- Patriot: engine, leak, vibration, and dashboard issues
- Wrangler: engine, leak, fuse seating issues, and dashboard issues
What Should You Do if You Think Your Jeep Is a Lemon?
If you discover your new Jeep has issues, you might not spot them right away at the dealership. But if it turns out to be a lemon, a lawyer can help you get a replacement, refund, or buyback without paying legal fees. Stellantis, the manufacturer, is required by law to cover these costs.
Keep track of your Jeep’s service records to show it might be a lemon. Also, keep copies of all your letters and emails with the manufacturer or dealer.
Keep any receipts and repair records for your Jeep to track its service history. It’s also a good idea to see if other Jeep owners have similar problems.
You can find your Jeep’s vehicle identification number by checking online on a recall page or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. This info can help if you need to show your Jeep is a lemon.