Utah Lemon Laws

Sure that new car smell is nice, but what we really want from our automobiles is years of reliability. (And maybe the opportunity to open it up and see what it can do once in a while.) What we donâ€™t want from our new cars is old car problems.

So what can we do if our hot new ride is cooling its jets in the shop rather than racing on the open road? You may have a "lemon" on your hands, and the Beehive State has legal protections for new car buyers if the car has a habitual problem no repair shop can seem to fix. This is an introduction to â€œlemon lawsâ€ in Utah.

State Lemon Laws

States have enacted lemon laws to offer some financial protections for new car buyers and to encourage manufacturers and dealers to provide a reliable product. While lemon laws in other states may cover used car purchases, Utahâ€™s law only applies to new cars under warranty and leases.

Lemon Laws in Utah

The table below lists Utahâ€™s lemon law statutes.

Code Section	Utah Code 13-20-1, et seq.
Title of Act	New Motor Vehicles Warranties Act
Definition of Defects	Nonconformity to all applicable express warranties which significantly affects the use, safety, or market value of vehicle
Time Limit for Manufacturer Repair	Term of express warranties or 1 year following date of original delivery of vehicle to consumer, whichever is earlier
Remedies	Replace with comparable new vehicle or accept return and refund full purchase price, including all collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for consumer's use

Not every new car will qualify as a lemon. Here are a few general lemon law guidelines that might help you figure out if your new car is a lemon:

The vehicle must have a substantial nonconformity that appears within a certain time after purchase;
The nonconformity must be covered by a warranty; and
The nonconformity must continue to exist, even after a reasonable number of attempted repairs.

Related Resources for Lemon Laws

Car trouble can be a pain, and even more painful with a new car. And state lemon laws can be confusing, especially in determining what cars are covered. If you would like legal assistance regarding a possible lemon law matter, you can consult with a Utah lemon law attorney in your area. You can also find additional articles and information on this topic by visiting FindLaw's section on Lemon Laws.