Colorado Lemon Laws
Colorado’s lemon laws state that if the buyer of a new vehicle finds a major fault in it – which the manufacturers are unable to fix even after 4 valid attempts by the vehicle manufacturer to repair it – the manufacturer is liable to repurchase or replace the faulty vehicle. This law applies to the vehicle for a period of 1 year since the vehicle’s purchase, or until the vehicle’s express warranty ends, and if the vehicle meets the eligibility criteria as specified by Colorado’s state laws, the owner of the vehicle can claim their lemon aid and demand the manufacturers to provide them with the necessary reimbursement, in the form of a refund or replacement of the faulty vehicle, through an informal dispute settlement such as arbitration, or by taking the matter to the civil court if necessary. This law does not apply for motorhomes and motorcycles.
Colorado Lemon Laws Eligibility
For a vehicle to be eligible for compensation under Colorado’s lemon laws, it must be a self-propelled vehicle, pickup truck or van. The law is not valid for motorhomes and motorcycles. If the vehicle does not conform to the manufacturer’s warranty within the first year of its purchase, and this fault significantly deteriorates the vehicle’s market value, usability and safety, the manufacturer is given 4 attempts at repairing it. These defects must considerably have impaired the vehicle, and need to have been caused by the manufacturer. If these faults are a result of the vehicle owner’s attempts at installing a new part, abuse or neglect in which the manufacturer was not involved in whatsoever, the vehicle lemon claim will not be considered. The manufacturer needs to fail to repair your vehicle in each of these attempts for it to be considered a lemon. In other cases, if the vehicle remains with the manufacturer for repair reasons for over 30 days, the customer is then eligible to file for lemon aid.
Colorado Lemon Aid
Before the customer claims that their vehicle is a lemon, the manufacturer needs to have failed all the valid attempts at repairing the vehicle. If that happens, the owner should then send to the manufacturer a letter demanding that they be given a replacement of the model, or have their money refunded. On receiving this letter, the manufacturer will try to fix the vehicle one last time. If that fails, they will then proceed towards settling the matter through arbitration, which either means that you will be given a refund, or the vehicle shall be repurchased. This final choice can be made by the owner.
Does the Colorado Lemon Law Apply to Used Vehicles?
Colorado’s Lemon Law allows for vehicle owners to file a complain for whichever is sooner between 6 months after the vehicles warranty expires, or 1 year after the customer has received the vehicle. This is transferable to used vehicles, but it unfortunately means that most used vehicles do not qualify as the one year since taking posession has expired.