Brigette Honaker  |  April 24, 2021

Category: Auto News

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mother and child on side of road with broken down car

The lemon law in Alaska offers consumers either a replacement or refund if their new vehicle suffers from a defect.

What is a Lemon?

When a vehicle has an unexpected, serious defect which impairs its use or safety, it is a “lemon.” Like the fruit they are named after, lemon vehicles can be a sour surprise for vehicle owners—especially when a defective vehicle is new.

To help consumers struggling with lemons, most states have a lemon law. Under these laws, manufacturers must fix the defect free of charge or provide either a refund or replacement. Although these lemon laws are common, each state’s exact requirements can differ.

Is There a Lemon Law in Alaska?

Some lemon laws cover both new and used vehicles, but the lemon law in Alaska covers only new vehicles. Specifically, the law covers issues within the first year of ownership or the vehicle’s express warranty period.

A new vehicle is a “lemon” under Alaska’s lemon law if it has had over three repair attempts done or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more business days due to repair attempts. These repair attempts and/or out of service days must occur during a vehicle’s first year of ownership or express warranty period, whichever expires first.

How Do I Take Action Under The Alaska Lemon Law?

If an Alaskan purchased a lemon vehicle which satisfies the state’s lemon law requirements, they can take action. There are several steps to follow in order to comply with the law’s specifications.

lemon law defective vehicle helpFirst, consumers need to provide a final, written notice to the manufacturer and its repairing agent informing the parties that the vehicle is a lemon. Within 30 days of receiving this notice, the manufacturer has the opportunity to make a final repair attempt.

After this period, manufacturers may accept that vehicles are lemons. In these cases, consumers simply need to choose between a replacement or a refund. Refunds do not include accrued finance charges. In fact, there may be deductions from the full purchase price for usage and depreciation due to neglect or damage.

Some manufacturers operate internal dispute settlement procedures to assist in this process. Unfortunately, some consumers may not agree with the decisions made in these programs. In these cases, consumers may want to consider legal action.

If a manufacturer’s dispute process is not approved by Alaska’s Attorney General, consumers do not have to go through this process before filing a lawsuit. However, if the program is approved, consumers must arbitrate their lemon law dispute through the manufacturer’s program before taking the company to court.

Arbitration and legal action can be stressful and complicated. To assist our readers, Top Class Actions provides connections to reputable, experienced lawyers who can help you through this process.

Join a Free Lemon Law Defective Vehicle Investigation

You may qualify for this Lemon Law investigation under the following circumstances:

  • You purchased your vehicle new;
  • Your purchased your vehicle in 2018-2020;
  • Your vehicle is still under warranty;
  • You have taken your vehicle in for repair several times; and
  • It is still having the same problem.

(Note: Residents of North Carolina do not qualify for this investigation.)

See if you qualify by filling out the form on this page for a case evaluation by experienced Lemon Law lawyers or call (877) 289-0615.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

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Join a Free Lemon Law Defective Vehicle Investigation

If you qualify, an attorney will contact you to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.

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