The State of Washington’s lemon law is found at RCW 19.118.031. It covers both new and nearly new vehicles that weigh under 19,000 pounds and have “substantial and continuing” problems that are under warranty. Such problems can trigger an arbitration hearing with the Washington Attorney General’s Office at no cost to the consumer.
The Length of the Warranty Is Important
In determining whether a vehicle is a lemon, the State of Washington looks at the entire length of a motor vehicle’s factory warranty. The owner or lessee need only take the vehicle in for repairs one time during the warranty period. After that, he or she must allow the manufacturer or its dealer a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle. For safety defects, two or more repair attempts might be deemed to be reasonable. Then, you can seek relief. Available remedies may include a refund, replacement of a vehicle, cash compensation for the diminished value of a vehicle, and/or other incidental or consequential damages.
Eligibility for a Hearing
A vehicle owner can request an arbitration hearing under the state’s lemon law at any point within 30 months of the vehicle’s initial retail delivery date. The person seeking arbitration need not be the original vehicle owner either, so long as he or she makes the arbitration request within 24 months of the delivery date and the first 24,000 miles. It doesn’t matter how many times the car has been sold during that period. An arbitration request will not be considered if it is made more than 30 months after a vehicle’s original delivery date.
If you believe that you might be eligible for arbitration under Washington’s lemon law, contact the Krohn & Moss Consumer Law Center to arrange for a free consultation and case assessment. You can use our easy contact form our website. Time is of the essence, so make that inquiry at your earliest possible convenience.
