You may be experiencing problems with your vehicle and wonder how you will prove your lemon law claim. Repair orders provide proof that you attempted to get your car or truck fixed. They detail exactly what happened when you brought the vehicle in to the dealer. As we review the lemon law process, we’ll show how repair records support your case. They form the basis of evidence that can prove the manufacturer has not held up their obligations under the vehicle warranty.
Obtaining and organizing your dealer repair records goes a long way to setting the stage for a successful lemon law claim. We’ll discover what’s included in repair reports and how you can use these, along with your scheduled maintenance reports, to demonstrate how you were proactive with car care. We’ll also see how a lemon law lawyer puts repair and maintenance records together into a cohesive case that holds the manufacturer accountable for your vehicle’s defects.
Repair Orders and State Lemon Laws
How could a simple repair order be of any use in a lemon law case? Wouldn’t it be pretty evident through a quick glance at dealership records that a person’s car had been seen by a technician? An attorney knows exactly how to use these records to help build your lemon law claim.
Getting started with the lemon law process requires qualifying the vehicle as a lemon. This is done, initially, by reviewing if the car passes this basic test: it must exhibit a substantial defect that impairs its use, value, or safety. The defect must persist after a “reasonable” number of repair attempts. The defect must occur within a specific warranty period.
How do repair orders fit in with this definition of a lemon vehicle? Repair orders support that you did bring the vehicle in for repair attempts, and that the manufacturer has failed to meet their warranty obligations by not repairing it.
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What Do Repair Orders Include?
Repair orders are detailed records provided by repair facilities, typically authorized dealerships. They provide specifics about each service visit. The records include the date of service, the vehicle’s mileage, the reported issue, the diagnostic steps taken, the repairs performed, and the outcome.
The key is that these records establish a repair timeline. They show that you sought repairs for a recurring or unresolved issue. For example, if a vehicle’s transmission fails repeatedly despite multiple repair attempts, the repair orders will show the dates of service, the specific complaints, and whether the issue was fixed. Since proving that the defect persists is part of the lemon law definition, repair records showing no resolution are vital. These records also will show how many times you tried to get the dealer to work on the vehicle. As we mentioned, each state has a required number of repair attempts that the manufacturer is allowed. Repair records track those and prove that you satisfied the required number.
How Repair Orders Can Point to Breach of Warranty
When defining “breach of warranty,” two points can be made. One is that a breach of warranty occurs when the manufacturer or dealer fails to uphold the terms of the vehicle’s express warranty. This is often provided in writing. It guarantees that the vehicle will perform as promised for a certain period. There is also what’s termed an implied warranty, such as the warranty of merchantability. This means that the vehicle is fit for its intended purpose. A breach of the manufacturer’s warranty occurs if a defect covered by the warranty remains unresolved after reasonable repair attempts, or if the manufacturer refuses to repair it.
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Example: Repair orders show that a vehicle was taken to the dealership four times for a brake system failure. Each repair attempt failed to resolve the issue. This failure demonstrated the manufacturer’s inability to honor the warranty. If the manufacturer denies repair coverage for a defect that should be covered, the repair orders (or denial documentation) confirm the breach.
Recommendation: Provide Scheduled Maintenance Records and Repair Orders to Your Lemon Law Attorney
Your attorney will prepare you for potentially evasive or dismissive actions by the manufacturer. Manufacturers sometimes argue that the defect resulted from owner neglect or improper maintenance, voiding the warranty. Your records of regular oil changes, tire rotations, and other routine maintenance will prove otherwise.
The repair orders establish the defect’s persistence and the manufacturer’s failure to resolve it. This directly supports the breach of warranty claim. Together, your maintenance and repair documents create a strong case: the vehicle has a significant, unresolved defect despite proper care and multiple repair attempts. This points to your entitlement to compensation under lemon law, such as a replacement vehicle or refund.
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Summary: How Repair Orders Prove a Warranty Breach
Repair orders document a vehicle’s defect history. They help the attorney establish a timeline of how you brought the car or truck to the dealer for repairs, only to have the repairs fail. Your lawyer will combine your maintenance records (which protect you against claims of owner neglect) with your repair records, to build a strong case to hold the manufacturer accountable for breach of warranty. This dual approach ensures the evidence is comprehensive, maximizing the likelihood of a successful claim.
Why You Need a Lemon Law Attorney
From the beginning of your case where the attorney determines if your vehicle qualifies as a lemon per state law, to reviewing your warranty and your maintenance and repair records, the lawyer builds a timeline. Your case’s success depends on it withstanding challenges from the manufacturer. The presentation of repair order evidence illustrates a breach of warranty (if the records show the vehicle was not repaired or the manufacturer refused to repair it, over the required minimum number of attempts). They show that the manufacturer did not honor the warranty, and you can legally make a claim for compensation.
Your lemon law attorney, through experience, knows how manufacturers may try to dismiss or diminish the importance of your claim. The attorney will hold firm and prove that your claim is valid, backed up by repair record evidence. That’s why entrusting your case to the attorney’s expertise protects your rights and provides you with the best opportunity to get the compensation you are legally due.
Lemon laws are confusing. Read our guide to the lemon law complaint process.
Trust Allen Stewart, P.C. for Expert Lemon Law Representation
As we’ve seen, it takes the knowledge, experience and expertise of a lemon law attorney to build a strong case and win compensation. There are too many pitfalls and complexities throughout the lemon law process to take chances with. Allen Stewart, P.C. has won many lemon law cases in New York, Texas, California and across the country. We fight for you and ensure the manufacturer is held accountable for warranty breaches.
Some people may think they can’t afford a lemon law attorney. State lemon laws and federal law direct that the manufacturer must pay your legal fees when you win your case. You pay nothing out of pocket. Even our initial consultation is free.
Submitting lemon law claims requires timely action. We encourage you to present your claim to our attorneys who will evaluate it, and should it be valid, we will discuss the path we would take to get you the compensation you deserve.
Call Allen Stewart, P.C. now (866-440-2460) to schedule your free consultation, or contact us online. You pay nothing out of pocket, so contact us today.