A DRIVER is taking revenge on a car dealership by covering the Ford truck he purchased in a custom “lemon” wrap to highlight its ongoing issues.
However, not everyone agrees that he’s in the right.
An angry Ford driver has hit back at the brand for selling him a “lemon” truck[/caption]
He wrapped the issue-laden vehicle in a lemon design, and listed a number of issues he’s experienced with the F-150 since purchasing it[/caption]
Many believe the lemon laws don’t apply to the man, as the vehicle is used and seemingly out of warranty[/caption]
TikTok user LemonF-150 (@lemonf150) recently took to the social media site to reveal he is targeting both Ford and their Landers Ford dealership in Collierville, Tennessee, after he bought an F-150 truck.
But he says the vehicle has had several mechanical issues since he bought it, including the truck failing to start up and smoke coming from the hood with a burning wire smell.
“I had this truck delivered here on a flatbed,” the man behind the TikTok account says.
“They had it for about seven weeks, and told me nothing was wrong. Eventually told me I got GAP insurance, just take care of it.”
To highlight his frustrations, a list of the problems the driver says he’s experienced since purchasing this used F-150 has been found on its rear window.
The issues include the camshaft position sensor light, smoke coming from the hood with a burning wire smell, the truck not starting multiple times, the alternator being replaced and the starter being replaced, all the while the dealership initially claiming nothing was wrong.
As many consumers in the US will know, a lemon is a term used to describe a vehicle that has significant, recurring mechanical or quality issues.
To this end, he is strongly referring to his used Ford F-150 as a “lemon” – wrapping it in the design to publicly label it as defective, and to warn other potential buyers.
However, so-called lemon laws, which are a series of consumer protection laws designed to help buyers who purchase defective vehicles, only apply to new cars with serious mechanical or quality issues that arise within a certain time frame or mileage after purchase.
In these cases, if the vehicle cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, the buyer may be entitled to a replacement, refund, or other compensation.
Lemon laws vary by state and in Tennessee, where this man is located, the lemon law applies to new and used vehicles that are still under the manufacturer’s warranty.
So, if the truck is older and no longer covered, it likely does not qualify as a “lemon.”
That means the truck owner has likely misunderstood his rights – as lemon laws generally don’t apply to used vehicles unless they are under warranty.
This hasn’t been lost on the majority of TikTok users commenting underneath his vehicle.
One person simply wrote: “Lemon law isn’t for used vehicles.”
And Another added: “Sometimes that’s just how it is, this ain’t lemon.”
What makes a car a lemon?
Each law has different parameters on what defines a lemon, but generally, a car is lemon when it’s in the shop for longer than it’s on the road.
Progressive Auto Insurance describes a lemon as a car with “a significant defect or malfunction that makes it unsafe to drive,” though exact parameters vary by state. All 50 states have lemon laws covering new vehicles, but only seven have lemon laws to protect used car buyers.
Federally, however, consumers are protected under U.S. Code Chapter 50 covering consumer product warranties. In layman’s terms, the law dictates that consumers be compensated by the manufacturer when “multiple attempts to repair a vehicle under warranty fail.”
What to do if you think you bought a lemon:
- Research your state’s lemon laws and their exact parameters.
- Contact the dealership, especially if it’s still under factory warranty.
- If the dealership refuses to repair the issue, contact the Automotive Consumer Action Program or the National Automobile Dealers Association.
- Send a certified letter to the manufacturer with an explanation of the issue, with documentation and proof that you’ve contacted a dealership.
- Depending on the outcome, you can report the dealership to the DMV for selling a car that needs immediate repairs.
- Consider small claims court.
- Consult an attorney specializing in lemon law through the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Source: Progressive Auto Insurance
