All state lemon laws are a variation of the federal lemon law, a law passed to further the cause of consumer protection. The Arizona lemon law is no different than other state lemon laws in that respect. But to have the Arizona lemon law explained fully, it will be up to you to either read the statutes yourself or to have them explained to you by an Arizona lemon law attorney.
Some people think the Arizona lemon law applies only to new car purchases. This is not accurate information. It is true that most people think of contacting an Arizona lemon law attorney for their automobiles. Like most state lemon laws, the consumer is provided protection against faulty manufacturing in new cars, used cars, boats, trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles. Arizona is one of the states that allows for protection against faulty computers. And also realize that Arizona residents can enact the lemon law for a leased vehicle as well.
Many people think they must be prepared to pay attorney fees if they choose to enact a state lemon law. The good news for Arizona citizens is that the Arizona lemon law forces the manufacturer to bear all financial responsibility for the attorney fees in every successful lemon law case brought to court.
Keep in mind that the consumer does have certain responsibilities in regard to the enacting of any state lemon law. First and foremost is to assure that there is a warranty or guarantee in place at the time of purchase. Without this, consumers cannot seek protection with a state lemon law.
Secondly, complete and accurate repair records must be kept. Be sure the service department issues an official diagnosis and repair receipt. There must be enough detail so that anyone who reads the documentation can understand what the problem was and what was done to repair it. Be sure there is a signature of the repair shop employee or manager. And of course the date must be on the paperwork. You might be surprised to learn this important piece of information is sometimes omitted. It is up to you, the consumer, to be sure all this information in included on the repair record before you leave the shop.
When you read and follow the Arizona lemon law provisions, you will see that one failed repair is not enough to enact the law. The consumer must follow the provisions precisely, with the requisite number of repairs being performed in the time frame designated by the statute. It is wise to prepare a well-organized file for these repairs, with a summary cover sheet showing date of repair, reason for repair, cost of parts, cost of labor, taxes paid, total cost of repairs, invoice number, method of payment and receipt number. You will need all this information at your fingertips when you hire an Arizona lemon law attorney and when you go to court.