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Lemon Law Book » Chapter 9: Page 1
Chapter 9: Warranty and the Broken Promise
"A lie is a breach of promise: for whoever seriously addresses his discourse to another, tacitly promises to speak the truth, because he knows that the truth is expected." -William Paley, 1743-1805
Warranty Overview
At the heart of every lemon law is the manufacturer’s breach of warranty. It is this broken promise that gives consumers the right to receive a replacement or refund if a vehicle is a lemon.
Breach: a violation in the performance of or a failure to perform an obligation created by a promise, duty, or law, without excuse or justification.
A manufacturer’s warranty is what makes the manufacturer legally responsible for repairs to the consumer’s vehicle. It is a form of guarantee. When a manufacturer produces a vehicle, the manufacturer instills confidence in prospective buyers by guaranteeing the vehicle’s proper operation for a given period of time or mileage.
The written warranty has also been used as an effective tool to promote sales. Lee Iaccoca, former chairman of the board for Chrysler Corporation, was famous for his seven-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Nowadays, some manufacturers offer warranties lasting as long as ten years or 100,000 miles.