Dealers are pretty well insulated under the Lemon Law. However, the Florida Statute specifies when dealerships may be liable. One such instance is Lemon Laundering.
Another instance is when the dealership fails to provide a new-car consumer with the materials required by the law, such as a copy of the booklet the Consumer Guide to the Florida Lemon Law. This valuable publication explains consumer rights, gives steps to follow to resolve problems, contains a form the consumer can use to notify the manufacturer of chronic defects, and a toll-free number for the Lemon Law Hotline. Failure to supply these materials are in direct violation of Florida statutes.
But perhaps the most common type of dealership fraud is in the area of deceptive and unfair trade practices. (A violation of the Lemon Law is an automatic violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.) If you feel that the dealership has done something improper such as charging you for items you do not need for your car, or asking for the car back or repossessing the car because of credit issues, your rights may fall under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Call us to help you analyze your case.