Connecticut car owners were refunded a record $2.6 million last year in automotive warranties under the state’s so-called Lemon Law, according to the state Department of Consumer Protection (DCP).
The agency on Thursday announced it had processed 81 cases last year related to the law, collecting was $300,000 more than the year prior.
The law defines a “lemon” as a car or motorcycle purchased or leased in the state that doesn’t conform to the manufacturer’s express warranty and cannot be repaired after a “reasonable number of attempts.”
2018 was also a busier year in terms of caseload. By comparison, DCP said it processed an annual average of about 57 cases from 2014 to 2017, returning an average of approximately $1.6 million a year to consumers.
DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull said in a statement that the record tally in 2018 was a result of more consumers becoming aware of the Lemon Law program.
“When a family invests in something as expensive as a vehicle, and they find there are problems, it’s more than a financial burden, it’s a safety concern…” Seagull said.
Connecticut’s Lemon Law first allowed consumers to go to court in 1983, and the measure was expanded in 1985 to allow arbitration as it exists today at DCP, a spokeswoman said.
