There is a common misconception about the NC Lemon Law that you have an automatic “win” once your vehicle has been out for repairs four or more times or for more than 20 days in a year, but that is not how it works. All those two standards do is provide a baseline legal presumption,…Read more
Lemon Law Repurchase vs. Replacement: Which One Is Better for You?
If your lemon law claim is successful, North Carolina law gives you a choice. You can ask for a repurchase, which is when the manufacturer buys your vehicle back, or a replacement of your defective vehicle with a comparable new vehicle. Most clients come in thinking repurchase is the obvious move, and it often is…Read more
Second Ford Bronco Recall in a Year
Ford just announced a recall covering 179,698 Bronco SUVs and Ranger pickup trucks (62,255 Broncos and 117,443 Rangers from model years 2024 through 2026) for a defect in the front seat frame that could prevent the seat from properly restraining the driver or front passenger in a crash. NHTSA has assigned this one recall number 26V268.…Read more
Jeep Grand Cherokee PHEV Recall
Stellantis announced recently that it is recalling a little over 91,000 2022-2026 plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokees because of a software defect that could lead to loss of drive power. If you own one of vehicle and it was manufactured from July 23, 2021 to August 29, 2025 you may soon get a recall report from…Read more
Rare‑Earth Vehicle Production Bottleneck: A Supply Problem with Real Risks for Consumers
Reuters reports that automakers worldwide are in “full panic” over China’s export restrictions on rare‑earth magnets that are used in electric vehicle (EV) motors, hybrids, sensors, and much more in modern vehicles. China controls close to 90% of these materials, and global vehicle production could see serious disruptions if this persists. Numerous problems can and…Read more
When Abuse Hurts the Cause: Ford’s RICO Suit Is a Warning and that Some Lemon Law Lawyers Are Hurting the Cause
Ford’s recent Ford RICO lemon law filing – a $300 million lawsuit against three California lemon law firms – isn’t just shocking for its size, although, let’s be honest, it’s big. It’s troubling for what it says about our field and some of the law firms that may be exploiting consumers to line their pockets.…Read more
General Mills Arbitration – Can Buying a Product Force You to Give Up Your Legal Rights?
CConsumer rights have long been under attack by corporations trying to use forced arbitration. So now General Mills is forcing you to arbitrate disputes simply by engaging with them in an online forum, or even using a coupon to purchase one of its products! Could you imagine that using a coupon for .25c off a…Read more
GM Ignition Recalls – Unmerchantable Vehicles?
There has been a lot of news lately about vehicle recalls, especially with the GM Ignition Recalls fiasco. This leads to an interesting question of whether someone who has recently, but unwittingly, purchased a vehicle that falls under this recall should be allowed to return the vehicle to the dealer and get his or her…Read more
YoYo Jury Verdict Upheld By NC Court of Appeals
In March 2014, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Patterson v. University Ford, Inc. The court affirmed a jury verdict on an auto fraud case involving a NC yoyo car sale. This article analyzes the decision and its implications for NC consumers. The Facts of Patterson v. University Ford The plaintiff…Read more
BBB: Better (for) Business Bureau?
If you bought a new car or truck in North Carolina, then it most likely came with a manufacturer warranty, which requires the manufacturer to repair a covered defect that shows up within the warranty period. If the manufacturer is unable or unwilling to repair any covered defect, your warranty probably requires you to participate…Read more
