What can you do if your new Ram truck is defective?
Ram Trucks are the second highest selling truck in the U.S., only ranking behind Ford F-Series trucks in sales volume. They are also rife with problems and defects, from gas tanks that cannot be filled to failing transmissions. Thankfully, new Ram owners can turn to state lemon laws and other consumer protections when their problem Ram Truck is not fixed. Lemon laws set out clear rights of vehicle owners, and a procedure for owners to get a replacement vehicle or cash back for their purchase price.
We receive complaints from Ram Truck owners every week. Faulty electrics, the well-known stuck gas nozzle issue, and problems with the transmission are three of the most common issues that we hear about but there are many. Whether it is a defective back up camera or a complete engine failure, Ram Truck owners have options. If you are having problems with your new Ram Truck, there are a few things that you should always do:
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Check for recalls
An auto manufacturer will issue a recall for a line of vehicles when they have a safety-related problem. You can check for current recalls on your Ram Truck on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website or by asking your dealer. You should also receive letters about any recalls from Ram Trucks. If there is a recall on your Ram Truck, the recall notification will advise you what to do. Typically, you will be told to bring your Ram Truck into an authorized dealer for a repair. Sometimes, the manufacturer does have a repair yet or does not have the parts for the repair, and you will have to wait weeks or months to get the problem fixed. In some recalls, the owner is warned not to drive the vehicle until the repair has been completed. Any repairs under recalls should be completed for free by your dealer.
If there is no recall for the problem with your new Ram Truck, you are probably still entitled to get your truck repaired. There may not be a recall because it is not considered a safety issue, because the problem is still under investigation, or because it is not a problem that is seen across that whole line of Ram trucks. It is still a defect in your new truck that needs to be fixed, and lemon laws protect you in this situation.
Lemon laws also protect you if your new truck is not repaired in a reasonable amount of time, even if there is a recall on your truck. If you have given your dealer a reasonable number of repair attempts or a reasonable time to fix your Ram Truck, talk to a lemon lawyer like Timothy Abeel & Associates to find out more about your rights in this situation.
2. Check your warranty
When you buy a new Ram Truck, you get a limited warranty that covers defects or damage to your truck as a result of factory-installed parts. You can find out about the limited warranty coverage on your specific Ram Truck here. You may also have purchased additional warranties from your dealer. If the faults in your new Ram Truck are covered by a warranty, contact your dealer for a free repair.
If your new Ram Truck defects are not covered by your warranty, or if your dealer refuses to make the repairs under warranty, you are probably still protected by federal and state consumer protection laws. A lemon lawyer can look at your specific circumstances and tell you what your rights are so that you can decide what to do. Timothy Abeel & Associates offer a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your Ram Truck. (And if you do have a claim, Timothy Abeel & Associates guarantee that it will be free to you too, even if you lose.)
3. Go to an authorized Ram Truck dealer for repair
Whether your problem is covered by a recall or warranty, or not, you should bring your new Ram Truck to an authorized Ram Truck dealer for repairs. This can be frustrating if this is the dealer that sold you the problem Ram Truck in the first place but state lemon laws require that you bring the vehicle to an authorized repair location, and your simplest option for this is the Ram Truck dealer. If that is not an option, contact Ram Trucks to find an authorized repair person in your area.
Do NOT try to do the repairs yourself. Any repairs that are not carried out by an authorized repair person may void your warranty, and make a simple lemon law claim much more complicated.
4. Keep records
As soon as you have a problem with your new Ram Truck, you should be keeping a record of everything to do with the problem, including:
- Documents from your purchase (including the sales invoice, financing paperwork, and warranty documents)
- Description of the problem
- Dates of problems and repair attempts
- Time the Ram Truck is out of service or at the dealer
- Repair orders and invoices.
All of these records will make it easier to win a lemon law claim if you continue to have problems with your Ram Truck. You can read more here about the documents that are useful to a lemon law claim, and how to make sure they are complete and correct.
5. Contact a lemon lawyer without delay
Lemon laws have strict deadlines so it is important to take action on your problem Ram Truck promptly. The deadlines and procedures for lemon law are different in each state, and it is easy to get tripped up on the details but lemon laws also make it easy to get a lawyer. In a successful lemon law case, the auto manufacturer has to pay your legal fees, which means it costs you nothing. Most lemon lawyers, like Timothy Abeel & Associates will also discuss your case for free before you decide whether or not to bring a claim. Timothy Abeel & Associates will go further and guarantee that they will not charge you anything, even if you lose. We will not advise you to bring a claim if we do not think you can win, but if your claim is unsuccessful, we will bear the cost. And if you win your lemon law claim, Timothy Abeel & Associates will send your bill to Ram Trucks.
If you are having problems with your Ram Truck, contact us at Timothy Abeel & Associates for a free case review. You may be entitled to a replacement vehicle or a reimbursement of the purchase price of your Ram Truck. We have handled numerous Ram Truck claims, and we can help you too.