Attorney General William Tong reached a settlement with Jaguar Land Rover of North America that will require the company to pay $26,500 for failing to comply with Connecticut”™s Lemon Law.
According to a press release from Tong”™s office, Connecticut”™s Automobile Warranty statute (also known as the Lemon Law) assists owners of defective vehicles under two years old or with fewer than 24,000 miles. In this case, a Connecticut consumer purchased a Range Rover Velar S. from Jaguar Land Rover that was burdened with multiple defects.
However, although the consumer filed a Lemon Law complaint and a state arbitrator found he was entitled to a full refund within 30 days of the decision, Jaguar Land Rover failed to comply with the specified deadline despite multiple notices and warnings. Under a 2021 amendment to the state law, manufacturers who fail to comply with an arbitrator”™s decision within the specified deadline are fined $1,000 a day.
Jaguar Land Rover is the first company to face a lawsuit under the new statute.
“Jaguar Land Rover sold this consumer a lemon, riddled with multiple failures from the start. Connecticut”™s Lemon Law helps vehicle owners resolve disputes over these kinds of defective car purchases with no lawyer needed,” said Tong. “This consumer filed a complaint and Jaguar Land Rover was ordered to provide a full refund. Jaguar dragged its feet. When a Lemon Law arbitration award is issued, those deadlines are the law, and we will not hesitate to protect consumers against manufacturers who ignore their obligations.”
