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Faulty Goods

American consumer protection is a patchwork rather than a single statute. Goods generally come with an implied warranty of merchantability — that they work for their ordinary purpose — unless it was validly disclaimed, and federal law governs how written warranties must be presented. Beyond that, your practical remedies are often faster than your legal ones: the card chargeback, the state attorney general, and public escalation. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour — and a one-hour consultation with a licensed US attorney ($195, a fixed fee) can be booked right on the call.

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Faulty Goods at a glance

Implied warranty of merchantability

Goods must work for their ordinary purpose — unless sold 'as is' where the state allows it

Magnuson-Moss governs written warranties

Including how they must be worded and made available before purchase

Lemon laws cover vehicles

Every state has one, with its own definition of how many repair attempts is too many

Chargebacks are fast

Credit card disputes have time limits but often resolve far quicker than litigation

State AGs take complaints

And a pattern of complaints is what triggers real action

The warranties you have without asking

Under state commercial law, a merchant selling goods gives an implied warranty of merchantability — the goods are fit for the ordinary purpose they are sold for. Where the seller knows you need something for a particular purpose and you rely on their judgment, an implied warranty of fitness for that purpose can also arise. Sellers can disclaim implied warranties in many states by selling 'as is' with conspicuous language, though some states restrict this for consumer goods. Written warranties are separately regulated federally: they must be available to read before you buy, and a written warranty limits how far implied warranties can be disclaimed. Talk it through with a lawyer now →

Vehicles, where the law is strongest

Every state has a lemon law for new vehicles, and some cover used or leased ones. The typical structure: if a substantial defect that impairs use, value or safety cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, or the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative number of days, you are entitled to a replacement or a refund. The details — how many attempts, how many days, what counts as substantial, and the notice you must give the manufacturer — differ by state. Keep every repair order, note every date, and give the written notice the statute requires, because failing to give it is the most common reason claims fail. Talk it through with a lawyer now →

The fast routes that actually work

If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with the issuer: chargeback rights are time-limited but frequently resolve in weeks rather than years, and federal law also gives cardholders the right to withhold payment for defective goods in defined circumstances. File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection division and, for financial products, the federal consumer bureau — individually these rarely produce a remedy, but patterns trigger investigations and companies watch them. Then small claims, which is designed for exactly this and where many companies simply settle rather than send someone. Talk it through with a lawyer now →

If something you bought is faulty, step by step

Complain in writing and keep every repair recordDates and attempts are what lemon law and warranty claims are built on.

Dispute the charge if you paid by credit cardChargebacks are time-limited but far faster than litigation.

Escalate to the state AG, then small claimsBoth are free or cheap, and both get attention. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour — and a one-hour consultation with a licensed US attorney ($195, a fixed fee) can be booked right on the call.

Faulty Goods — your questions answered

The store says all sales are final. Does that override my rights?

Not always. A store's return policy and your warranty rights are different things: a no-returns policy governs changing your mind, while an implied warranty of merchantability covers goods that do not work. Sellers can disclaim implied warranties in many states with conspicuous 'as is' language, but not all states allow it for consumer goods, and a written warranty limits their ability to do so. Read what you were actually given at the time of sale.

How many repair attempts before a car is a lemon?

It depends on your state's statute — commonly a set number of unsuccessful attempts at the same substantial defect, or a cumulative number of days out of service within a defined period. What matters as much as the number is the paperwork: dated repair orders for every visit describing the same complaint, and the written notice to the manufacturer that most statutes require before you can claim.

Is a chargeback the same as a refund?

No. A chargeback is a dispute you raise with your card issuer, who reverses the payment while investigating; the merchant can contest it. It is time-limited, usually measured from the transaction or expected delivery, so raise it promptly rather than after months of unsuccessful negotiation with the seller. Keep your written complaints to the merchant, because the issuer will want to see that you tried to resolve it first.