One of the tests for determining whether a vehicle is a lemon is whether there have been repeated repairs for the same problem. To avoid this, the dealership will often write up the same problem in different ways to make it look like different problems. This is subtle, and you might not even notice it, so pay attention when the service writer at the dealership fills in your repair order.

For example, you describe the problem as “check engine light comes on, car stalls.” The service writer suggests it might be something wrong with the Emission Control System, so he writes down “ECS problem” This is not what you said. Be absolutely sure the service write puts down exactly what you tell him to write down. It matters!