And there's enough for an ocean of lemonade: car makers buy back some 50,000 defective cars and trucks yearly.

Suppose an automobile manufacturer produces defective cars that cause terrible accidents in which hundreds of people are killed.

But why should New York testers show such solicitude for owners of defective cars?

Two of the cases dealt with defective cars, and one involved a toxic substance.

Mr. Adams invoked Ohio's tough lemon law, which calls for a refund for defective cars.

And if a "superweed" or dangerous bacteria were to get loose in the environment, it could not be recalled like a defective car.

In Florida a strengthened law on defective cars sets up state-run arbitration boards in eight cities to hear appeals from consumers.

In 1993, General Motors paid a fine of about $365,000 after it was accused of reselling 71 defective cars without proper labeling.

Enacted one year ago, the law was inspired by the Ford Pinto case, in which defective cars exploded in accidents.

She said many East Germans were sold defective used cars at excessive prices and second-rate household goods.