No Attorney’s Fees Unless We Recover · Under Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15 Iowa Lemon Law

Iowa Lemon Law Attorneys

You Can Get a Cash Settlement, a Replacement Car, or a Refund with Easy Lemon

Millions Recovered for Drivers

Statute-cited approach

2022 or Newer Vehicles

Fast and Simple Process

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$50M+^**

Recovered

97%^*

Resolution Rate

No Attorney’s Fees^†

Unless We Recover

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The 60-second answer

The Iowa Lemon Law (Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15) requires manufacturers to repurchase or replace a new motor vehicle with a substantial defect after 3 repair attempts for the same defect (or 1 for serious safety defects) or 30 cumulative calendar days out of service. Under this statute, the manufacturer pays the consumer's attorney fees when the consumer prevails, no attorney fees unless we recover for you. Easy Lemon represents Iowa drivers at every stage.

How your Iowa claim gets built

Our lemon law work is directed by Steven P. Nassi, Esq., Managing Partner, Easy Lemon by RockPoint Law P.C. An Iowa claim gets built on two things: the Iowa lemon law statute, and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which applies in all fifty states. Send the repair orders and the purchase or lease paperwork, and we can tell you which of the two fits your vehicle.

Read Steven Nassi’s full bio →

Warning Signs

Is Your Car a Lemon?

Your car may be a lemon if it keeps going back to the dealer or the mechanic for the same problem. Under Iowa law, the defect must make the car unsafe, unreliable or worth much less. The manufacturer or dealer must also have failed to fix it after several tries.

The same noise, shaking or warning light keeps coming back.

The dealer has worked on it multiple times and the problem is still there.

Your Rights

Understanding Iowa's Lemon Law

Iowa's Lemon Law is found at Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15 and sets the rules for defective new vehicles in the state.

Statute

Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, Iowa Lemon Law

Eligible Vehicles

New & leased vehicles within Iowa's eligibility period

Repair Threshold

3 repair attempts OR 30+ days out of service

Remedies

Full refund, replacement, or cash settlement

Attorney Fees

Manufacturer can be ordered to pay attorney fees

Arbitration

Varies by state, we review what applies to your case

All within Iowa's eligibility period (Within 1 year from the expiration of the lemon law rights period (which ends 2 years after original delivery or at 24,000 miles, whichever comes first)). Iowa law entitles you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement. No attorney fees unless we recover for you, in qualifying claims the manufacturer pays attorney fees.

The Process

How Iowa's Lemon Law Process Works

Document Your Repairs

Ask for a repair order every time you visit an Iowa dealer, even if the technician finds nothing. Under Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, these papers prove your repair attempts. Keep every receipt and work order.

Contact Easy Lemon

Send us your records. We check your repair history against Iowa's statute and tell you if your car qualifies as a lemon. The consultation is free, with no obligation.

We File Your Claim

We prepare the claim and handle the paperwork. This includes any notice to the manufacturer that Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15 requires.

Manufacturer Response

If Iowa law gives the manufacturer a final repair attempt, it gets one. If the defect remains, Iowa law entitles you to relief. Most claims then move toward settlement.

Get Compensated

You receive a refund, a replacement vehicle or a cash settlement. No attorney fees unless we recover for you.

Our Edge

Why Choose Us for Lemon Law?

Past Results

We've recovered over $50 million for our clients by securing refunds, cash settlements, and replacements.

Client-Centered Approach

We receive positive feedback from clients we have represented.

Fee-Shift Representation

Under Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, the manufacturer pays the consumer's attorney fees when the consumer prevails. No fee unless we recover compensation.

Focused Results

We know the stress defective vehicles bring, so we simplify the process for you.

At Easy Lemon, your success is our mission. Let us simplify the process and get you the justice you deserve.

Actual Settlements

Iowa Lemon Law Results

These are actual settlements obtained by the firm, shown because we do not yet have enough resolved matters in Iowa to report state-level figures. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome; every case is different. See our recent settlements page for more.

$140,242

2024 Audi Rs E Tron Gt

Florida

Buyback settlement

$120,514

2024 Bmw X6

Florida

Defect: a recurring defect

$119,218

2025 Bmw 750E

Florida

Defect: electrical/ technology

$111,200

2025 Bmw X5

Florida

Defect: brake/ steering/ suspension

$110,122

2023 Gmc Hummer Ev

Texas

Defect: electrical/ technology

$103,592

2024 Mercedes Benz Truck Glc300

Result

Defect: electrical/ technology

Results may vary. Prior outcomes do not guarantee a similar result. Each case is unique and depends on its specific facts and applicable law.

What You're Entitled To

What The Manufacturer May Owe You

Refund

You get your purchase price back, including taxes and fees, minus any use deduction Iowa law allows.

Cash Settlement

You receive a payment for the unresolved defect and keep your car.

Vehicle Replacement

You get a comparable new vehicle in place of the defective one, at no extra cost.

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Legal Team

Florida Managing Partner

Our lawyers are only permitted to practice law in the jurisdictions in which they are licensed or have been authorized to practice.

Real Results. Real Stories.

What Our Clients Say

About the Iowa Lemon Law

Answers anchored to Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, the statute that governs lemon law claims in Iowa.

Does Iowa have a lemon law? +

Yes, Iowa has one, the Iowa Lemon Law at Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, and it covers new motor vehicles purchased or leased in Iowa for personal, family, or household use, with the same rules from Des Moines to the Quad Cities. When a substantial defect stays after the repair attempts or days out of service the law counts, the manufacturer owes a replacement vehicle or a full refund, and the refund comes minus a reasonable use offset.

How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in Iowa? +

Three repair attempts for the same defect. A defect causing death or serious injury needs only one attempt. And there's a separate route that doesn't count visits at all, since 30 cumulative calendar days out of service can qualify the car too.

Does the Iowa lemon law cover used cars? +

Usually not, since Iowa's law is written for new motor vehicles. Used cars are harder to bring under it, and that includes a used car from a private sale. A used car can still have a claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or another consumer statute if the defect showed up while the manufacturer's warranty was active, which is why we ask used-car owners for the warranty papers too.

Is a leased car covered by the Iowa lemon law? +

Yes, when the vehicle was new and leased in Iowa for personal, family, or household use. A lease gets the same repair test as a purchase.

How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Iowa? +

One year from the end of the lemon law rights period. That period ends 2 years after original delivery or at 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, so the delivery date on your contract and the odometer both matter. A car delivered in June 2025 that stays under 24,000 miles has a rights period running to June 2027, and the filing window then runs another year. But a car that hits 24,000 miles sooner ends its rights period sooner. Notice rules and a separate statute of limitation can also apply, and waiting too long can cost you your rights. If the warranty has already run out, we look at the date on the first repair order for the defect, because a defect reported while the warranty was active can still support a claim after the coverage ends.

Do I have to notify the manufacturer in writing? +

Yes, Iowa requires written notice to the manufacturer. We draft it and send it as part of the claim, and it helps to keep a copy of anything you've already sent the manufacturer on your own.

Will I need to go to court in Iowa? +

Probably not, because most of the lemon law cases we handle settle with the manufacturer at the written-demand stage, before anyone files a lawsuit. Arbitration in Iowa is voluntary, and if a case doesn't settle, we take the next formal step that Iowa law requires.

Who pays the attorney's fees in an Iowa lemon law case? +

The manufacturer, when you prevail. Under the statute a consumer who prevails can recover attorney fees from the manufacturer, and if a written warranty was breached the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §2310(d)) gives a second fee-shifting route. We take Iowa cases on contingency, so nothing is paid upfront and there is no attorney's fee unless we recover for you. When a manufacturer settles or loses, we ask it to pay our fees on top of your recovery, and the fee agreement is one page that we go over on the first call.

What can I get if my car is a lemon in Iowa? +

A replacement vehicle or a full refund, minus a reasonable use offset, because those are the two remedies the statute names. But some cases get settled for cash instead, so you keep the car and the manufacturer pays you for the defect. Which way it goes depends on the repair history and on how the manufacturer responds.

How long does a lemon law case take in Iowa? +

Some settle within weeks and others take months, especially when the manufacturer asks to inspect the car first. The repair history matters, and so does the manufacturer. We send the written notice first and the demand after it.

Is there a lemon law attorney near me in Des Moines or Cedar Rapids? +

We don't have a local office in Iowa. Our offices are in Manhasset NY, Newark NJ, Miami FL and Dallas TX, and clients in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Iowa City, Waterloo, Council Bluffs, Ames, West Des Moines and Dubuque work with us by phone, email and e-signature. Nothing in Iowa's lemon law requires you to show up anywhere to open a claim. You upload the repair orders, the purchase or lease contract and the warranty booklet, and then we send the written notice and the demand. You also get copies of our letters, and we tell you when the manufacturer writes back.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a lemon law claim in Iowa? +

It usually starts with a call to 855-435-3666 or the free case review form on easylemon.com. We talk through what happened, and then we ask for the repair orders. One Connecticut client sent us four of them for a 2025 Audi Q5 bought new in Wallingford with 32 miles on it. By 8,008 miles it was back at the dealer. The fuel filler cap was replaced, and it kept popping off. The same Audi service action was done twice. Then the check engine light came back after a remote software update. The car also lost power and had to be towed in. In all it was out of service 34 days over four months. For an Iowa car we check orders like those against the 3 attempts (1 for a serious safety defect) and the 30 days. Then the written notice goes to the manufacturer, and we make the demand and negotiate, mostly by phone and email.

Do days in the shop count as much as repair visits? +

Days in the shop can count as much as visits in Iowa, because 30 days out of service, counted as cumulative calendar days, is a route of its own. Take the 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron in Texas. Its rear motor leaked coolant into the housing. The motor got replaced. Then the cruise control started failing, and the turn signals and the rear light bar too. By the end it had been out of service 166 days across only three visits. We count the attempts and the days off the dealer's repair orders, which is why it helps to ask for one on every visit, even when the technician finds nothing.

What if the dealer says they can't duplicate the problem? +

Take the repair order anyway, even when it says nothing was found. A couple in South Florida had that happen with their Kia Telluride. There was a noise from the rear. They took it back four times, and nobody could find where it came from. The car was out of service more than 40 days by the time they called us, and Kia bought it back. The Iowa Lemon Law can reach an intermittent defect too, as long as it substantially impairs the vehicle, and what proves it is the repair records, your own account and sometimes a technical expert.

My brakes keep failing. Is one repair attempt enough in Iowa? +

One repair attempt can be enough in Iowa when the defect is one causing death or serious injury, but any other defect still needs three attempts or the 30 days. A 2024 Tesla Cybertruck in New York had 15 miles on it at delivery. Then it started losing brake pressure. It went back to Tesla service five times, 19 days out of service in all, and Tesla tried to fix the brakes four times before it bought the truck back.

Can a leased Toyota or other leased car be bought back? +

Yes, if it was new and leased in Iowa for personal, family, or household use and it meets the repair test. A 2025 Toyota Tundra leased in North Dakota on April 22, 2025 had 4 miles on it. Within weeks the check engine light and the parking brake warning came on. The diagnosis was a cylinder 6 misfire. Toyota recommended a new short block and also injectors, gaskets, spark plugs and valves, and the truck sat in the shop 135 days before it was bought back for $53,364.14.

What kind of problems make a car a lemon in Iowa? +

A defect that substantially impairs the use, market value or safety of the vehicle, which the statute calls a nonconformity, and it has to be covered by the warranty and still be there after Iowa's repair attempts or 30 days. What we see most from Iowa drivers is engine stalling and misfires, an engine that knocks or shows excessive oil consumption, transmission shudder or failure, electrical faults that leave warning lights on, brake and steering problems, and driver-assistance (ADAS) systems that brake or drift on their own. A 2022 Jeep Wrangler we handled in South Carolina was three days old. It had 186 miles on it, and it started pulling right with a vibration. Then the "death wobble" showed up. By 28,280 miles the shaking at highway speed was severe. It went in for four repair attempts, one of them a recall repair, and the case was resolved on confidential terms. Scratches and small paint flaws usually don't qualify.

Can I get a full refund for my car? +

Close to it, since the manufacturer takes off a reasonable use offset for the miles you drove. It's often worked out by dividing your mileage by a useful life of 100,000 to 120,000 miles and multiplying by the purchase price. A smaller divisor means a bigger deduction for you, so we check the manufacturer's math before anything gets signed. Registration, taxes and finance charges usually go back to you in the refund, and so do towing or rental costs, while attorney fees are paid separately from the buyback.

What is a cash settlement, and do I have to give back my car? +

With a cash settlement you keep the car and the manufacturer pays you for the defect. The results listed higher on this page, buybacks included, go from $103,592 up to $140,242, and we show firm-wide numbers there because we don't have enough resolved Iowa matters yet to report state figures. In a buyback or a replacement the car goes back, and that's what happened to the 2025 Audi Q5 in Connecticut, which was bought back for $43,451.81. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What if my car doesn't meet the Iowa repair count? +

There may be another route. Breach of warranty claims, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and Iowa's unfair trade practices and consumer protection statutes can each reach a defect that falls short of three attempts or 30 days. The UCC implied warranties in the statute-cited answers below are another one. And if you're getting close to 3 repair attempts for the same defect, it's worth calling before the rights period runs out.

Do you take cases against every manufacturer? +

We take cases against domestic and foreign brands. Our published results include Tesla, Audi, GMC, Chevrolet, Toyota and Jeep in several states, and the 2023 GMC Hummer EV in the results above came out of Texas. When a manufacturer won't cooperate, our attorneys negotiate first and litigate when they have to.

Do I need an Iowa auto dealership lawyer or a lemon law attorney? +

For a car that keeps failing, a lemon law attorney. The dealership fixes the car, or tries to, and it hands you a repair order each time. But Iowa's law puts the buyback or replacement on the manufacturer, so the written notice and our demand go to the manufacturer. Our lawyers handle the legal strategy, the negotiations and any court proceedings, and support staff help with documents. Easy Lemon was founded in 2024, our attorneys have 25+ years of combined experience, and we've handled 3,000+ vehicle warranty cases. Ron Kaniuk, our Florida managing partner, has practiced law since 1997. The case studies mentioned on this page are published on our site.

What if my case is not successful? Are there hidden fees? +

If a case isn't successful, you owe us no attorney's fee, and there are no hidden fees. Case costs like filing fees and expert fees get paid by us up front, and the one-page fee agreement we go over on the first call says how costs are handled. Dealers give out repair orders free. When a claim fails it's mostly because the defect was first reported after the Iowa deadline, or because the repair orders never mention it.

Still Have Questions?

Our team reviews every case individually. The fastest answer is a free consultation — no pressure, no commitment.

Arbitration Board

Iowa Lemon Law Arbitration

Arbitration is voluntary in Iowa, so you can go to court without it, and most of our cases never need either one because they settle once the manufacturer has the written demand. The general questions are in our lemon law FAQ.

Jurisdiction

When does a program take the case if I have chosen arbitration?

After the repair history meets Iowa's test, which is 3 repair attempts for the same defect, 1 for a serious safety defect, or 30 cumulative calendar days out of service, and after any written notice to the manufacturer that the statute makes a prerequisite. Then the program sets its own timing, and we file with it for you and attach the repair orders and proof of any notice.

Decision

Can you appeal a decision on a defect under Iowa lemon laws?

A consumer can usually take an arbitration decision to civil court, even though the decision is often binding on the manufacturer. Appeal deadlines vary, so it helps to send us the decision the day it arrives. If arbitration doesn't settle it, either side can file a civil suit, and the Iowa District Courts for a few counties are named in the statute-cited answers below.

State vs Federal

Iowa Lemon Law vs Federal Magnuson-Moss

Most Iowa cases can be brought under both the Iowa Lemon Law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §2301). We review each one under Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15 and under the federal act, and we lead with whichever is stronger. Iowa's number is 3 attempts on the same defect, or 1 for a serious safety defect, or 30 cumulative calendar days out of service, but Magnuson-Moss just asks for a "reasonable number" of repair attempts and leaves that to the facts of the case. The clocks are different too, since Iowa's rights period is over at 2 years or 24,000 miles while the federal one lasts as long as the express warranty does, and so the act can reach defects outside the Iowa lemon law period. Iowa's statute gives you the buyback remedy. But Iowa's law is written for new vehicles, while Magnuson-Moss applies to products sold with a written warranty, which is why used cars often qualify.

Both let an owner who wins recover attorney fees, Iowa through its own statute and the federal act under 15 U.S.C. §2310(d)(2). Either kind of claim can go to state or federal court. A used car that Iowa's law can't reach can still have a federal claim if the defect showed up while the manufacturer's warranty was active.

Practitioner Answers

Iowa Lemon Law: Statute-Cited Answers

The answers here go back to Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15. Iowa counts calendar days, it asks for only 3 repair attempts, and it requires written notice to the manufacturer. A claim has to be filed within 1 year from the expiration of the lemon law rights period, and that period ends 2 years after original delivery or at 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Which Iowa court hears a lemon law lawsuit, from Iowa City to Dubuque?

Usually the state's court of general jurisdiction, in the Iowa county where you live or where the car was sold. Iowa City is in Johnson County, where that court is the Iowa District Court for Johnson County in Judicial District 6. Dubuque is in Dubuque County, with the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County in Judicial District 1, and Ottumwa is in Wapello County, with the Iowa District Court for Wapello County in Judicial District 8. A Magnuson-Moss claim can also go to Federal District Court if damages exceed $50,000 or party diversity permits it (15 U.S.C. §2310(d)(1)). Which court hears a particular case still depends on its facts, the warranty issues involved and the law it is brought under.

What do Iowa lemon law attorneys need from you before a warranty claim?

The repair orders from the dealership, every one of them, even the ones from visits where the technician found nothing, since we count each attempt from a repair order.

the purchase or lease contract, which shows the delivery date that starts the 2-year, 24,000-mile rights period
the warranty booklet
emails, texts and letters with the dealer or manufacturer
receipts for towing, rentals and lodging, which are often recoverable

It helps to write down the date, the mileage and the symptom each time the problem shows up. You can also look up your VIN for recall notices at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

The UCC implied warranties are a different kind of claim from the lemon law. Merchantability under UCC §2-314 covers sales of goods by merchants, used cars included, and "merchantable" is a lower bar than the lemon law's substantial impairment. UCC §2-315 adds fitness for a particular purpose, when a buyer relied on the seller's advice for a specific use like towing.

Statewide Coverage

Serving Drivers Across All of Iowa

Easy Lemon represents Iowa consumers from Des Moines to the Quad Cities. We handle Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15 cases remotely, regardless of city or county.

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Reviewed by Steven P. Nassi, Esq. · Managing Partner, Easy Lemon by RockPoint Law P.C. · Last updated August 6, 2026 Sources: Iowa Statutes, Iowa Code §322G.1 to §322G.15, Iowa Attorney General, FTC Magnuson-Moss, NHTSA Recall Lookup, FTC Lemon Law Guide, Cornell Law, 15 USC Ch. 50, State Attorneys General (USA.gov). ATTORNEY ADVERTISING under Iowa professional rules. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

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