Category: Vehicle Defects

North Dakota gives lemon law consumers one of the shortest filing windows of any state: six months after the earlier of warranty expiration or 18 months from original delivery.

Montana lemon law arbitration is administered by the Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection, not by the manufacturer or the Better Business Bureau.

North Carolina’s New Motor Vehicles Warranties Act covers new vehicles and new motorcycles for the earlier of the express warranty term or 24 months and 24,000 miles.

Filing a New York lemon law claim begins by reporting the defect to the dealer, who under N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law §198-a(b)(1) must forward written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail within seven days. The certified-mail duty is the dealer’s, not yours.

New Mexico’s lemon law covers cars, pickups, vans, and motorcycles, and the presumption attaches after four repair attempts on the same defect or 30 business days out of service.

Missouri’s lemon law makes the attorney-fee award mandatory rather than discretionary, so a prevailing consumer’s fees fall on the manufacturer.

New Hampshire lemon law makes the consumer pick a forum once the presumption attaches, and that election is binding.

New Jersey’s lemon law thresholds are ranked the most consumer-friendly in the country by the Center for Auto Safety.

Mississippi’s lemon law reaches the living facilities of a recreational vehicle, not only the chassis and motor, which is unusual among state statutes.

Minnesota lemon law can attach the presumption after a single failed repair, but only when the defect is a complete failure of steering or braking.

Michigan’s lemon law requires four failed repairs on the same defect before the presumption attaches, one more attempt than most states ask for.

Massachusetts runs two separate lemon laws, one for new cars and a distinct used car statute, each with its own thresholds, remedies, and deadlines.

Maryland’s lemon law caps the manufacturer’s use-offset deduction at 15% of the purchase price, which protects your net recovery even after heavy mileage.

Maine sets one of the lowest out-of-service thresholds in the country at 15 business days, and runs its own arbitration program through the Attorney General’s Office.

Louisiana sets the highest days-out-of-service threshold in the country at 45 calendar days, where most states use 30.

Kentucky has the shortest lemon law coverage window in the country, running the earlier of 12 months or 12,000 miles from delivery.

Kansas lemon law has a presumption trigger almost no other state uses: 10 total repair attempts across any nonconformities, even when no single defect was attempted four times.

An Iowa lemon law claim rests on a three attempt presumption inside the Lemon Law Rights Period, followed by written notice and one final repair attempt before filing with BBB AUTO LINE.

Indiana’s lemon law protects a vehicle for 18 months or 18,000 miles from delivery, and the presumption attaches after four failed repairs on the same defect or 30 business days out of service.

Illinois lemon law coverage runs just one year or 12,000 miles, one of the shortest windows in the country.