Lemon law case review, nationwide
Lemon Law Help When Your Vehicle Keeps Going Back to the Shop
Every state has a lemon law. If the same defect keeps bringing your new or still-under-warranty vehicle back to the dealer, the manufacturer may have to buy it back, replace it, or pay you. Tell us your vehicle, your state and your repair history, and we will look at your dates and repair orders with you.
Gregory R. JacobsResponsible attorney, Texas Bar No. 10517300
Call: (888) 884-8551
- Gregory R. JacobsResponsible attorney, Texas Bar No. 10517300
- Office in Dallas325 N. Saint Paul St., Suite 3100
- English and SpanishBy phone or email
- State law + Magnuson-MossAll 50 states and D.C.
SkyRidge Law P.C. is a law firm that helps owners and lessees of new cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and RVs that keep going back to the dealer for the same problem. We review lemon law questions from every state. Our responsible attorney is Gregory R. Jacobs, licensed in Texas since 1980, and our office is in Dallas.
This site explains how lemon laws work across the country, with a guide for each state that links to the official statute. Use it to check where you stand, then talk to us about your repair orders.
Key takeaways
- All 50 states and Washington, D.C. have a lemon law for new vehicles, and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act adds warranty rights everywhere.
- Most state laws ask the same three questions: how many times the same defect was repaired, how many days the vehicle sat in the shop, and whether it all happened inside the protection period.
- Deadlines are strict and they differ by state. Check your state's rules on our state lemon law pages.
- Your repair orders are the evidence. Keep every one, and make sure each lists your complaint, the date in and out, and the mileage.
The rules
How lemon laws work in 60 seconds
A lemon law gives you a remedy when the manufacturer cannot fix a warranty defect after a fair chance. Most state laws presume that chance has been used up when one of these happens inside the protection period:
- 3–4repair attempts for the same defect is the usual triggerVaries by state
- 1–2attempts for a defect that could cause death or serious injury, in states with that testVaries by state
- 30days out of service is the most common cutoffVaries by state
Inside each state's protection period, usually counted in months or miles from delivery. Check your state's page.
| Test | What most states look for |
|---|---|
| Repeated repairs | The same defect has been repaired several times and is still there |
| Serious safety defect | A defect likely to cause death or serious injury has been repaired once or twice and is still there (in states that have this test) |
| Days out of service | The vehicle has been in the shop for repairs for a set number of days in total |
| Protection period | The problem was first reported within the state's window, usually measured in months or miles from delivery |
Many states also require written notice to the manufacturer and a final chance to repair before you can get a buyback. Some require you to try the manufacturer's dispute program first. The numbers differ by state, so read your state's page before you count your visits.
Your file
What we look at when you send your file
We start with your paperwork. These are the documents that decide most lemon law claims:
- Your purchase or lease contract and the delivery date
- Every repair order, with your complaint, the dates in and out, and the mileage
- The manufacturer's warranty booklet and any extended warranty or service contract
- Letters, emails and texts with the dealer or the manufacturer
- Any recall notices or technical service bulletins for your vehicle
- Rental or loaner records and towing receipts, if you had them
If you don't have every repair order, that's normal. Dealers can print copies, and we can tell you which ones matter most.
The process
How a case moves step by step
Every case is different, but most follow the same path:
- Case review. You tell us about the vehicle and the repair history. We read the repair orders and the contract against your state's law.
- Options. If it looks like a claim, we explain the options and how fees work before you sign anything. If it doesn't, we say so.
- Notice. Where your state requires it, the manufacturer gets written notice and a final chance to repair.
- Negotiation. The manufacturer reviews the file and responds. Many claims settle at this stage.
- Dispute program or court. If the claim does not settle, the next step may be a state or manufacturer dispute program, or a lawsuit, depending on your state and your warranty.
Reaching out does not make you our client, and it does not stop any deadline. Only a signed fee agreement starts an attorney-client relationship.
Questions about your vehicle's repair history?
Coverage
Vehicles lemon laws cover
Lemon laws were written for consumer vehicles, and coverage differs by state. Common categories:
- Trucks and SUVs, including many pickups used partly for work
- RVs and motor homes, often with different rules for the chassis and the living area
- Motorcycles, covered in some states and excluded in others
- Electric vehicles, including battery, charging and software defects
- Leased vehicles, covered by most state laws
See covered vehicles for the details and the usual exclusions.
Nationwide
Lemon laws in every state
Each state wrote its own lemon law, so the repair thresholds, protection periods, notice rules and filing deadlines change when you cross a state line. Our state pages list the citation, the key numbers and the official sources for all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Pick your state on the map.
Tools
Check your numbers before you call
Responsible attorney
The attorney responsible for this site
Gregory R. Jacobs is the responsible attorney for SkyRidge Law P.C. He has been licensed in Texas since May 26, 1980 (State Bar of Texas No. 10517300). Before law he was a pharmacist, and his legal career includes in-house work at PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division and thirteen years as a senior attorney at the FDIC in Dallas.
Resources
Where to start
New to lemon law? Start with the lemon law guide, then check whether your vehicle may qualify and the deadlines for your state. If your car is in the shop right now, read what to say at the dealership before you pick it up.
- How Lemon Laws Work in the United States: A Plain-English GuideA plain-English guide to U.S. lemon laws: what makes a vehicle a lemon, state law vs. Magnuson-Moss, repair tests, notice, buybacks, deadlines and first steps.
- Lemon Laws by StateLemon laws by state: the statute, protection period, repair-attempt and days-out-of-service tests, notice rules and deadlines for all 50 states and D.C.
- Does My Vehicle Qualify Under a Lemon Law? The Tests and a Self-Check ListThe lemon law tests in plain English: covered vehicle, warranty defect, substantial impairment, repair attempts and timing. Plus a 10-point self-check list.
- Lemon Law Deadlines: Protection Periods, Notice, Arbitration and Filing LimitsThe four kinds of lemon law deadlines: protection period, notice, arbitration and the filing deadline, plus how courts set the Magnuson-Moss limitations period.
- New Car Problems Checklist: From Delivery Day to a Lemon Law ClaimA printable checklist for new car problems: what to check at delivery, how to report the first defect, what to keep after each repair, and when to send notice.
- Lemon Law FAQ: Answers to Common QuestionsAnswers to 32 common lemon law questions: repair attempts, deadlines, used and leased cars, arbitration, refunds, attorney's fees and Magnuson-Moss rights.
Guides
Guides for vehicle owners
- How to Document Repair Visits for a Lemon Law ClaimWhat a repair order should say, how to get copies every visit, how to use photos and video, and a repair log template you can copy for your lemon law file.Read the guide
- Lemon Law vs. Recall: What's the Difference?A recall is a federal safety process; a lemon law claim is a state warranty remedy. How they differ, how a recall repair can count, and how to check your VIN.Read the guide
- New Car Problems Checklist: From Delivery Day to a Lemon Law ClaimA printable checklist for new car problems: what to check at delivery, how to report the first defect, what to keep after each repair, and when to send notice.Read the guide
- Selling or Trading In a Lemon: What Happens to Your Claim?What can happen to a lemon law claim if you sell or trade in the vehicle, why disclosure matters, and the questions to ask a lawyer before you sign anything.Read the guide
- What to Say at the Dealership When Your Car Keeps Having ProblemsHow to describe a car problem so it's written down right, what to do when you hear 'could not duplicate,' how to ask for a test drive, and when to write it.Read the guide
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a lemon under the law?
In most states, a lemon is a new vehicle with a defect covered by the manufacturer's warranty that substantially impairs its use, value or safety, and that the manufacturer could not fix after a reasonable number of attempts. State laws usually presume this is true after a set number of repair attempts for the same problem, or after the vehicle has been out of service for a set number of days. The exact numbers and time limits vary, so check your state's page.
Does my state have a lemon law?
Yes. Every state and Washington, D.C. has a lemon law covering new passenger vehicles, though each one sets its own coverage period, repair thresholds, notice rules and deadlines. Some states also cover used vehicles or leased vehicles in specific ways. Our state lemon law guide has a page for each state with its statute and the key numbers.
What can I get if my vehicle is a lemon?
State lemon laws generally allow a repurchase (a refund of what you paid, minus a deduction for the miles you drove before the problem started in many states) or a replacement vehicle. Many claims are also resolved by a negotiated settlement. Which remedy fits depends on your state's law, your contract and your repair history. See buyback and replacement.
Do I need a lawyer for a lemon law claim?
No law requires one. Many people start with the manufacturer's customer line or a state or manufacturer dispute program. A lawyer can help you avoid missing a notice requirement or a deadline, read your repair orders the way a manufacturer will, and deal with the manufacturer for you. Many lemon laws, and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, let a consumer who wins recover reasonable attorney's fees from the manufacturer; we explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.
Can I still make a claim if I bought the vehicle used?
Sometimes. A few states have separate used-car lemon laws, and in many states a used vehicle that is still under the manufacturer's original warranty can qualify for some protection. Federal warranty law can also apply to used vehicles sold with a written warranty or a service contract. Read lemon law for used cars and check your state's page.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim?
It depends on your state. Each law sets a protection period (often measured in months or miles from delivery) and a deadline to bring a claim, and some require you to use a dispute program first. Waiting can cost you the claim, so check your dates early. Our deadlines guide explains the different clocks.
Questions about your vehicle's repair history?
Tell us what has happened with your vehicle. A member of our team will look at your dates and repair orders with you. Reaching out does not create an attorney-client relationship.