What is a lemon?
Generally, a vehicle is a "lemon" when a substantial defect covered by warranty can't be fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts, or the vehicle is out of service for an extended period.
Common tests (varies by state)
- Repair attempts: often 3-4 attempts for the same defect, or
- Days out of service: commonly ~30 cumulative days in the shop, and
- The defect substantially impairs use, value, or safety.
A complete engine failure almost always meets the "substantial defect" bar.
What you may recover
- A buyback (refund) or replacement vehicle
- Cash compensation
- In many states, the manufacturer pays your attorney's fees, so representation is often free to you.
Next steps
- Gather your repair orders and out-of-service dates.
- Run the eligibility checker.
- If you may qualify, we'll connect you with a lemon-law attorney for a free case review.
This is general information, not legal advice. Lemon laws vary by state.