Lemon law in Minnesota

At a glance

Who qualifies

Which vehicles

New passenger cars, pickup trucks and vans, and the chassis or van part of motor homes, bought or leased for personal, family, or household use at least 40 percent of the time. Later owners are covered while the warranty lasts.

“"Motor vehicle" means (1) a passenger automobile as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 24 , including pickup trucks and vans”

revisor.mn.gov

Repair attempts

The car is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired 4 or more times within the period and still exists.

“the same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, its agents, or its authorized dealers”

revisor.mn.gov

Serious safety defects

If the defect is a complete failure of the brakes or steering that is likely to cause death or serious injury, 1 repair attempt is enough.

“If the nonconformity results in a complete failure of the braking or steering system of the new motor vehicle and is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven”

revisor.mn.gov

Days out of service

The car is presumed a lemon if it is out of service for repairs a total of 30 or more business days within the period.

“the vehicle is out of service by reason of repair for a cumulative total of 30 or more business days during the term or during the period, whichever is the earlier date”

revisor.mn.gov

Used vehicles

The lemon law covers a used car only if it was transferred during the original warranty. A separate law, Minn. Stat. 325F.662, requires dealers to give a written warranty on used cars (for example 60 days or 2,500 miles if under 36,000 miles).

“Every used motor vehicle sold by a dealer is covered by an express warranty which the dealer shall provide to the consumer in writing.”

revisor.mn.gov

Leased vehicles

Yes. A lessee has the same rights as a buyer, but gets a refund rather than a replacement.

“A consumer who leases a new motor vehicle has the same rights against the manufacturer under this section as a consumer who purchases a new motor vehicle”

revisor.mn.gov

Deadlines

Protection period

The manufacturer's express warranty term or 2 years after first delivery, whichever ends first. The law sets no mileage limit of its own.

“within the applicable express warranty term or during the period of two years following the date of original delivery of the new motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever is the earlier date, but the nonconformity continues to exist”

revisor.mn.gov

Time limit to file

You must sue within 3 years of first delivery. If you applied to the dispute program within those 3 years, you have 6 months after its final decision.

“A civil action brought under this section must be commenced within three years of the date of original delivery of the new motor vehicle to a consumer”

revisor.mn.gov

Steps

1. Keep every repair order. Each visit to the dealer should give you a work order with the date, the mileage, what you reported and what they did. Ask for one every time, even when they find nothing. These papers are your case.
2. Check the dates. The manufacturer's express warranty term or 2 years after first delivery, whichever ends first. The law sets no mileage limit of its own. You must sue within 3 years of first delivery. If you applied to the dispute program within those 3 years, you have 6 months after its final decision.
3. Tell the manufacturer in writing. The law asks for written notice. See written notice below.
4. Use the dispute program if one is required. See arbitration below for whether you must go there before court.
5. Ask for a refund or a replacement, or file. Send the letter, then file before the time limit if the manufacturer will not buy the vehicle back or replace it.

Written notice

Yes. The presumption only applies if the manufacturer, its agent, or dealer got written notice from you at least once and a chance to fix the defect.

“has received prior written notification from or on behalf of the consumer at least once and an opportunity to cure the defect alleged”

revisor.mn.gov

Arbitration

Manufacturers must run or join an informal dispute program in Minnesota that meets federal rules, and you must use it before suing for a refund or replacement unless the manufacturer waives this. The state does not run its own program.

“The provisions of subdivision 3 concerning refunds or replacement do not apply to a consumer who has not first used this mechanism before commencing a civil action, unless the manufacturer allows a consumer to commence an action without first using this mechanism.”

revisor.mn.gov

What you get

A comparable replacement or a full refund including taxes, fees, towing and rental costs, minus a use allowance of no more than 10 cents per mile or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less. You can turn down a replacement and take the refund.

“less a reasonable allowance for the consumer's use of the vehicle not exceeding ten cents per mile driven or ten percent of the purchase price, whichever is less”

revisor.mn.gov

Do it yourself

You can bring a lemon law claim without a lawyer. It takes letters, records and patience. The usual route:

1. Put your repair orders in date order and count the attempts and the days out of service.
2. Send the manufacturer the letter below, by a tracked method, to the address in your owner's manual or warranty booklet.
3. If it offers a final repair, let it try within the time the law gives it.
4. If it refuses or does not answer, file with the manufacturer's dispute program or the state program (Minnesota Attorney General's Office), then court if you need to.
5. Do not sell or trade in the vehicle while the claim is open.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Manufacturer name]
[Address from your owner's manual or warranty booklet]

Re: Lemon law claim, [year make model], VIN [VIN]

I bought (or leased) this vehicle on [date] from [dealer], in Minnesota. It has a defect that the dealer has not been able to fix: [describe it in one or two sentences].

It has been in for repair of this defect [number] times, on [dates], and out of service for a total of [number] days. Copies of the repair orders are enclosed.

Under Minnesota Lemon Law (Motor Vehicle Warranties) (Minn. Stat. § 325F.665; used cars: Minn. Stat. § 325F.662), I ask you to repurchase or replace the vehicle. Please reply in writing within 15 days. I can bring the vehicle in for a final repair attempt if the law gives you one.

[Your name]
[Phone and email]

What a buyback pays in Minnesota

The refund is reduced for your use of the car: up to 10 cents a mile for the miles driven, and never more than 10% of the price. For a $40,000 car with 6,000 miles at the first repair and 15,000 now, that is about $1,500.

Estimate your buyback

Questions people ask about Minnesota's lemon law

Find a Minnesota lemon law lawyer

Yes. If you win in court you can recover costs and reasonable attorney fees.

“Any consumer injured by a violation of this section may bring a civil action to enforce this section and recover costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney's fees incurred in the civil action.”

revisor.mn.gov

Because the manufacturer usually pays the lawyer's fees when you win, most lemon law lawyers charge you nothing up front. A lawyer also knows what the manufacturer offers in cases like yours and what the use deduction should be.

Send the free case check below and we find a lemon law firm that takes Minnesota cases like yours. The firm contacts you, and you decide whether to hire them.

Sources

• Minn. Stat. § 325F.665; used cars: Minn. Stat. § 325F.662, Minnesota Lemon Law (Motor Vehicle Warranties)
• Minnesota Attorney General's Office
• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2310, the federal warranty law that also lets owners recover attorney fees.

Each quote above is copied from the page it links to, checked 2026-10-26. If a page has moved, the citation still finds the law.