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Lemon law in Tennessee
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Tennessee Lemon Law, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-24-101 to 55-24-112. A new vehicle is presumed a lemon in Tennessee when, during the protection period, the same defect was repaired 3 or more times without a fix, or it was out of service for repairs 30 or more days in total. The protection period is 12 months after delivery, whichever comes first. Leased vehicles are covered. Used vehicles are covered only in some cases.
At a glance
| Protection period | 12 months |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts, same defect | 3 |
| Attempts, serious safety defect | Not set |
| Days out of service | 30 |
| Used vehicles | Some |
| Leased vehicles | Covered |
| State arbitration program | No |
| Time limit to file | 6 months after the warranty expires or 1 year after original delivery, whichever is later |
Who qualifies
Which vehicles
New motor vehicles sold or leased in Tennessee with a defect that makes them unreliable or unsafe or lowers their resale value. Since 2010 the law also covers motorcycles that are registered and titled for road use.
“"Motor vehicle" shall include a motorcycle, as defined in § 55-1-103, that is sold and subject to the registration and certificate of title provisions in Chapters 1-6 of this title in this state”
publications.tnsosfiles.com
Repair attempts
The car may be a lemon if the manufacturer or dealer cannot fix the defect after three attempts.
“the manufacturer or dealer cannot repair the vehicle after three attempts or the vehicle is out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more days”
tn.gov
Serious safety defects
The law does not say.
Days out of service
The car may be a lemon if it is out of service for repairs a total of 30 or more days during the term of protection.
“the manufacturer, its agent, or authorized dealer cannot fix the vehicle after three attempts or the vehicle is out of service for repairs for a cumulative total of 30 or more days during the term of protection”
tn.gov
Used vehicles
Partly. The law is for vehicles bought new, but a later owner may be covered while the manufacturer's original warranty is still in effect.
“If you purchased a new vehicle, or a vehicle that is still under the manufacturer's warranty”
tn.gov
Leased vehicles
Yes. Leased vehicles are covered.
“motor vehicle sold or leased after January 1, 1987”
tn.gov
Deadlines
Protection period
The protection lasts for the term of the manufacturer's express warranty or one year after the vehicle was first delivered to you, whichever ends first. There is no mileage limit in the law.
“"Term of protection" means the term of applicable express warranties or the period of one (1) year following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever comes first”
lemonlaw.com
Time limit to file
You must sue within 6 months after the warranty expires or 1 year after original delivery, whichever is later. Extended warranties do not count.
“A consumer can file a lawsuit under the Lemon Law within six months of either the expiration of the express warranty or one year following the original date of delivery, whichever is the later date.”
tn.gov
Steps
- 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.
- Check the dates. The protection lasts for the term of the manufacturer's express warranty or one year after the vehicle was first delivered to you, whichever ends first. There is no mileage limit in the law. You must sue within 6 months after the warranty expires or 1 year after original delivery, whichever is later. Extended warranties do not count.
- Tell the manufacturer in writing. The law asks for written notice. See written notice below.
- Use the dispute program if one is required. See arbitration below for whether you must go there before court.
- 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
Before you can get a refund, you must notify the manufacturer of the problem in writing by certified mail. The manufacturer then gets one more chance to fix the car within 10 days.
“Prior to receiving a refund under the Lemon Law, you must notify the manufacturer of the problem in writing by certified mail.”
tn.gov
Arbitration
If the manufacturer has a dispute program that meets federal rules, you must try it before the refund and replacement rules apply. You are not bound by its decision, and Tennessee has no state arbitration program.
“the refund and replacement provisions of the Lemon Law won't apply until the consumer attempts to resolve the dispute using this procedure”
tn.gov
What you get
The manufacturer must replace the car or refund the purchase price, minus a reasonable allowance for your use.
“the manufacturer must replace the motor vehicle or refund the purchase price (minus a reasonable allowance for use)”
tn.gov
Do it yourself
You can bring a lemon law claim without a lawyer. It takes letters, records and patience. The usual route:
- Put your repair orders in date order and count the attempts and the days out of service.
- Send the manufacturer the letter below, by a tracked method, to the address in your owner's manual or warranty booklet.
- If it offers a final repair, let it try within the time the law gives it.
- If it refuses or does not answer, file with the manufacturer's dispute program or the state program (Tennessee Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs), then court if you need to.
- Do not sell or trade in the vehicle while the claim is open.
Letter template for Tennessee
[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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee Lemon Law (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-24-101 to 55-24-112), 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 Tennessee
The law asks for a reasonable allowance for your use without a fixed formula. Makers and courts often use the one several states write into law: the price times the miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000. For a $40,000 car with 6,000 miles at the first repair and 15,000 now, that is about $2,000.
Questions people ask about Tennessee's lemon law
How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in Tennessee?
The car may be a lemon if the manufacturer or dealer cannot fix the defect after three attempts.
How many days in the shop make a car a lemon in Tennessee?
The car may be a lemon if it is out of service for repairs a total of 30 or more days during the term of protection.
How long does Tennessee's lemon law cover a car?
The protection lasts for the term of the manufacturer's express warranty or one year after the vehicle was first delivered to you, whichever ends first. There is no mileage limit in the law.
Which vehicles does Tennessee's lemon law cover?
New motor vehicles sold or leased in Tennessee with a defect that makes them unreliable or unsafe or lowers their resale value. Since 2010 the law also covers motorcycles that are registered and titled for road use.
Does Tennessee's lemon law cover used cars?
Partly. The law is for vehicles bought new, but a later owner may be covered while the manufacturer's original warranty is still in effect.
Does Tennessee's lemon law cover leased cars?
Yes. Leased vehicles are covered.
Do I have to tell the manufacturer in writing?
Before you can get a refund, you must notify the manufacturer of the problem in writing by certified mail. The manufacturer then gets one more chance to fix the car within 10 days.
Do I have to go to arbitration before court?
If the manufacturer has a dispute program that meets federal rules, you must try it before the refund and replacement rules apply. You are not bound by its decision, and Tennessee has no state arbitration program.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Tennessee?
You must sue within 6 months after the warranty expires or 1 year after original delivery, whichever is later. Extended warranties do not count.
What do I get if my car is a lemon in Tennessee?
The manufacturer must replace the car or refund the purchase price, minus a reasonable allowance for your use.
How much is taken off a buyback for the miles I drove?
The law asks for a reasonable allowance for your use without a fixed formula. Makers and courts often use the one several states write into law: the price times the miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000. For a $40,000 car with 6,000 miles at the first repair and 15,000 now, that is about $2,000.
Who pays the lawyer in a Tennessee lemon law case?
Yes. If you go to court and win, you can ask for attorney fees and court costs. In Tennessee, an owner who wins can make the maker pay the lawyer.
Can I keep driving my car during a lemon law claim?
Usually, yes. Keep it maintained and insured, and do not sell or trade it in while the claim is open: a buyback needs the car. If the defect makes it unsafe, stop driving it and tell the dealer and the maker in writing.
Do I need a lawyer for a lemon law claim?
No. You can bring a claim yourself. The steps and a letter template are on this page. A lawyer knows what makers offer in cases like yours and what the use deduction should be. In Tennessee, an owner who wins can make the maker pay the lawyer.
Find a Tennessee lemon law lawyer
Yes. If you go to court and win, you can ask for attorney fees and court costs.
“including asking a court to award a replacement vehicle or to reimburse the purchase price (minus a reasonable allowance for use), plus attorney's fees and court costs”
tn.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 Tennessee cases like yours. The firm contacts you, and you decide whether to hire them.
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Sources
- Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-24-101 to 55-24-112, Tennessee Lemon Law
- Tennessee Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs
- 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.