Español

Minnesota lemon law: when your car is a lemon and how to claim

In Minnesota, a new car counts as a lemon after 4 repairs for the same problem, 1 for a serious safety defect or 30 business days in the shop within the first 24 months. First, send the manufacturer a written notice: the free letter below does it.

Checked against official sources: Oct 22, 2026

24 monthslemon law period
4 triesrepairs for the same problem
30 business daysout of service
Requiredarbitration or state process before suing
See the ruledeadline to sue or file
Get your letter ↓

Your next 4 steps in Minnesota

  1. Keep every repair order

    Get a written repair order at every visit, with the date, mileage and days in the shop. In Minnesota, a car is presumed a lemon after 4 repairs for the same problem, 1 for a serious safety defect or 30 business days in the shop.

  2. Send the manufacturer a written notice

    You must give written notice of the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer at least once and give it a chance to fix it. Write your notice letter ↓

  3. Let the manufacturer make its final repair attempt

    If the manufacturer asks for one more repair after your notice, take the car in and get a repair order.

  4. Ask for a refund or replacement, use arbitration, or call a lawyer

    Before suing, Minnesota requires you to go through the manufacturer’s dispute program. See the Arbitration section below for who goes first and the deadlines. If you win, the court can make the manufacturer pay your lawyer (see What you can get), so many lemon law lawyers charge nothing up front.

When a car is a lemon in Minnesota

Within the warranty or 2 years (whichever is earlier), your vehicle is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired 4 or more times and still exists; if it has been out of service for repair for a total of 30 or more business days; or if a complete failure of the brakes or steering, likely to cause death or serious injury, has been repaired once and still exists. The 4-attempt and 30-day presumptions apply only if you notified the manufacturer, its agent or dealer in writing at least once and gave it a chance to fix the defect.

Period: You must report the defect during the manufacturer's warranty or within 2 years of original delivery, whichever comes first. If you reported it in time, repair attempts up to 3 years after delivery can still count toward a lemon claim.

Is your car a lemon in Minnesota? A quick check

Minnesota: You must report the defect during the manufacturer's warranty or within 2 years of original delivery, whichever comes first. If you reported it in time, repair attempts up to 3 years after delivery can still count toward a lemon claim.

Count only business days, as Minnesota’s law does.

Fill in what you knowThe result updates as you type.

A rough guide to Minnesota’s presumption, not legal advice. Even if your car falls short, you may still have a claim under your warranty or federal law.

Notice to the manufacturer

You must give written notice of the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer at least once and give it a chance to fix it. The Attorney General recommends certified mail, return receipt requested, stating that the car is a lemon and that you want a refund or replacement under Minn. Stat. § 325F.665; if you write to the dealer, send a copy to the manufacturer. A dealer that receives the notice must forward it to the manufacturer by certified mail.

Write your notice letter below.

Arbitration

Required. Every manufacturer must offer an arbitration program located in Minnesota, and you must use it before suing for a refund or replacement unless the manufacturer lets you skip it. The fee can be no more than the county conciliation court filing fee, the decision does not bind you unless you agree, and you can go to district court afterward.

Deadline to sue or file in Minnesota

You must sue within 3 years of original delivery; if you applied to the manufacturer's arbitration program within those 3 years and are unhappy with the decision, you must sue within 6 months after the final arbitration decision (Minn. Stat. § 325F.665, subd. 10).

What you can get

The manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a comparable one or take it back and refund the full purchase price, including the trade-in value, options added by the manufacturer or dealer within 30 days of delivery, sales or excise tax, license and registration fees, and towing and rental costs from warranty repairs. You can reject a replacement and take the refund. The use deduction cannot exceed the lesser of 10 cents per mile or 10% of the purchase price. Lessees get a refund of what they actually paid on the lease (no replacement), minus the same use allowance.

Attorney fees: A consumer who sues to enforce the law can recover costs and reasonable attorney fees (Minn. Stat. § 325F.665, subd. 9); fees for arbitration are not recoverable, according to the Attorney General.

Free lemon law notice letter

Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. Fill this in, download the letter, sign it and mail it to the manufacturer. Keep a copy.

Send it by certified mail with return receipt so you have proof, and keep the receipt.

On your registration, insurance card or the driver’s side of the dashboard. A VIN never uses I, O or Q.

Find it in your warranty booklet or owner's manual (look for 'Customer Assistance').

Other formats

Who to contact

Office
Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Consumer Division
Phone
651-296-3353

Official page · Official lemon law guide

What the law covers

New vehicles
Yes
Used vehicles
Yes
Leased vehicles
Yes
Which vehicles
Passenger cars, pickup trucks and vans, plus the motor-vehicle chassis or van part of a recreational vehicle (not the living area) and the chassis or van part of a licensed ambulance service's ambulance. The vehicle must be used for personal, family or household purposes at least 40% of the time. Used vehicles are covered while still under the original manufacturer's warranty.
Who can claim
The buyer or lessee (lease longer than 4 months), not for resale, and anyone the vehicle is transferred to for personal use while the express warranty still applies. Licensed ambulance services are also covered.

Used cars in Minnesota

Minnesota's used car warranty law (Minn. Stat. § 325F.662) requires dealers to warrant key parts on most used cars: 60 days/2,500 miles under 36,000 miles; 30 days/1,000 miles for 36,000–74,999; 15 days/500 miles for 75,000–199,999 (with exceptions). The lemon law itself also covers used cars still under the original manufacturer's warranty.

Used car rules in every state

Good to know

  • A vehicle bought back for a complete brake or steering failure likely to cause death or serious injury may never be resold in Minnesota (subd. 5(b)).
  • Lemon buybacks are branded "lemon law vehicle" on the Minnesota title, and a resold buyback must carry a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty (subds. 5, 14).
  • If either side appeals an arbitration decision in bad faith, the court must award the other side three times its actual damages plus attorney fees (subd. 8).

Questions about Minnesota's lemon law

How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in Minnesota?

Within the warranty or 2 years (whichever is earlier), your vehicle is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired 4 or more times and still exists; if it has been out of service for repair for a total of 30 or more business days; or if a complete failure of the brakes or steering, likely to cause death or serious injury, has been repaired once and still exists. The 4-attempt and 30-day presumptions apply only if you notified the manufacturer, its agent or dealer in writing at least once and gave it a chance to fix the defect.

How long does Minnesota's lemon law cover a car?

You must report the defect during the manufacturer's warranty or within 2 years of original delivery, whichever comes first. If you reported it in time, repair attempts up to 3 years after delivery can still count toward a lemon claim.

Do I have to notify the manufacturer in Minnesota?

You must give written notice of the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer at least once and give it a chance to fix it. The Attorney General recommends certified mail, return receipt requested, stating that the car is a lemon and that you want a refund or replacement under Minn. Stat. § 325F.665; if you write to the dealer, send a copy to the manufacturer. A dealer that receives the notice must forward it to the manufacturer by certified mail.

Do I have to go to arbitration in Minnesota?

Every manufacturer must offer an arbitration program located in Minnesota, and you must use it before suing for a refund or replacement unless the manufacturer lets you skip it. The fee can be no more than the county conciliation court filing fee, the decision does not bind you unless you agree, and you can go to district court afterward.

What can I get under Minnesota's lemon law?

The manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a comparable one or take it back and refund the full purchase price, including the trade-in value, options added by the manufacturer or dealer within 30 days of delivery, sales or excise tax, license and registration fees, and towing and rental costs from warranty repairs. You can reject a replacement and take the refund. The use deduction cannot exceed the lesser of 10 cents per mile or 10% of the purchase price. Lessees get a refund of what they actually paid on the lease (no replacement), minus the same use allowance.

Is there a deadline to file a lemon law claim in Minnesota?

You must sue within 3 years of original delivery; if you applied to the manufacturer's arbitration program within those 3 years and are unhappy with the decision, you must sue within 6 months after the final arbitration decision (Minn. Stat. § 325F.665, subd. 10).

Does Minnesota's lemon law cover used cars?

Yes. Minnesota's used car warranty law (Minn. Stat. § 325F.662) requires dealers to warrant key parts on most used cars: 60 days/2,500 miles under 36,000 miles; 30 days/1,000 miles for 36,000–74,999; 15 days/500 miles for 75,000–199,999 (with exceptions). The lemon law itself also covers used cars still under the original manufacturer's warranty.

Car not covered, or the period has passed? Federal warranty law may still help, and small claims court can handle smaller repair bills.

Federal warranty law

Sources

Last checked: Oct 22, 2026.

Law: Minnesota Lemon Law (New Motor Vehicle Warranties), Minn. Stat. § 325F.665

Other states