Minnesota Lemon Law Guide: Your Rights Under Minnesota Lemon Law

What Is the Minnesota Lemon Law? Minnesota's lemon law is codified at Minn. Stat. § 325F.665. The statute provides protections for consumers who purchase or lease new motor vehicles that have substantial defects covered by the manufacturer's express warranties and that substantially impair the vehicle's use, value, or safety. The law sets defined thresholds for when a vehicle may be presumed to be a "lemon," requires manufacturers to maintain an informal dispute settlement or arbitration program, and prescribes remedies for qualifying claims. Minnesota's law is designed to be a state-level complement to federal protections such as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, providing a streamlined path to replacement or repurchase in appropriate cases Minn. Stat. § 325F.665; see also the Minnesota Attorney General's consumer protection pages. Although the statute provides bright-line rules, each claim depends on its facts. The nature of the defect, the dealer's and manufacturer's repair efforts, and consumer compliance with the manufacturer's instructions all matter. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office offers consumer information and resources on vehicle purchases and warranty issues at https://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/. Which Vehicles Qualify Under Minnesota Lemon Law? Minnesota's lemon law covers only new motor vehicles that are still within the statutory coverage period. The statute applies where the vehicle is subject to an express warranty and the defect arises during the coverage period specified by the statute. Key coverage elements are: - Coverage period: Two years from delivery or until the vehicle accumulates 18,000 miles, whichever occurs first. A defect must appear within that period to trigger the protections of Minn. Stat. § 325F.665. - Type of vehicle: The law is limited to new motor vehicles sold or leased to consumers. It does not apply to used vehicles that are not still covered by the original new-vehicle express warranty. - Warranty requirement: The defect must be covered by the manufacturer's express warranty. Problems arising outside warranty coverage generally will not qualify under the state lemon law, though other legal remedies including consumer protection statutes or Magnuson-Moss claims may still be available. Because the statute applies only to new vehicles, consumers who bought used cars should review the terms of any remaining warranty and consult the Minnesota Attorney General's resources for guidance https://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/. How Many Repair Attempts Are Required in Minnesota? Minnesota uses both a repair-attempt threshold and a cumulative days-out-of-service threshold to determine when a vehicle may be treated as a lemon under Minn. Stat. § 325F.665. The statute establishes objective benchmarks intended to balance opportunities for repair with consumer protection. | Situation | Threshold under Minnesota Law | Citation/Note | |---|---:|---| | Same defect repaired multiple times | 4 repair attem