Wisconsin Lemon Law Guide: Your Rights Under Wisconsin Lemon Law

What Is the Wisconsin Lemon Law? The Wisconsin Lemon Law—codified at Wis. Stat. § 218.0171—provides statutory rights for consumers who buy or lease new motor vehicles that have substantial nonconformities covered by the manufacturer's express warranty. The statute aims to ensure that defects substantially impair use, value, or safety are corrected, and that consumers receive a replacement vehicle or refund when the manufacturer cannot repair such defects within the statutory thresholds. This law is administered and explained by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection DATCP, which maintains a consumer resource page and oversees the manufacturer's arbitration programs required under the statute. See the DATCP vehicle lemon law page for official guidance: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/ProgramsServices/VehicleLemonLaw.aspx. Under Wis. Stat. § 218.0171, a consumer has recourse when the same substantially impairing nonconformity is subject to repeated attempts at repair or when the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative period. The statute defines procedural requirements, the informal dispute resolution mechanism manufacturer arbitration and remedies, including replacement or refund with an offset for use. For more on the basic concepts of state lemon laws across the country, see our general overview: What Is the Lemon Law?/resources/what-is-the-lemon-law/. Which Vehicles Qualify Under Wisconsin Lemon Law? Wisconsin's lemon statute applies only to new motor vehicles. The law covers passenger vehicles, trucks, and other vehicles commonly used for transportation that are sold or leased in Wisconsin and are covered by the manufacturer's express warranty. Importantly, used vehicles are excluded from protection under Wis. Stat. § 218.0171; the statute explicitly limits coverage to new vehicles within the specified coverage period. The coverage period for the Wisconsin Lemon Law is measured from the date of original delivery to the consumer and runs for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first. To qualify, the defect must be a nonconformity that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle and must be covered by the manufacturer's express warranty. Problems caused by consumer abuse, unauthorized modifications, or conditions outside the warranty typically will not qualify. The burden is on the consumer to show the existence of a covered nonconformity and that the manufacturer's attempts to repair were insufficient under the thresholds set by statute. How Many Repair Attempts Are Required in Wisconsin? Wisconsin sets specific thresholds for when a manufacturer's inability to repair a vehicle gives rise to a presumption that the vehicle is a "lemon." These thresholds are part of Wis. Stat. § 218.0171 and are critical to establishing a claim. The principal numerical thresholds are presented below: | Condition reviewed | Wisconsin threshold | |---|---:| | Number of repair attempts for the sam