The Minnesota lemon law checkup
Six questions about your vehicle's repair history, checked against the framework of Minnesota's lemon law (Minnesota Statutes section 325F.665). You get a straight answer, including "this likely does not qualify" when that is the honest one. Everything is computed on your device; your answers are not sent anywhere unless you choose to submit an inquiry at the end.
Question 1 of 7
How did you get the vehicle?
Frequently asked questions
- What counts as a lemon under Minnesota law?
- Minnesota's lemon law (Minnesota Statutes section 325F.665) covers new motor vehicles with a defect that substantially impairs their use or market value, where the manufacturer or its dealers could not fix the problem after a reasonable number of attempts, reported within the warranty term or the first two years, whichever comes first. The law presumes a reasonable number of attempts after four repair visits for the same problem, 30 or more cumulative business days out of service, or a single failed repair of a complete braking or steering failure.
- Does the Minnesota lemon law cover used cars?
- The refund-or-replace remedy applies to new motor vehicles, including leases. A used vehicle usually falls outside it, though a vehicle transferred while still inside the original express warranty can qualify in some situations, and separate warranty laws can still apply to used cars. That is one of the traps in this area, and a reason the checkup errs on the side of telling you honestly when the statute likely does not fit.
- What does a lemon law claim cost?
- Often nothing out of pocket. The statute lets a consumer who wins recover reasonable attorney fees from the manufacturer, which is why many Minnesota lemon law attorneys take qualified claims without charging the consumer up front. It also means an attorney's willingness to take your case is itself a useful signal about its strength.
- Do I have to go through arbitration first?
- Usually yes. Minnesota requires manufacturers to offer a free or low-cost arbitration program, and using it is generally required before filing a lemon law lawsuit unless the manufacturer allows otherwise. The arbitration decision is nonbinding: if you lose or the award is too low, you can still go to court. You can use the program yourself without a lawyer, and many consumers do.
This checkup is educational, not legal advice, and a green, yellow, or red result is not a legal opinion about your claim. The statute has exceptions and timing rules that only a review of your actual paperwork can resolve.