FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Sadly, lemon law claims are often much more complicated and time-consuming than they appear. To be eligible for a replacement or refund, you’ll need to show that you’ve made several fruitless attempts to repair your vehicle while also balancing tight filing deadlines and corresponding with manufacturers who will attempt to push back on your claim. Hammer Law has years of experience handling these claims and can manage every step of the process, from reviewing your warranty to gathering repair orders and other documents to guiding you through arbitration or litigation.

Not every defect is covered by Minnesota’s lemon laws; the issue must have a severe impact on the safety, value, or general use of your vehicle. For example, if you notice a scratch on the car or find that you need to replace a brake light after purchasing your vehicle, this generally does not fall under lemon law. However, if you notice that there are persistent issues that affect the braking system, transmission, engine, or electrical system, this may indicate that your car is a lemon.

A “lemon” in Minnesota generally defines a new vehicle that was recently purchased in Minnesota that displays significant defects that compromise a vehicle’s safety, value, or general use.

Yes, but only lightly used cars that still fall under the manufacturer’s warranty. However, if the warranty does not apply, you may still have other legal options to pursue compensation, repair, or replacement, especially if the warranty was misrepresented. Hammer Law can help review your warranty to determine if you have a case.

Lemon laws are designed to protect consumers who buy or lease vehicles that turn out to be defective. Every state, including Minnesota, has its own lemon law that specifies what vehicles are covered and when. Minnesota’s lemon law applies to certain new or lightly used vehicles purchased within the state that develop a defect within the manufacturer’s warranty period or within two years of purchase (whichever comes first). If your vehicle’s defect is not able to be repaired after multiple attempts, the repair has resulted in steering or brake failure, or your car is in the shop for 30 days or more, you may be entitled to a refund or replacement of the vehicle.