Consumers who have purchased defective vehicles in Indiana may have legal rights under Indiana lemon law.

What Is a Lemon Law?

A lemon law is a law that protects consumers who have purchased defective vehicles. Approximately one percent of cars, trucks, and SUVs that are manufactured each year may be lemons, or vehicles with persistent defects that resist attempts to repair them. This means that around 150,000 lemons may be sold to consumers each year. Many of these vehicles have defects that make them unsafe to drive or affect their value.

Every state in the U.S. has a lemon law. These laws allow customers who have purchased lemon vehicles to obtain a refund for their vehicle or be given a replacement.  However, in order to get this refund or replacement, vehicle-owners must meet several requirements. These requirements may be different depending on the state, but usually include allowing the dealership a chance to repair the defect before the vehicle is declared a lemon.

While some states have lemon laws that cover used vehicles, most lemon laws pertain to vehicles that were purchased brand new from a dealership and require the vehicle to still be under warranty.

What’s Covered Under Indiana Lemon Law?

Under Indiana lemon law, consumers who purchase new vehicles that have a “nonconformity” or substantial defect may be eligible to pursue reimbursement or replacement. Indiana lemon laws only apply to personal vehicles such as cars, trucks, or SUVs, rather than RVs or mobile homes, tractors, snowmobiles, or other recreational or occupational vehicles.

In order to qualify under Indiana lemon law, the vehicle must have a defect that greatly impairs the value, safety, or use of the car or truck. This defect cannot be due to modifications or neglect caused by the owner of the vehicle. The owner of the lemon must be able to prove that the defect significantly changes their ability to use the vehicle, will greatly reduce its resale value, or causes the vehicle to be unsafe.

Common defects may include issues with the brakes, airbags, or seat belts, transmission failure, electrical problems, power steering loss, uncontrolled acceleration or deceleration, or paint defects.

The defect must be reported to the manufacturer within 18 months after the vehicle is purchased, or before the mileage of the vehicle reaches 18,000 miles. Additionally, the owner must allow the dealership four attempts to fix the defect before they qualify for reimbursement or replacement. However, if these attempts make the vehicle unusable for more than 30 days, the owner may qualify to pursue reimbursement or replacement before all four attempts have been made.

Additionally, the law also requires dealerships and manufacturers to continue attempting to fix the vehicle after the owner has invoked their legal rights. This means that dealerships are prohibited from covering up issues with vehicles that would be covered under lemon laws. In many cases, dealerships will give vehicle owners a receipt after working on the car or truck. In cases of lemons, it is especially important for consumers to keep these receipts so that they can prove they gave their dealership the required number of attempts to repair their vehicle’s defect.

Once all four attempts to repair the vehicle have been made, Indiana lemon law allows qualified vehicle owners to choose whether they want their lemon to be reimbursed for the cost of the vehicle, or if they would prefer to be provided with a replacement vehicle of comparable value. If owners choose reimbursement, they are entitled to the amount they paid for the vehicle, minus the amount of value lost due to mileage, wear and tear, and any damages. According to the law, they are also entitled to a refund of additional costs associated with the purchase of the vehicle, including sales tax, registration fees, and finance interest charges.

However, in some cases, owners of lemons have reported that these additional fees have not been factored into the reimbursement value of the vehicle. Other consumers have reported being offered settlements for their vehicles that are substantially lower than they believe they are owed.

If you purchased a lemon in Indiana, you may be eligible to hire an experienced attorney to make sure you receive the settlement amount you are entitled to. An attorney can help you to gather the necessary documentation to prove your claims, and will aid you in filing a lawsuit against the manufacturer or dealer if necessary. Additionally, if you win your case, the manufacturer of your vehicle may also be required to pay your legal fees.

Join a Free Lemon Law Defective Vehicle Investigation

You may qualify for this Lemon Law investigation under the following circumstances:

• You purchased your vehicle new;
• Your purchased your vehicle in 2018-2020;
• Your vehicle is still under warranty;
• You have taken your vehicle in for repair several times; and
• It is still having the same problem.

(Note: Residents of North Carolina do not qualify for this investigation.)

See if you qualify by filling out the form on this page for a case evaluation by experienced Lemon Law lawyers or call (877) 289-0615.

Get a Free Case Evaluation