How does the lemon law process work in Minnesota?
Minnesota's lemon law process is enforced through civil court, preceded by required manufacturer informal dispute resolution.
1. Governing Statute
Minn. Stat. § 325F.665 (Lemon Law). Consumer assistance through the Minnesota Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
2. Coverage
Covers new passenger automobiles and pickup trucks/vans (with a GVWR under 10,000 lbs), purchased or leased in Minnesota, and used for personal, family, or household purposes. Demonstrators and leased vehicles are covered. Excludes motor homes' living quarters, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, and used vehicles. Business vehicles included only if used primarily for personal use.
3. Lemon Presumption
Under § 325F.665, Subd. 3, presumption applies within the Warranty Term (2 years or warranty term, whichever first) when: (a) the same nonconformity has been subject to repair 4 or more times, (b) one repair attempt has been made on a defect resulting in complete failure of the braking or steering system likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or (c) the vehicle is out of service for repair 30+ cumulative business days.
4. Notice to Manufacturer
The consumer must give the manufacturer written notice by certified mail of the need for repair and a final opportunity to cure. Manufacturer has 7 business days after receipt to provide the final repair attempt (Subd. 3(b)).
5. Manufacturer's Buy-Back / Replacement
At the consumer's option, manufacturer must replace with a comparable new vehicle or refund the full purchase price (including collateral charges: taxes, license, registration, dealer add-ons, finance charges) minus a reasonable allowance for use (statutory formula: price x miles to first notice / 100,000).
6. Arbitration
If the manufacturer has a state-certified informal dispute settlement procedure (e.g., BBB AUTO LINE), the consumer must first resort to it (Subd. 7). Decision binds only the manufacturer.
7. Lawsuit & Fee-Shifting
A prevailing consumer recovers reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and disbursements (Subd. 9). Parallel claims under Magnuson-Moss (15 U.S.C. § 2310(d)) and Minnesota's Consumer Fraud Act (§ 325F.69) and Private Attorney General statute (§ 8.31) — allowing fee-shifting and sometimes treble damages — are common.
This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Brakes or steering complete-failure presumption denied by manufacturer
- Manufacturer's certified arbitration unfavorable
- Private AG / Consumer Fraud Act claim with fee-shifting
- Minn. Stat. § 325F.665 (Lemon Law)
- Minn. Stat. § 325F.69 (Consumer Fraud Act)
- Minn. Stat. § 8.31 (Private Attorney General)
- 15 U.S.C. § 2301 (Magnuson-Moss)
- 16 CFR Part 703
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.