In Indiana, state law provides legal protection in the form of lemon laws to help you if you purchase a used car that turns out to have serious defects. The Indiana lemon law sets standards that sellers must follow if the vehicles sold by them are found to have defects.

The Indiana Legislature established the Indiana lemon law or the Motor Vehicle Protection Act, in 1988.

• The Indiana lemon law protects buyers of new and used vehicles in Indiana
• The Indiana lemon law protects anyone who leases a vehicle under a written agreement
• The lemon law protects consumers by providing them with safeguards against anyone selling a car that has serious defects

The Indiana lemon law applies to warrantied vehicles that

• Weigh less than 10,000 pounds
• Registered in Indiana 
• Used on public highways and other roads
• Require registration or licensing before use

The Indiana lemon law does not cover conversion vans, motor homes, farm tractors, snowmobiles, motorcycles or ATVs.

The Indiana lemon law requires:

• The manufacturers to repair, replace or repurchase a vehicle sold to the consumer if it has defects that substantially impair the use, market value or safety
• Consumers to take their vehicles to the dealer or seller to report the problem and request repairs as soon as possible

The Indiana lemon law allows a buyer a limited amount of time to make a lemon law claim on a vehicle that is within 18,000 miles or 18 months from the date of the delivery of the vehicle. The Indiana lemon law protects a consumer if he has first requested for repairs within the set period of the 18-month period.

The Indiana lemon law allows the seller or the manufacturer another chance of repairing the vehicle which means that the Indiana lemon law provides for 'a reasonable number of repair attempts'. According to the Indiana lemon law, the 'reasonable number' is four. The Indiana lemon law allows 30 business days for repairs. The Indiana lemon law requires the seller or manufacturer to provide the buyer with an alternative vehicle while the vehicle is subjected to repairs.

According to the Indiana lemon law, if the issue persists even after the reasonable number of repairs, the seller or manufacturer must buy back the vehicle or provide a replacement within 30 days.

• The repurchase price must be equal to the total contract price at the time of sale
• The repurchase price must include all sales tax
• The repurchase price must include the registration fee and excise tax paid by the buyer at the time the vehicle was purchased
• The repurchase price must include incidental expenses incurred by the consumer for towing and rental car caused by the nonconformity

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as legal advice. Please direct your specific questions to K&M attorneys and know more about your lemon law rights. If you want to pursue your lemon law claim, call 1-800 US LEMON® (800-875-3666) toll free, to reach Krohn & Moss for your FREE initial consultation. Or submit your information online for your free case evaluation.

• Low miles on the odometer
• Warranty
• Wear and tear issues

• Green, Red (in some of the newer cars) or clear water is a good indicator

• Muddy brown suggests that an additive has been added to the coolant to seal a leak in the radiator/water pump, or the vehicle has a blown head gasket

• A valve cover leak which is usually a minor repair

• Other leaks

• Poorly maintained Vehicle

• Suggest a blown head gasket which is a costly repair.

• Failure  
• That has been run with no oil for long periods of time

• Bright pinkish red colored fluid indicates a healthy or decently maintained transmission

• Brownish red colored fluid suggests that it is possibly time for a fluid change

• Straight brown fluid indicates poor maintenance on the transmission which will require immediate attention
• Metal filings in the fluid indicates that the transmission is going out

• Bad thermostat
• Blocked or cracked radiator
• Fluid loss from a hose
• Some other component in the water system
• Blown head gasket which cost around $1100 to repair

• A static puffing discharge indicates potential engine problems
• The exhaust should be clear when the car is warm
• Excessive white smoke can suggest water and oil mixing together by a blown head gasket

• Pedal should be firm and stopping should feel normal

• If there is a scraping or shuttering pedal there is probably damage to the brake shoes which will require immediate replacement
• A scraping noise in the brakes suggests that the rotors need to be turned or replaced

• Hard-turning steering wheels indicate problems with the power steering unit

• A steering wheel that throbs indicates a contaminated fluid in the power steering reservoir

• If the vehicle begins to veer to the right or left, an alignment is needed
• If the veer is extreme, it is possible that there are suspension problems that could prove to be costly

• Make sure to check all lights and signals
• Make sure the heat and air-conditioner are working
• Try to roll down all windows, either by hand if their manual or by using the electric buttons
• Lock and unlock all the doors

• Make sure to look over the body for rust
• Look carefully at the paint for surface bumps
• Bumps underneath the paint could imply rust or bondo