Illinois Lemon Law Attorneys

The Illinois Lemon Law, also known as the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act (815 ILCS 380), protects consumers who purchase or lease a new vehicle for personal, family, or household use. 

If the vehicle has a defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety and the manufacturer or its authorized dealer is unable to repair the issue after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must either replace the vehicle with a similar new vehicle or refund the purchase (or lease) price, minus a reasonable allowance for the consumer’s use. 

Fortunately, while the Illinois Lemon Law only protects consumers for the first year or 12,000 miles driven on a vehicle, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act provides significant and comprehensive coverage to Illinois consumers for at least the duration of the written warranty provided by the car manufacturer. Accordingly, if your vehicle came with a 3-year, 5-year, or even 10-year warranty, federal law provides protection for you for the duration of the entire warranty.

Illinois doesn’t have a specific lemon law for used cars, but that doesn’t leave consumers without protection. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act—often referred to as the Federal Lemon Law—can provide relief for buyers of used cars, trucks, SUVs, and other consumer products. Unlike the state law, this federal law makes no distinction between new and used vehicles.

As long as the defect was reported while the vehicle was still under warranty (by you or a previous owner), the manufacturer is responsible for repairing the vehicle within a reasonable time or a reasonable number of attempts. 

What’s more, the manufacturer is responsible for providing you with a vehicle that is of a certain level of quality, something the law refers to as “merchantable.” If your vehicle is not of the level of quality you would expect from another one like it, i.e., dependable, trouble-free, and safe, then the manufacturer has breached the implied warranty of merchantability and broken an implied promise Illinois law requires the manufacturer to guarantee. 

Therefore, whether the manufacturer breached its written warranty by failing to repair defects in your vehicle in a reasonable time or reasonable number of attempts, or whether they breached the implied warranty of merchantability by not providing you with a vehicle that is dependable, trouble-free, and safe, you are entitled to appropriate compensation. 

Remedies can be in the form of a refund, replacement, and/or monetary damages, including diminished value, and incidental costs like towing expenses, rental fees, and damages for your loss of use, aggravation, and inconvenience. You are also entitled to recover payment for your attorney’s fees on top of your damages. This way, you can maximize your recovery without having a portion of it going to an attorney on a contingency fee basis.

No, Illinois does not have a 15-day lemon law or return policy for new or used cars. The state’s lemon law applies to new vehicles and covers defects reported within 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. It does not provide a 15-day return or cancellation period for any vehicle purchase.

However, all used vehicles with fewer than 150,000 miles are covered for a minimum of 15 days or 500 miles. More specifically, car dealers are required to warrant that powertrain components in all used cars with fewer than 150,000 miles. Additionally, some dealerships may offer longer-term warranties or even their own explicit return policies or exchange programs. Be sure to review your purchase or lease agreement and ask the dealer about any return options before finalizing the sale.

And if you believe you’ve been sold or leased a lemon, Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®️is here to help. Provided your vehicle’s defect meets the lemon law’s requirements, you may be entitled to a refund or replacement vehicle. 

Yes, Illinois’ Lemon Law, officially called the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act, holds car manufacturers responsible for defective vehicles they produce. If the manufacturer is unable to repair a defect that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle, they must provide the consumer with appropriate relief—typically either a refund or a replacement vehicle.

No, Illinois does not have a used car return law that allows buyers to return a used car simply because they changed their mind or discovered problems after purchase. If a used car is sold “as is” or without a specific return clause in the contract, the sale is typically final.

However, if the vehicle came with a written warranty or if there was fraud or misrepresentation during the sale, you may have legal options. In such cases, you could pursue a claim under general consumer protection laws. Additionally, used car owners typically have protections under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a federal law that provides recourse for vehicle defects and does not distinguish between new and used vehicles. Schedule your free case review with Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®️to see what options are available to you.