Since 1995, Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® has represented and helped over 60,000 consumers obtain relief for their defective or misrepresented consumer products. Contact our Missouri lemon law attorneys for a case review.
If you purchased a lemon in the State of Missouri, our attorneys will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. With over 25 years of experience, we know exactly what it takes to win your Lemon Law case.
We don’t get paid unless you do. And when the manufacturer agrees to pay your claim, we’ll bill them for our services instead of you. So contact us today for a free case review. If our Missouri Lemon Law attorneys feel you have a legitimate claim, we’ll take on your case and not charge you for our time.
The Missouri New Vehicles Warranty Law (Missouri’s Lemon Law) entitles consumers who’ve purchased a lemon to a full refund or a replacement vehicle. The law defines a lemon as a vehicle with a defect that substantially impairs its use, market value, or safety. Defects resulting from abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modifications are not protected.
For your vehicle to qualify as a lemon, you must also provide the manufacturer with a reasonable number of attempts to fix the defect. In Missouri, manufacturers get four chances to repair the vehicle. Alternatively, if a defect or defects put your vehicle out of service for more than 30 business days, it qualifies as a lemon.
The law applies to all new motor vehicles except:
Under the Missouri Lemon Law, used cars are not covered. But you still have rights if you purchase a used car that’s a lemon. Check the FAQ section below for more information about Missouri’s Lemon Law protections for used cars.
Before your vehicle can qualify as a lemon, the Missouri Lemon Law requires you to submit written notice to the manufacturer, which we can do on your behalf. The manufacturer will then direct you to an accessible repair facility where they will have one last chance to fix the problem. If they fail to do so within 10 calendar days, arbitration is the next step.
Most manufacturers have informal settlement dispute procedures that you must go through before filing a Lemon Law claim with the courts. These procedures can be complex if you’re unfamiliar with them. But an experienced lemon law attorney can help you move through this process efficiently. The arbitration board will review your claim and typically offer a settlement.
Only you can decide whether or not to accept the terms of the settlement. We’ll give you our honest, professional opinion about the offer, but the choice is yours to make. If the arbitration board fails to offer a settlement, or you’re unhappy with the offer, we’ll file a legal claim with the court to seek the refund or replacement vehicle you deserve.
Under the Missouri Lemon Law, you need to report the defective vehicle within one year of the original delivery date in most cases. And you have eighteen months from the original delivery date to file a Lemon Law claim. Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, also known as the federal Lemon Law, you typically have four years to file a claim. Missing these deadlines could cost you your claim. But if you retain our services, we’ll be sure to file all of the necessary paperwork on time. The important thing is to come to us as soon as possible once you suspect that your car may be a lemon.
We’ve gone toe to toe with virtually every car company to protect our clients’ rights, and our successes speak for themselves. And we’re every bit as frustrated as you are when it comes to manufacturers who refuse to take responsibility for defective vehicles.
Car companies have teams of lawyers whose sole purpose is to help them escape liability. But our lemon law lawyers in Missouri know every consumer protection statute inside and out. Thus, we’ll exhaust every available option to force them to pay you the compensation you’re owed.
As proof our dedication to your claim, we only charge for our services if you accept a settlement or we win your case in court. And when that happens, state and federal law both require the manufacturer to pay our fees. That means you get a highly skilled attorney to represent you and you don’t get stuck with a bill for their time.
So call us today for a free case review and let us fight for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The Missouri New Vehicles Warranty Law protects consumers who’ve purchased a lemon in the State of Missouri.
The Lemon Law in Missouri holds manufacturers responsible for defective vehicles. Under the law, if a consumer reports a defect within one (1) year of purchasing the vehicle and the dealer fails to repair it after a “reasonable number of attempts,” then the consumer is entitled to a refund or a replacement vehicle.
Although the Missouri New Vehicles Warranty Law only applies to defects that arise within a year of ownership, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act provides additional protections. This “federal Lemon Law” requires manufacturers to repair any defect which occurs during the warranty period. And if they fail to do so, consumers have up to four (4) years to file a claim.
The Lemon Law in Missouri awards consumers who have purchased defective vehicles with refunds or replacements. However, you can’t simply demand a new car at the first sign of a problem.
If your new vehicle has an issue, the first step is to notify the manufacturer and bring it in for repair. To qualify for compensation under the Missouri Lemon Law you must notify the manufacturer of the issue within a year of the purchase date. Defects that aren’t reported during the first year of ownership are still protected under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
Before your vehicle can be considered a lemon, you must provide the manufacturer with a “reasonable number of repair attempts.” Typically, that means four (4) repair attempts for the same defect. Alternatively, vehicles can qualify as lemons in Missouri if they remain out of service for repairs for a total of thirty (30) business days.
In some cases, vehicles can be classified as lemons after fewer than (4) four repair attempts. In fact, we’ve handled cases under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act where vehicles were deemed lemons after just one (1) repair attempt.
So as soon as you think you have a lemon, reach out to a Missouri Lemon Law attorney. Both state and federal laws require manufacturers to pay your legal fees if you win your case. And at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®, we only charge for our services if we secure your compensation. So, there is no reason to deal with your lemon without an attorney to advise you.
An attorney can also help by sending written notice to the manufacturer of the defect before one (1) final repair attempt, which is required before pursuing claims. Once the manufacturer receives this written notice, they’ll direct you to a repair facility. After you bring the car to the facility, they’ll have ten (10) days to repair the defect. And if the defect is still present after this attempt, you have a lemon.
At this point, you or your attorney must present your case to an arbitration board. The board will review the relevant documents (sales paperwork, repair records, receipts for incidental expenses, etc.) and issue a ruling. The ruling may award you with a full or partial refund or even a replacement vehicle. But if you aren’t satisfied with the decision, you can file a lawsuit.
Even if you need to file suit, with an experienced attorney in your corner it’s unlikely your case will make it to trial. In fact, fewer than 1% of our cases do. So if you even think you have a lemon, reach out to us today for a free case review to let us help you get the compensation you deserve.
You have eighteen (18) months from the date of purchase to file a claim under the Missouri Lemon Law. If you fail to file your claim in time, other laws, such as the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act provide similar protections. And you can file claims under this “federal Lemon Law” for up to four (4) years after the date of the breach of warranty, which is often the date of the first failed repair attempt.
YES, while the Missouri Lemon Law itself does not cover used cars, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act does. It requires warrantors of consumer products (i.e., car manufacturers and their dealers) to comply with the terms of any warranties or service contracts that accompany the used car.
If the company fails to do so (if they fail to repair the car), it must compensate the owner for the problems they’ve experienced. The law also holds the warrantor or manufacturer responsible for your attorneys’ fees as well as other costs accrued in pursuing a claim. This “fee-shifting” provision allows our Lemon Law lawyers in Missouri to fight for your rights at no cost to you.
YES, although the Missouri New Vehicles Warranty Law only applies to new vehicles purchased from a dealer, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act does cover private party purchases in Missouri. This federal Lemon Law allows consumers to seek compensation for any defects covered by the vehicle’s warranty that the manufacturer fails to fix.
No, the Missouri Lemon Law applies only to consumer vehicles. It does not cover semi-trucks or any other commercial vehicles.
No, it’s a common misconception that consumers who purchase a vehicle have a “cooling-off” period during which they can return the vehicle. This is not the case. All vehicle sales in Missouri are final. You take ownership as soon as you sign the paperwork, before you even drive it off the lot.
However, if the car is a lemon, you are entitled to a refund or a replacement vehicle under the Missouri Lemon Law. But you may need to take legal action to collect the compensation you’re owed. So, if you think you have a lemon, reach out to us for a free case review so we can help to make you whole again.
We’ve put together a simple, effective evaluator to help you determine whether or not you have a lemon.
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