The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes no distinction between new and used vehicles. Thus, the federal Lemon Law applies to any used vehicles that meet the Act’s definition of a lemon. This means that the vehicle must have a defect that was reported during the warranty period and still exists after a reasonable number of repair attempts.
State-specific lemon laws often treat used vehicles in a similar manner in that they don’t distinguish between new and used vehicles. Instead, these laws typically declare that repair attempts must occur within a certain period of time after the original owner takes possession of the vehicle. However, some states specifically excluded used vehicles from protection under their Lemon Law.
So, if you purchase a 10-year-old used car, your State’s Lemon Law probably won’t apply. But if your vehicle was still fairly new when you purchased it, there’s a good chance it will qualify. And in every state, the federal Lemon Law applies to both new and used car purchases. Just know that the statutes of limitations for these laws are based on the date that the original owner takes possession of the vehicle.