Lemon Law Representation in Illinois
Illinois lemon law protects consumers who purchase or lease new vehicles that suffer serious defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. When substantial defects affect the vehicle’s use, safety, or value, the manufacturer may be required to provide relief under the Illinois New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act.
Wells Law represents consumers in Illinois lemon law matters involving defective vehicles and repeated repair failures.
When the Illinois Lemon Law May Apply
The Illinois New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act applies when a new vehicle develops a defect that substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, safety, or market value and the manufacturer or its authorized dealer cannot repair the problem within a reasonable number of attempts. Under Illinois law, a vehicle may qualify as a “lemon” when one of the following occurs during the applicable coverage period:
• The manufacturer or dealer makes four or more repair attempts for the same defect without successfully fixing the problem
• The defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury and remains unrepaired after two repair attempts
• The vehicle is out of service for repairs for a cumulative total of 30 or more days
When these conditions are met, the consumer may be entitled to relief under Illinois lemon law.
Illinois Lemon Law Coverage Period
12 months or 12,000 miles after delivery.
Potential Remedies Under the Illinois Lemon Law
When a vehicle qualifies under the Illinois New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act, the manufacturer may be required to provide relief to the consumer. Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
• Replacement of the defective vehicle with a comparable new vehicle
• Repurchase of the vehicle, sometimes referred to as a “buyback”
• Reimbursement of certain incidental expenses, such as towing or rental costs related to the defect
The specific remedy available in any case depends on the facts of the situation and the applicable requirements of the Illinois lemon law statute.
⚠️ Consumers must send written notice to the manufacturer, often by certified mail, detailing the defect and allowing a final opportunity to repair it. If the manufacturer has an established, certified informal dispute settlement procedure (arbitration), you may be required to use it before pursuing a lawsuit.
💡 Pro Tip: Wells Law – Chicago strongly recommends sending important communications with the manufacturer or dealership via certified mail (and preserving the return receipt) and keeping detailed records of all repair visits, invoices, and communications. Maintaining clear documentation can be important when establishing whether the statutory requirements for a lemon law claim have been met.