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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.

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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

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When these conditions are met, the consumer may be entitled to relief under Illinois lemon law.

Common Vehicle Problems that May Qualify 

Consumers often reach us after dealing with ongoing vehicle issues that have not been resolved. These situations may qualify under Illinois Lemon Law or related warranty protections:

Illinois Lemon Law  Coverage Period 

12 months or 12,000 miles after delivery.

How Many Repair Attempts are Enough?

Illinois Lemon Law does not always require a fixed number of repair attempts. Although there are thresholds to qualify as a per se "lemon." Instead, the focus is on whether the manufacturer has had a reasonable opportunity to repair the defect.

In many cases the following support a claim for relief: 

  • Multiple repair attempts for the same issue

  • Repeated service visits without resolution

  • Extended time out of service

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👉 For a more detailed discussion, see our article: How Many Repair Attempts Qualify Under Illinois Lemon Law? 

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

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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.

Is Your Vehicle Still Not Fixed?

If your vehicle continues to have issues despite repeated repair attempts or if the dealer has refused to repair it, you may have legal rights.

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 No cost. No obligation. Reviewed by an attorney.

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