Ohio Lemon Law Coverage Period
Wells Law represents consumers throughout Ohio in disputes involving defective vehicles and repeated warranty repair failures.
When the Ohio Lemon Law May Apply
Ohio lemon law protects consumers when a new vehicle develops defects that substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety and the manufacturer cannot repair the problem within a reasonable number of attempts. Under Ohio law, a vehicle may qualify as a “lemon” if one of the following occurs during the applicable coverage period:
• The same defect is subject to three or more repair attempts and continues to exist
• The defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury and remains unrepaired after one repair attempt
• The vehicle is out of service for repairs for a cumulative total of 30 days or more
• The vehicle has been subject to eight or more repair attempts for different defects
​
When these conditions are met, the consumer may be entitled to relief under Ohio lemon law.
Ohio Lemon Law Coverage Period
Ohio lemon law generally applies to defects that occur within the first 12 months or 18,000 miles after the vehicle’s original delivery, whichever occurs first. If the manufacturer cannot repair the defect within a reasonable number of attempts during that period, the consumer may be entitled to remedies under Ohio law.
Potential Remedies Under the Ohio Lemon Law
When a vehicle qualifies under Ohio lemon law, 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 related to the defect
​
If the manufacturer has an informal dispute settlement mechanism (arbitration) that complies with Ohio Attorney General rules, you must use it before filing 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.