Maine Lemon Law

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• Repair Obligations and Refund/Replacement Rights
• Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts
• State-Certified Arbitration
• Disclosure Requirements
• Consumer Rights and Notices
• Damaged Vehicles
• Summary
• Request Free Case Evaluation

Repair Obligations and Refund/Replacement Rights

Under 10 M.R.S.A. § 1163:

• If a motor vehicle does not conform to express warranties, the manufacturer, its agent, or an authorized dealer must make necessary repairs if the consumer reports the nonconformity within:
• The warranty term,
• Three years from delivery, or
• The first 18,000 miles,
  whichever occurs first.

If the defect substantially impairs the use, safety, or value of the vehicle and cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must:

Replace the vehicle, or

Refund the purchase price, including:

• Collateral charges
• Minus a reasonable allowance for use
  

Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts

Under 10 M.R.S.A. § 1163, a reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed if:

1. The same defect has been repaired three or more times and the defect persists.

2. The defect resulted in a serious failure of the braking or steering systems and has been repaired at least once.

3. The vehicle has been out of service for repairs for 15 or more business days.

State-Certified Arbitration

Under 10 M.R.S.A. § 1169 and 26-239 CMR Ch. 106, §§ 2–3:

• Consumers may request state-certified arbitration within:

• Three years of delivery, or

• The warranty term

• An arbitration decision must be issued within 45 days of acceptance of the request.

If the arbitrator determines the vehicle qualifies as a lemon:

• The manufacturer must provide a refund or replacement within 21 days, or

• Appeal the decision in Superior Court.

Under KRS 367.842, if a manufacturer or its agents cannot repair a nonconformity after a reasonable number of attempts during the first 12,000 miles or 12 months (whichever comes first), the consumer may choose between:

Replacement

A comparable new motor vehicle.

Refund

A full refund of the purchase price, including:

• Sales tax

• License fees

• Registration fees

• Other official charges

minus a reasonable allowance for use.

The statute also provides manufacturer defenses when:

• The nonconformity does not substantially impair the vehicle, or

• The defect resulted from abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modifications by the consumer.

Disclosure Requirements

Under 10 M.R.S.A. § 1163:

• Vehicles returned under Maine’s lemon law cannot be resold without:

• Clear disclosure of the nonconformity

• Any required title branding

Under 26-239 CMR Ch. 106, § 18:

• Manufacturers must notify the Attorney General of:

• The terms of any award or settlement, and

• The name of any new purchaser if the vehicle is resold in Maine.
  

Consumer Rights and Notices

Under 10 M.R.S.A. § 1169 and 26-239 CMR Ch. 106, § 15:

• Manufacturers must provide clear and conspicuous notices of lemon law rights in warranty materials.

• Consumers dissatisfied with arbitration outcomes may:

• Pursue other state-law remedies, or

• Appeal the arbitration decision to Superior Court.

Damaged Vehicles

Under 26-239 CMR Ch. 106, § 17:

If the vehicle involved in arbitration has damage not related to the defect, the consumer may be required to:

• Repair the damage,

• Pay the repair costs, or

• Allow a deduction from any refund or award.

Summary

Maine’s lemon law protections include:

• Repair obligations through three years or 18,000 miles

• Replacement or refund remedies for substantial defects

• Strict presumptions for repair attempts

• State-certified arbitration with defined timelines

• Mandatory disclosure for resold lemon vehicles

• Attorney General notification requirements

• Consumer rights regarding notices, appeals, and additional legal remedies

• Provisions governing unrelated vehicle damage in arbitration
  

If you believe your vehicle may qualify as a lemon under Maine law, contact Auto Lemon Lawyer today for guidance.