Key takeaways
- Protection period: two years after original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever period ends first.
- Repair attempts: the same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within the two-year/24,000-mile period.
- The law is Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-190. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
Connecticut's lemon law is Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-190, the Connecticut New Automobile Warranties (Lemon Law), Chapter 743b. It gives owners a remedy when the manufacturer can't fix a warranty defect after a fair chance. This page sums up the main rules as written in the statute, with links to the official text. Use it to check your dates and your repair visits, then talk to a lawyer about your own records.
Connecticut lemon law at a glance
| Statute | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-190 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Connecticut New Automobile Warranties (Lemon Law), Chapter 743b |
| Vehicles covered | Passenger motor vehicles, passenger and commercial motor vehicles, and motorcycles (as defined in § 14-1) sold or leased in Connecticut. |
| Leased vehicles | Yes, leased vehicles are covered. |
| Protection period | Two years after original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever period ends first. |
| Repair attempts | The same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. |
| Serious safety defects | A nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, subject to repair at least twice within the express warranty term or one year after original delivery (whichever ends first), and it continues to exist. |
| Days out of service | Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within the two-year/24,000-mile period. |
| Notice to the manufacturer | The consumer must notify the manufacturer in writing only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed this requirement, with a name and address, in the warranty or owner's manual. No claim may be made unless at least one repair attempt was made or the manufacturer or dealer refused to repair. |
| Dispute programs | If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure certified by the Attorney General, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. The Department of Consumer Protection runs a state arbitration program for disputes with manufacturers that lack a certified procedure. Its decisions are binding, subject to court review. |
| Remedies | A new replacement vehicle acceptable to the consumer, or a refund of the full contract price, collateral charges, certain finance charges and incidental damages, less a reasonable allowance for use. The allowance is the total contract price multiplied by miles driven before the manufacturer accepts return, divided by 120,000. |
| Attorney's fees | Not stated as a general rule in chapter 743b. The court may award the consumer costs and reasonable attorney's fees if a manufacturer appeals an arbitration award without good cause. Violations are unfair trade practices under CUTPA, and § 42-110g(d) lets the court award a plaintiff costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. |
| Used vehicles | No used-car lemon law in this chapter. A person to whom the vehicle is transferred during the express warranty is a 'consumer'. |
Does your vehicle qualify in Connecticut?
The law covers passenger motor vehicles, passenger and commercial motor vehicles, and motorcycles (as defined in § 14-1) sold or leased in Connecticut. The protection period is two years after original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever period ends first. Inside that window, the statute presumes the manufacturer has had a fair chance to fix the problem when one of these is true:
- Repeated repairs: The same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist.
- Serious safety defect: A nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, subject to repair at least twice within the express warranty term or one year after original delivery (whichever ends first), and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within the two-year/24,000-mile period.
As with most lemon laws, the defect generally has to be covered by the manufacturer's warranty and serious enough to substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety; check the statute's exact wording. Count only visits for the same problem, and check each repair order for your complaint, the dates in and out, and the mileage. See what counts as a repair attempt.
Notice, dispute programs and deadlines
The consumer must notify the manufacturer in writing only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed this requirement, with a name and address, in the warranty or owner's manual. No claim may be made unless at least one repair attempt was made or the manufacturer or dealer refused to repair.
If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure certified by the Attorney General, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. The Department of Consumer Protection runs a state arbitration program for disputes with manufacturers that lack a certified procedure. Its decisions are binding, subject to court review.
State resource: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Lemon Law Program.
Deadlines can run out before you expect, and contacting a lawyer does not stop them. Read more about lemon law deadlines and notice to the manufacturer.
Questions about your vehicle's repair history?
Tell us what has happened with your vehicle. A member of our team will look at your dates and repair orders with you. Reaching out does not create an attorney-client relationship.
What you can recover
A new replacement vehicle acceptable to the consumer, or a refund of the full contract price, collateral charges, certain finance charges and incidental damages, less a reasonable allowance for use. The allowance is the total contract price multiplied by miles driven before the manufacturer accepts return, divided by 120,000. Not stated as a general rule in chapter 743b. The court may award the consumer costs and reasonable attorney's fees if a manufacturer appeals an arbitration award without good cause. Violations are unfair trade practices under CUTPA, and § 42-110g(d) lets the court award a plaintiff costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. Many claims are also resolved by a negotiated settlement. See buyback and replacement.
Federal warranty law also applies
The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 2301–2312) applies in every state. It covers written and implied warranties on consumer products, including vehicles, and it can help when a vehicle falls outside Connecticut's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your Connecticut vehicle
SkyRidge Law P.C. reviews lemon law questions from owners in every state. Lawyers may practice only where they are licensed or otherwise authorized, so before you sign anything we tell you which lawyer would handle your case and where that lawyer is licensed. Send us your repair history and we will look at your dates with you.
Frequently asked questions
How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in Connecticut?
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-190, the presumption is met when the same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. A defect likely to cause death or serious injury has its own test: A nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, subject to repair at least twice within the express warranty term or one year after original delivery (whichever ends first), and it continues to exist. The law also counts time in the shop: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within the two-year/24,000-mile period.
Does the Connecticut lemon law cover used cars?
No used-car lemon law in this chapter. A person to whom the vehicle is transferred during the express warranty is a 'consumer'. Even when the state lemon law does not apply, a used vehicle sold with a written warranty or a service contract may have rights under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
Does the Connecticut lemon law cover leased vehicles?
Yes, leased vehicles are covered. Lease buybacks usually involve both you and the leasing company, so keep your lease agreement with your repair orders.
Do I have to notify the manufacturer in Connecticut?
The consumer must notify the manufacturer in writing only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed this requirement, with a name and address, in the warranty or owner's manual. No claim may be made unless at least one repair attempt was made or the manufacturer or dealer refused to repair. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in Connecticut?
If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure certified by the Attorney General, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. The Department of Consumer Protection runs a state arbitration program for disputes with manufacturers that lack a certified procedure. Its decisions are binding, subject to court review.
Can I recover attorney's fees under the Connecticut lemon law?
Not stated as a general rule in chapter 743b. The court may award the consumer costs and reasonable attorney's fees if a manufacturer appeals an arbitration award without good cause. Violations are unfair trade practices under CUTPA, and § 42-110g(d) lets the court award a plaintiff costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. We explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.