Key takeaways
- Protection period: the term of the manufacturer's written warranty, two years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles attributable to a consumer, whichever expires first. It extends up to 2 years/24,000 miles if a reported nonconformity is not cured before the period ends.
- Repair attempts: the same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to examination or repair at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more days, excluding routine maintenance. 'Days' means calendar days.
- Deadline: within one year after the lemon law rights period (or its extension) expires, where no timely program decision issues or the manufacturer has no certified program. Within six months after the program's compliance date if the manufacturer does not perform. A program decision may be appealed within 50 days after receipt or 25 days after acceptance, whichever is first.
- The law is Iowa Code §§ 322G.1 to 322G.15. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
Iowa's lemon law is Iowa Code §§ 322G.1 to 322G.15, the Iowa Defective Motor Vehicles (Lemon Law), Iowa Code Chapter 322G. 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.
Iowa lemon law at a glance
| Statute | Iowa Code §§ 322G.1 to 322G.15 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Iowa Defective Motor Vehicles (Lemon Law), Iowa Code Chapter 322G |
| Vehicles covered | Self-propelled vehicles bought or leased in Iowa and designed mainly for public roads. Vehicles bought or leased elsewhere are covered if the consumer is an Iowa resident when asserting rights. Excludes mopeds, motorcycles, autocycles, motor homes and vehicles over 15,000 pounds GVWR. |
| Leased vehicles | Yes, leased vehicles are covered. |
| Protection period | Lemon law rights period: the term of the manufacturer's written warranty, two years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles attributable to a consumer, whichever expires first. It extends up to 2 years/24,000 miles if a reported nonconformity is not cured before the period ends. |
| Repair attempts | The same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to examination or repair at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, and it continues to exist. |
| Serious safety defects | A nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury subject to examination or repair at least once, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, and it continues to exist. |
| Days out of service | Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more days, excluding routine maintenance. 'Days' means calendar days. |
| Notice to the manufacturer | After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a safety defect), the consumer may send written notice by certified or registered mail or overnight service to the manufacturer for a final repair attempt. The manufacturer must respond within 10 days and repair within 10 days after delivery. After 20 cumulative days out of service, written notice gives the manufacturer 10 more cumulative days to repair. |
| Dispute programs | If the manufacturer has an Attorney General-certified program and told the consumer how to file, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. Certified programs are free to consumers and must decide within 60 days. |
| Deadline to bring a claim | Within one year after the lemon law rights period (or its extension) expires, where no timely program decision issues or the manufacturer has no certified program. Within six months after the program's compliance date if the manufacturer does not perform. A program decision may be appealed within 50 days after receipt or 25 days after acceptance, whichever is first. |
| Remedies | A replacement vehicle acceptable to the consumer, or repurchase with a refund of the full purchase or lease price, plus collateral and incidental charges, less a reasonable offset for use. The consumer has an unconditional right to choose a refund. The offset is miles up to the third repair attempt, first safety repair, or 20th day out of service (whichever is first), multiplied by the purchase price, divided by 120,000. |
| Attorney's fees | Yes. The court shall award a prevailing consumer pecuniary loss, reasonable attorney's fees and costs. |
| Used vehicles | Covers new or previously untitled vehicles. Any other person entitled to enforce the warranty during the lemon law rights period is a 'consumer'. No separate used-car lemon law. |
Does your vehicle qualify in Iowa?
The law covers self-propelled vehicles bought or leased in Iowa and designed mainly for public roads. Vehicles bought or leased elsewhere are covered if the consumer is an Iowa resident when asserting rights. Excludes mopeds, motorcycles, autocycles, motor homes and vehicles over 15,000 pounds GVWR. The protection period is the term of the manufacturer's written warranty, two years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles attributable to a consumer, whichever expires first. It extends up to 2 years/24,000 miles if a reported nonconformity is not cured before the period ends. 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 substantially impairing nonconformity subject to examination or repair at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, and it continues to exist.
- Serious safety defect: A nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury subject to examination or repair at least once, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more days, excluding routine maintenance. 'Days' means calendar days.
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
After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a safety defect), the consumer may send written notice by certified or registered mail or overnight service to the manufacturer for a final repair attempt. The manufacturer must respond within 10 days and repair within 10 days after delivery. After 20 cumulative days out of service, written notice gives the manufacturer 10 more cumulative days to repair.
If the manufacturer has an Attorney General-certified program and told the consumer how to file, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. Certified programs are free to consumers and must decide within 60 days.
Deadline: Within one year after the lemon law rights period (or its extension) expires, where no timely program decision issues or the manufacturer has no certified program. Within six months after the program's compliance date if the manufacturer does not perform. A program decision may be appealed within 50 days after receipt or 25 days after acceptance, whichever is first.
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 replacement vehicle acceptable to the consumer, or repurchase with a refund of the full purchase or lease price, plus collateral and incidental charges, less a reasonable offset for use. The consumer has an unconditional right to choose a refund. The offset is miles up to the third repair attempt, first safety repair, or 20th day out of service (whichever is first), multiplied by the purchase price, divided by 120,000. Yes. The court shall award a prevailing consumer pecuniary loss, reasonable attorney's fees and costs. 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 Iowa's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your Iowa 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 Iowa?
Under Iowa Code §§ 322G.1 to 322G.15, the presumption is met when the same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to examination or repair at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, 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 examination or repair at least once, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer if undertaken after notice, 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 days, excluding routine maintenance. 'Days' means calendar days.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Iowa?
Within one year after the lemon law rights period (or its extension) expires, where no timely program decision issues or the manufacturer has no certified program. Within six months after the program's compliance date if the manufacturer does not perform. A program decision may be appealed within 50 days after receipt or 25 days after acceptance, whichever is first. Other deadlines, such as the protection period and any notice or dispute-program step, can run out first, so check your dates early. Contacting a lawyer does not stop the clock.
Does the Iowa lemon law cover used cars?
Covers new or previously untitled vehicles. Any other person entitled to enforce the warranty during the lemon law rights period is a 'consumer'. No separate used-car lemon law. 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 Iowa 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 Iowa?
After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a safety defect), the consumer may send written notice by certified or registered mail or overnight service to the manufacturer for a final repair attempt. The manufacturer must respond within 10 days and repair within 10 days after delivery. After 20 cumulative days out of service, written notice gives the manufacturer 10 more cumulative days to repair. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in Iowa?
If the manufacturer has an Attorney General-certified program and told the consumer how to file, the consumer must use it before the refund or replacement remedy applies. Certified programs are free to consumers and must decide within 60 days.
Can I recover attorney's fees under the Iowa lemon law?
Yes. The court shall award a prevailing consumer pecuniary loss, reasonable attorney's fees and costs. We explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.