Key takeaways
- Protection period: the term of any warranty or one year after original delivery, whichever is earlier.
- Repair attempts: the same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. Alternatively, 10 or more repair attempts on any substantially impairing nonconformities.
- Days out of service: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within that period.
- The law is Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 50-645 to 50-646. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
Kansas's lemon law is Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 50-645 to 50-646, the Kansas Motor Vehicle Warranties (Lemon Law), K.S.A. 50-645 and 50-646. 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.
Kansas lemon law at a glance
| Statute | Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 50-645 to 50-646 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Kansas Motor Vehicle Warranties (Lemon Law), K.S.A. 50-645 and 50-646 |
| Vehicles covered | New motor vehicles sold or leased in Kansas and registered for a gross weight of 12,000 pounds or less. Excludes customized parts added or modified by second stage manufacturers or converters. |
| Leased vehicles | Yes, leased vehicles are covered. |
| Protection period | The term of any warranty or one year after original delivery, whichever is earlier. |
| Repair attempts | The same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. Alternatively, 10 or more repair attempts on any substantially impairing nonconformities. |
| Days out of service | Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within that period. |
| Notice to the manufacturer | The presumption applies only if the manufacturer receives actual notice of the nonconformity. |
| Dispute programs | If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure that complies in all respects with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the consumer must use it first before the refund or replacement remedy applies. |
| Remedies | A comparable replacement vehicle under warranty, or a refund of the full purchase or lease price including collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for use calculated from the most recent edition of the American Automobile Association's 'Your Driving Costs'. The allowance covers use before the first report of the nonconformity and while not out of service for repair. |
| Used vehicles | No. 'Consumer' is limited to the original purchaser or lessee of a new motor vehicle. |
Does your vehicle qualify in Kansas?
The law covers new motor vehicles sold or leased in Kansas and registered for a gross weight of 12,000 pounds or less. Excludes customized parts added or modified by second stage manufacturers or converters. The protection period is the term of any warranty or one year after original delivery, whichever is earlier. 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 repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. Alternatively, 10 or more repair attempts on any substantially impairing nonconformities.
- Days out of service: Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within that 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 presumption applies only if the manufacturer receives actual notice of the nonconformity.
If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure that complies in all respects with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the consumer must use it first before the refund or replacement remedy applies.
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 comparable replacement vehicle under warranty, or a refund of the full purchase or lease price including collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for use calculated from the most recent edition of the American Automobile Association's 'Your Driving Costs'. The allowance covers use before the first report of the nonconformity and while not out of service for repair. 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 Kansas's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your Kansas 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 Kansas?
Under Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 50-645 to 50-646, the presumption is met when the same substantially impairing nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within that period and it continues to exist. Alternatively, 10 or more repair attempts on any substantially impairing nonconformities. The law also counts time in the shop: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days within that period.
Does the Kansas lemon law cover used cars?
No. 'Consumer' is limited to the original purchaser or lessee of a new motor vehicle. 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 Kansas 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 Kansas?
The presumption applies only if the manufacturer receives actual notice of the nonconformity. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in Kansas?
If the manufacturer has an informal dispute procedure that complies in all respects with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the consumer must use it first before the refund or replacement remedy applies.