Key takeaways
- Many state lemon laws cover a motor home's chassis and drivetrain but not its living quarters. Washington and Florida both draw that line in their statutes (RCW 19.118.021(12); Fla. Stat. § 681.102(14)).
- Towable trailers aren't self-propelled, so they usually fall outside state lemon law definitions. Their buyers lean on warranty law, including the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
- A motor home often has more than one warrantor: the chassis maker, the coach builder and makers of parts like the generator or refrigerator. Each defect has to be matched to the right warranty.
- Magnuson-Moss requires every written warranty on a consumer product to be labeled 'full' or 'limited,' and that label changes what the warrantor owes you (15 U.S.C. §§ 2303, 2304).
- Keep a separate repair log for each warrantor, and write down every day the RV sits at the shop.
On this page
- Is a motor home treated differently from a towable trailer?
- What's the difference between the chassis and living-quarters warranty?
- Who is the warrantor when an RV has several manufacturers?
- How do state lemon laws differ for RVs?
- What protects the parts a lemon law leaves out?
- What should RV owners keep track of?
- Frequently asked questions
A motor home is often covered in part. Many state lemon laws cover the chassis and drivetrain, the parts that make it a vehicle, and leave out the living quarters. Towable trailers usually fall outside state lemon laws because they don't move under their own power. But both can still be covered by warranty law, including the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
That split is why RV claims get confusing fast. One coach can carry three or four warranties from different companies. This page sorts out which law and which warranty fits which problem.
Is a motor home treated differently from a towable trailer?
Yes. A motor home drives itself, and a trailer doesn't. State lemon laws are mostly written around self-propelled vehicles.
Washington's law shows how this works. It defines a "motor home" as living quarters "built on or permanently attached to a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis" or a chassis cab or van (RCW 19.118.021(10)). Its definition of a covered vehicle starts with "any new self-propelled vehicle" (RCW 19.118.021(12)). A travel trailer or fifth wheel has no engine, so it doesn't fit that wording.
Florida's law takes a similar path. It covers a vehicle "propelled by power other than muscular power" and includes recreational vehicles in that definition. It defines a recreational vehicle as "a motor vehicle primarily designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use," and it leaves out van conversions (Fla. Stat. § 681.102(14), (20)).
| RV type | Self-propelled? | State lemon law | Warranty law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A, B or C motor home | Yes | Often covers chassis and drivetrain | Applies to written warranties |
| Travel trailer, fifth wheel, toy hauler | No | Usually outside | Applies to written warranties |
| Van conversion | Yes | Depends on state; Florida excludes from its RV definition | Applies to written warranties |
What's the difference between the chassis and living-quarters warranty?
The chassis warranty covers the parts that drive. The coach or living-quarters warranty covers the parts you live in. They usually come from different companies.
A typical motor home starts as a bare chassis, with an engine, transmission, axles and frame. A second company builds the coach onto it: walls, roof, slide-outs, cabinets, plumbing and wiring. Then a fridge, generator, water heater and air conditioner arrive from still other makers, each with its own booklet.
States that cover motor homes often cover only the driving half. Washington's law applies to "the self-propelled vehicle and chassis" and excludes portions "designated, used, or maintained primarily as a mobile dwelling, office, or commercial space" (RCW 19.118.021(12)).
Florida spells out what counts as "living facilities," which its law excludes. The list includes the flooring, plumbing system and fixtures, roof air conditioner, furnace, generator, electrical systems other than automotive circuits, the side entrance door, exterior compartments, and windows other than the windshield and the driver and front passenger windows (Fla. Stat. § 681.102(14)).
So a transmission that slips may be a lemon law problem in those states. A leaking roof or a dead generator likely isn't, at least not under the lemon law itself.
Who is the warrantor when an RV has several manufacturers?
Each company that gave you a written warranty is a warrantor for its own parts. A lemon law or warranty claim has to name the right one for each defect.
Washington's law recognizes this directly. It defines a "motor home manufacturer" as three parties: the first stage manufacturer (the chassis maker), the component manufacturer, and the final stage manufacturer (the company that finishes the motor home) (RCW 19.118.021(11)).
Florida's definition of "manufacturer" also reaches companies that make chassis for recreational vehicles and companies that install special bodies or equipment on a truck or RV chassis (Fla. Stat. § 681.102(13)). And for an RV with two or more manufacturers, Florida treats a shop as an authorized service agent for a given manufacturer when it is authorized to service the items that manufacturer warranted (§ 681.102(1)).
In plain terms: take the engine problem to a shop the chassis maker authorizes. Take the slide-out problem to a shop the coach builder authorizes. Keep the paperwork for each one separate.
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.
How do state lemon laws differ for RVs?
A lot. States word their motor home rules differently, and some add rules just for RVs. Here are two verified examples. Read your state's page for the rest.
- Florida includes recreational vehicles but excludes their living facilities. It figures the use offset for an RV by dividing by 60,000 miles instead of 120,000 (Fla. Stat. § 681.102(19)). It also runs a separate mediation and arbitration program for recreational vehicles (§ 681.102(17)). See the Florida lemon law page.
- Washington covers the self-propelled vehicle and chassis of a motor home and excludes the dwelling areas (RCW 19.118.021(12)). See the Washington lemon law page.
Other states set their own repair-attempt counts, days-out-of-service limits and deadlines. We don't list them here because they vary and change. The state pages cite each statute.
What protects the parts a lemon law leaves out?
Warranty law does. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2301-2312, covers consumer products sold with a written warranty, and an RV used for personal or family travel fits that description (15 U.S.C. § 2301(1)).
Two parts of the Act matter most for RV owners:
- Full or limited label. Every written warranty must be clearly marked "full" or "limited" (§ 2303(a)). If a warranty is "full," the warrantor must fix defects within a reasonable time and without charge. If it can't after a reasonable number of attempts, you may choose a refund or replacement (§ 2304(a)(1), (4)). A "limited" warranty doesn't carry those duties.
- Right to sue. A consumer damaged by a warrantor's failure to honor a written or implied warranty can sue for damages and other relief (§ 2310(d)(1)). A court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a consumer who finally prevails, though it has discretion (§ 2310(d)(2)).
Before you sue under the Act, the warrantor must get a reasonable opportunity to fix the problem (§ 2310(e)). More detail is on our Magnuson-Moss page.
What should RV owners keep track of?
Keep one log per warrantor, and count every day out of service. RV repairs tend to take long, and those days add up.
- Collect every warranty booklet: chassis, coach, and each appliance. Note the start date and length of each.
- Get a dated repair order each time you drop off and pick up the RV, even if the shop did nothing.
- Write down the date you first reported each defect and who you told.
- Track parts delays. A note like "waiting on slide-out motor since June 3" helps later.
- Photograph or video the problem when it happens, such as water stains after rain or a warning screen.
- Send written notice of repeat defects to the right warrantor, and keep proof of delivery. See notice to the manufacturer.
Our guide on how to document repair visits has a log template you can copy. For how many visits usually matter, read repair attempts.
Frequently asked questions
Does the lemon law cover my motor home?
Probably in part. Many states cover the parts of a motor home that make it drive, such as the chassis, engine and transmission, and leave out the living quarters. Washington's law applies to the self-propelled vehicle and chassis but not to areas used mainly as a dwelling. Florida's law covers recreational vehicles but excludes their living facilities. Other states word this differently. Check your state's page, then match each of your defects to the part of the coach it affects.
Is a travel trailer or fifth wheel covered by lemon laws?
Usually not by a state lemon law, because most definitions require a self-propelled vehicle. Washington's, for example, starts with 'any new self-propelled vehicle.' A trailer has no engine, so it tends to fall outside. That doesn't leave you without rights. A new trailer usually comes with a written warranty, and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act lets a consumer sue a warrantor that fails to honor a written or implied warranty. State warranty law may apply as well.
Who is responsible for fixing my RV, the chassis maker or the coach builder?
It depends on which part failed. A motor home is often built in stages. One company makes the chassis and warrants the engine and drivetrain. Another company builds the coach and warrants the body and living areas. Appliance and generator makers may warrant their own parts. Washington's law names these as the first stage, component and final stage manufacturers. Read every warranty booklet that came with the RV, and send each repair to a shop the right warrantor has authorized.
Are RV appliances like the refrigerator or generator covered?
Often not by a state lemon law. Florida's law, for example, lists the generator, furnace, roof air conditioner, plumbing and electrical systems other than automotive circuits as living facilities, which it excludes. These parts usually carry their own written warranties, though. A warranty claim under Magnuson-Moss or state law can reach them. Keep the separate appliance warranties and the repair records for each one.
What is a 'full' versus 'limited' warranty on an RV?
Federal law requires a written warranty on a consumer product to be clearly labeled either 'full' or 'limited' (15 U.S.C. § 2303). A full warranty must meet federal minimum standards. One of them is that if the warrantor can't fix a defect after a reasonable number of attempts, you get to choose a refund or a replacement without charge (15 U.S.C. § 2304(a)(4)). A limited warranty doesn't have to meet those standards. Look at the heading on each warranty booklet.
Do RV lemon laws count repair days differently?
Some states have rules written just for RVs. Florida's law, for example, divides the use offset for a recreational vehicle by 60,000 miles instead of the 120,000 miles it uses for other vehicles, which means each mile you drive costs more in a Florida RV buyback (Fla. Stat. § 681.102(19)). Florida also has a separate mediation and arbitration program for RVs. Other states set their own rules. Check your state's page for the numbers that apply to you.
My RV spends more time at the dealer than on the road. What should I do?
Write down every day it sits there. Days out of service matter in many lemon law tests and in warranty claims. Ask for a dated repair order every time you drop it off and pick it up, even if no work was done. Keep notes on parts that were back-ordered. Then send written notice of the defects to each warrantor whose part keeps failing, and keep proof of delivery. Our guide on documenting repair visits has a log you can copy.
Sources
- RCW 19.118.021 (Washington definitions: motor home, motor home manufacturer, new motor vehicle)
- Fla. Stat. § 681.102 (definitions: recreational vehicle, living facilities, manufacturer, offset)
- 15 U.S.C. § 2301 (Magnuson-Moss definitions)
- 15 U.S.C. § 2303 (full or limited warranty designation)
- 15 U.S.C. § 2304 (federal minimum standards for full warranties)
- 15 U.S.C. § 2310 (remedies in consumer disputes)