Arizona Lemon Law — Protecting You from Defective Vehicles

There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a new car and having it break down repeatedly. If your new vehicle has a defect that the dealer can’t fix after a reasonable number of attempts, Arizona’s Lemon Law — A.R.S. § 44-1261 through 44-1267 — may entitle you to a replacement or refund.

What Arizona’s Lemon Law Covers

The law applies to new motor vehicles sold or leased in Arizona that are still under the manufacturer’s warranty. The vehicle must have a defect or condition that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety, and the manufacturer or dealer must have been unable to fix it after a reasonable number of repair attempts.

What Qualifies as a “Lemon”?

Arizona law presumes the vehicle is a lemon if the same defect has been subject to repair four or more times without being fixed, or the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days due to repairs during the warranty period. These are presumptions — meaning if you meet these thresholds, the burden shifts to the manufacturer to prove the vehicle isn’t a lemon.

What You’re Entitled To

If your vehicle qualifies, the manufacturer must either replace the vehicle with a comparable new vehicle or refund the full purchase price, minus a reasonable allowance for your use of the vehicle before the first repair attempt.

Steps to Take

Document everything. Keep every repair order, invoice, and communication with the dealer. Note the dates the vehicle was dropped off and picked up. Save copies of any written complaints. Give the manufacturer a chance to fix it. The law requires you to notify the manufacturer in writing and allow a final repair attempt before pursuing a lemon law claim. Most manufacturers have a dispute resolution process — check your owner’s manual. Don’t wait. The lemon law has specific time frames tied to your warranty period.

Beyond the Lemon Law

If your vehicle doesn’t meet the lemon law’s specific thresholds but is still giving you serious problems, you may have other claims — breach of warranty, fraud, or products liability if the defect caused an accident or injury.

The Law Badgers can evaluate whether your vehicle qualifies under the lemon law or whether another legal avenue is available.