Consumer protection guide · WA
Washington Lemon Law
Under Washington's lemon law, a new vehicle qualifies as a lemon after 4 unsuccessful repair attempts or 30 cumulative days out of service, entitling the buyer to a refund, replacement, or cash settlement.
Washington Motor Vehicle Lemon Law
Codified at Wash. Rev. Code § 19.118.005 et seq. · Enacted 1987
Coverage period
24 mo
or 24,000 miles
Repair attempts
4
Days out of service
30 days
Cumulative for warranty work
Statute of limitations
30 yr
From discovery of defect
If you bought or leased a new vehicle in Washington that keeps going back to the dealer for the same unresolved defect, you may be protected under Washington Motor Vehicle Lemon Law (enacted 1987), codified at Wash. Rev. Code § 19.118.005 et seq.. This guide explains — in plain English — how the law works, what qualifies a vehicle as a lemon in Washington, what remedies you can demand from the manufacturer, and how to file a claim. It is not legal advice; when a real dispute emerges you should consult a licensed Washington consumer attorney.
What the Washington lemon law covers
Qualifying criteria
The law covers new vehicles and leased vehicles. The defect must appear within the first 24 months of original delivery or before the odometer reaches 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. The manufacturer or its authorized dealer must have had at least 4 opportunities to fix the same defect. OR the vehicle must have been out of service for at least 30 cumulative days for warranty repairs during the coverage period.
Your remedies
If your vehicle qualifies, the Washington lemon law gives you the right to demand one of these remedies from the manufacturer: refund, replacement vehicle, and cash compensation. A refund typically includes the purchase price, taxes, title and registration fees, and finance charges, minus a reasonable allowance for the miles you drove before the first repair attempt. A replacement vehicle must be a comparable model with the same features. If you prevail, Washington law generally requires the manufacturer to also pay your reasonable attorney's fees and court costs, which is why most lemon-law attorneys take cases on contingency.
How to file a Washington lemon law claim
Here is how a typical Washington lemon-law claim unfolds: (1) Keep every repair order the dealer gives you — dates, mileage, the defect description, and the parts replaced. These become your evidence. (2) Send the manufacturer written notice of the defect after the third or fourth repair attempt and request a final repair opportunity. (3) 1. Exhaust the manufacturer's state-certified arbitration program (the Washington State New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Program) before filing suit. Washington requires this step for most lemon-law claims. (4) File suit in a Washington civil court within the 30-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered the defect.
Required arbitration program
Washington State New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Program
Federal backup: Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
Whether or not your claim fits the Washington lemon law, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.) provides an independent cause of action whenever a written warranty has been breached. Magnuson-Moss applies in every state, allows you to recover attorney’s fees and costs from the manufacturer when you prevail, and covers used vehicles sold with an express written warranty — filling many of the gaps that narrow state lemon laws leave open.
Washington lemon law FAQs
Lemon laws in other states
Check a Washington VIN for a lemon-law buyback before you buy
Vehicles repurchased by the manufacturer under a state lemon law carry a permanent “lemon” or “manufacturer buyback” brand on their title. Run the VIN through try.vin to see whether a used car has ever been bought back — in Washington or any other state.