Lemon laws were created to prevent manufacturers from continually selling defective motor vehicles. Each state has different variations of these laws, including Washington. In general, Washington lemon laws cover any new vehicle purchased or leased, with some exceptions. The new vehicle must have a substantial defect that impairs the value or safety of the car. These defects include nonconformity defects and safety defects. In Washington, there are four types of claims you can make when seeking lemon law compensation. These include unrepaired nonconformity, unrepaired serious safety defect, multiple serious safety defects, and days out of service.
If any of these defects can be traced back to the fault of the consumer, whether it be from abuse, neglect, or alterations, the manufacturer will not be deemed liable. Aside from liability, the consumer must have allowed the manufacturer to attempt to repair the vehicle at least once within the consumers’ eligibility period. The Washington eligibility period is within two years from the delivery date and before 24,000 miles.
Have any questions? Download the printable PDF of Washington’s lemon laws, call Krohn & Moss Consumer Law Center at 1-800-875-3666 or send us a message. We will connect you to one of our representatives or state attorneys that can answer any of your questions and let you know if you are authorized to any reimbursement.