April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

March 6 through 9, 2023, marks National Consumer Protection Week. In recognition, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will re-release the consumer alerts on the subjects that Michigan residents report to the Department most frequently.

“As the state’s top consumer advocate, I am proud of the work my department does every day to safeguard our state’s residents from scams,” Nessel said. “You shouldn’t have your hard-earned money wasted on faulty products or endless vehicle repairs. Remember: the Michigan Department of Attorney General is your connection to consumer protection.”

Today, AG Nessel is drawing Michiganders’ attention to our state’s Lemon Law, which provides relief if a resident purchases or leases a defective vehicle.

Michigan’s Lemon Law applies to passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and vans that are purchased or leased in Michigan or purchased or leased by a Michigan resident (regardless of whether the vehicle was purchased or leased in Michigan) and covered by a manufacturer’s express warranty at the time of purchase or lease. It also applies to certain used vehicles, if it is still covered by a manufacturer’s express warranty at the time of purchase or lease.

The Lemon Law covers any defect or condition that impairs the use or value of the new motor vehicle to the consumer or prevents the new motor vehicle from conforming to the manufacturer’s express warranty. To recover under the Lemon Law, you must first report the problem to the manufacturer or its authorized dealer within the term of the warranty or one year from the date of delivery to the original purchaser, whichever comes first.

After receiving timely notice of the problem, the manufacturer or its authorized dealer must repair the problem even if the repair cannot be performed until after the expiration of the manufacturer’s express warranty. You may be entitled to a refund of the purchase or lease price or a comparable replacement vehicle if the problem persists after a reasonable number of repair attempts.

To protect your rights under the Lemon Law, be sure to:

Keep copies of all correspondence to and from the manufacturer and the dealer.

Keep copies of all work orders for repairs on the vehicle, including the date(s) the work was performed and the mileage on the vehicle at the time of the repair(s).
Follow all requirements of the warranty, including any requirement that the repairs must be done by an authorized dealer specified by the manufacturer.

The Michigan Department of Attorney General addresses over 30,000 consumer complaints annually, ranging from identity theft and online scams to robocalls or fraudulent business practices. For more information about popular consumer scams, or if you believe you’ve been a victim, residents can contact the Consumer Protection team Monday-Friday at 877-765-8388.