RV Lemon Law

How the RV Lemon Law Protects Recreational Vehicle Owners

An RV is a big investment and you deserve one that works. If your RV made it to the highway just to break down a few miles later you might want to consult the RV Lemon Law.

Although many people think lemon laws apply only to cars, RV owners have rights too. So don’t settle for a defective RV and don’t pay for your repairs – keep reading and see what your dealer can do for you.

RV Lemon Law at the Federal Level

If your RV came with a warranty you may be able to seek a remedy under the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act. Although not a specific RV lemon law this federal law requires manufacturers to abide by their warranties. So if your vehicle isn’t working you may be entitled to free repairs, a refund, or a replacement vehicle. Check the terms of your warranty to find out if your particular problem is covered.

RV Lemon Law at the State Level

Every State has an auto lemon law that helps consumers trade in their defective vehicles for lemon aid cars – or cars that work. Unfortunately not every State has an RV lemon law. Those States that do simply extend their car lemon laws to RVs. Many State laws only cover the vehicle portion of the RV and many put weight limits on RVs covered. For example, the Florida RV lemon law only covers vehicle portions and then only if the RV is under 10,000 pounds.

Check your state's lemon laws to see if you're covered.

If an RV lemon law is in place it will have the same provisions as a State’s car lemon law. The State will enforce your warranty and if the manufacturer can’t repair your problem he owes you a refund or a replacement vehicle. Manufacturers are allowed a chance to repair the vehicle before they are forced to offer lemon aid cars. If for example, your RV has been to the shop twice and the problem still persists, you are entitled to a refund or replacement RV.

Lemon Aid Cars for RV Owners

In general, manufacturers do know the law and will abide by their warranties. If your problem is covered by your warranty and you’ve given the manufacturer his chance to fix it – you can proceed to the next step. The pursuit of lemon aid cars is fairly well outlined under the law – however the law may change from state to state. So be sure to check with your state for specifics.

In general, RV lemon law requires you give the manufacturer written notice that you are seeking lemon aid. You may have to send your notice by certified or registered mail to make it official. Also be sure to have a record of all repair attempts and a copy of your notice. If the manufacturer does not abide by his warranty and the law, you may have to seek out a lawyer. In this case having a record of your repair attempts will be helpful.

Your Rights Under the RV Lemon Law

Many states do offer lemon law protection for RV owners. However, even if your State does not specifically mention RVs within its laws you may still be able to seek recourse. Don’t forget that warranties are protected at the federal level, so you may not need an RV lemon law in order to get what’s yours. After all, you deserve what your dealer promised – an RV on the open road, that works without any problems.

Can My Insurance Company Help at All, Before Turning to a Lemon Law Lawyer?

Your insurance company will not offer you any relief, unless your RV's defects cause an accident or other covered loss. Lemon laws are based on enforcement of warranties and manufacturing standards. You will need to pursue the manufacturer of the RV for proper remedies.

What To Do When You Think or Know That Your RV Is a Lemon

Document the history of the repairs or repair attempts. Once you have reached what seems to be an unreasonable number of repair attempts over a short period of time (typically 30 days from purchase), you can enforce your rights under the federal lemon laws.

Often, by discussing it with the manufacturer, your problem may be remedied. However, you may also be required to file a lemon law complaint with the court, and the manufacturer will be responsible for attorney's fees if you win the lawsuit.

Time Frame in Which To Act—When Is It Too Late To File a Claim or Complaint?

Of course, time is of the essence, but as long as your motor home is still covered under the manufacturer's warranty, you have some recourse.

It is considered a breach of warranty if the repair attempts are unsuccessful and unreasonable over a number of attempts for a particular problem or for the RV as a whole.

What Happens If I Win My Case?

If you win your lemon lawsuit, the manufacturer needs to replace the RV, or refund your money, less wear and tear. Also, they should be liable for your attorney's fees.

RV Brands With the Most Complaints

Some of the off-brand and lesser-known models tend to have a higher complaint volume, so it is best to check on the individual model and manufacturer before purchasing.

All manufacturers have some models that cause more complaints than others, and there are recalls on all different brands and types of RVs for various problems.

Is There a Specific Lawyer for RVs? Or Is Seeing a Specialized Lemon Law Lawyer Sufficient?

There are no lemon law lawyers just for RVs versus any other type of warranty breach or lemon lawsuit. Of course, there are some that specialize in these types of cases, but the U.S. Better Business Bureau offers a free arbitration hearing if your manufacturer is part of their program.