Indiana's lemon law and your rights as a buyer

What the lemon law protects, what it doesn't, and what rights you keep when you buy used. With the state's exact deadlines.

This guide summarizes the recorded scope for Indiana (Indiana Motor Vehicle Protection Act (IC 24-5-13)). Eligibility, deadlines and notice requirements depend on the law and applicable coverage; read the state conditions below, including used-vehicle conditions where relevant.

What it covers

Cars and light trucks bought or leased for personal use from an Indiana dealer.

Rights period: You must report the problem within 18 months from when the car first left the dealership or before 18,000 miles, whichever comes first.

When it is presumed a lemon

At least four repair attempts, or at least 30 business days out of service for repairs, and the problem is still there.

The presumption does not replace the other requirements. Check the official conditions and procedure for your situation.

The process

Take the car to an authorized dealer and ask for a written repair order every time. If the owner's manual requires it, notify the maker in writing with copies of the orders. If the maker has a dispute program officially recognized by the Attorney General, you must use it before suing. There is no state arbitration board: if it is not resolved, you sue in court within two years of first reporting the problem to the dealer. The Attorney General cannot represent you to seek a refund or replacement.

Who handles it: Indiana Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division.

Hotline: 800-382-5516.

What you get if you win

The maker has 30 days to accept the return and, at your choice, replace the car or refund your money. If you win in court, you recover your costs and attorney fees.

What it does not cover

Anything that does not meet the conditions is outside: cars bought from a private seller or outside Indiana, non-personal use, or problems reported after 18 months or 18,000 miles. The Attorney General's sheet lists no other exclusions.

I bought used: what do I have left

More than it seems, even if it isn't the lemon law:

• The Buyers Guide (FTC). The guide states the dealer warranty. "As Is" describes that warranty; it does not by itself resolve other state-law rights or remaining manufacturer coverage. The federal rule applies in 48 states (Maine and Wisconsin have their own equivalent rules). If the sale is conducted in Spanish, the dealer must post a Spanish-language Buyers Guide.
• Remaining manufacturer warranty. Check the warranty contract and its duration and transfer conditions; vehicle age does not guarantee coverage.
• In Indiana: The dealer must disclose in writing whether the car is salvage or rebuilt (IC 9-32-13-6). The dealer must give you the title at the sale; only in limited cases does it have up to 31 days. If it does not arrive, send a written demand: the dealer has 10 days to deliver it; if not, you can return the car and get back the price plus tax and fees. Complaints go to the Secretary of State's Auto Dealer Services Division and the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.