Consumer Protection · Lemon Law
Lemon Law in Michigan
How many repair attempts and days out of service before Michigan presumes your vehicle is a lemon — and whether used cars are covered.
presumption trigger (same defect)
Do I meet the Michigan lemon presumption?
Enter your repairs and downtime. This checks the presumption — it is not a legal verdict.
This checklist is educational, not a legal verdict. Every state writes these numbers as a rebuttable presumption: hitting them shifts the burden to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer can still rebut it. Keep every repair order, send any required written notice, and consult a lawyer about your specific facts. This is legal information, not legal advice.
How the presumption works in Michigan
The prongs that shift the burden to the manufacturer.
The out-of-service count is 30 CALENDAR days ("30 or more days or parts of days") — summaries that say "30 business days" are wrong. Written notice after the 3rd attempt is a required step.
Every state — Michigan included — writes these thresholds as a rebuttable presumption. Reaching them shifts the burden onto the manufacturer to prove your vehicle is not a lemon; it does not mean you automatically win. You may also qualify with fewer attempts if a "reasonable number" of repairs is shown some other way, and the manufacturer can rebut the presumption. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Used cars & leased vehicles
Which of the three coverage categories Michigan falls in.
The full picture, with the source
Every figure, and where it comes from.
| Same-defect attempts | 4 |
| Serious-safety attempts | No separate safety count |
| Days out of service | 30 calendar days |
| Coverage window | Warranty term or 1 year from delivery (reporting); the defect must qualify within 2 years of the first repair attempt |
| Used cars | Used covered while under original warranty |
| Leased vehicles | Covered |
| Statute | MCL §257.1401–.1410 (presumption §257.1403) |
What Michigan car buyers get wrong
Michigan’s lemon law is often misquoted on one detail, so start there: the out-of-service threshold is 30 calendar days, not business days. The statute (MCL §257.1403) counts "30 or more days or parts of days," which is plainly calendar time — any summary claiming "30 business days" is wrong. Michigan presumes a lemon after 4 repair attempts on the same defect or those 30 calendar days out of service, with a required procedural step in between: after the third attempt you must notify the manufacturer in writing, and the manufacturer then gets one final repair opportunity (roughly five business days). The clocks are layered — the defect must be reported within the warranty term or one year, and the qualifying attempts must occur within two years of the first repair. On used cars, "new-only" is imprecise: Michigan has no standalone used-car law, but a used vehicle is covered while it remains within the original manufacturer’s express warranty.
Common questions
How many repairs is a lemon in Michigan?
Michigan presumes a lemon after 4 attempts on the same defect or 30 calendar days out of service, with written notice required after the third attempt. It is a rebuttable presumption that shifts the burden to the manufacturer.
Is the Michigan lemon law 30 business days or calendar days?
Calendar days. The statute counts "30 or more days or parts of days," which is calendar time. Summaries that say "30 business days" are incorrect.
Do I have to notify the manufacturer in Michigan?
Yes. After the third repair attempt you must send written notice to the manufacturer, which then gets one final repair opportunity before the presumption is complete.
Does Michigan’s lemon law cover used cars?
There is no standalone used-car lemon law, but a used vehicle is covered while it is still within the original manufacturer’s express warranty — coverage follows the warranty, not the title.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.