- Eligibility: 3 unsuccessful repairs (when at least 2 times same agent attempted repair) or 15 business days out of service within shorter of warranty or 2 years or 18,000 miles. Applies to vehicles within the first 18,000 miles or 2 years regardless of whether the claimant is the original owner.
- Resolution Attempt: Written notice to manufacturer or dealer only if required in warranty or owner's manual.
- Manufacturer has 7 business days after receipt for final repair attempt.
- State-run arbitration mechanism available. Law specifically applies to leased vehicles.
Update: December 9, 2011
If you have recently purchased or registered a vehicle in Maine, and you’ve come to find out that it’s had to stay in the shop more than it stays on the road, it may be time to check into Maine’s lemon laws. They protect various vehicles in Maine and can help you get out of your lemon and back into a reliable source of transportation.
If you believe you have a lemon, you must report it to the manufacturer or dealer during the warranty period, within 2 years of purchase, or the first $18,000, whichever comes first. The manufacturer is obligated to make the necessary repairs, however if they cannot, the consumer has the right to bring the case to arbitration free of charge.
Arbitration is provided through the state, and this hearing must occur within 45 days of the acceptance of the Lemon Law application.
If you win your case, this will mean either a new vehicle or return of the purchase price, so it’s well worth your time. For more information on how the lemon law works in Maine, you can contact the Attorney General’s office at (207) 626-8800.
