Under Washington's Motor Vehicle Lemon Law (RCW 19.118), your new vehicle is presumed to be a "lemon" if the same serious safety defect has gone through two or more repair attempts, the same non-safety nonconformity has gone through four or more repair attempts, or the vehicle has been out of service for diagnosis or repair for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days. Crucially, this presumption only applies if at least one repair attempt happened during the "Lemon Law rights period" – generally the first two years after delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever comes first – and the defect still exists. If you meet these thresholds, Washington law entitles you to a refund or a replacement vehicle, enforced through a free arbitration program run by the state Attorney General's Office.
What Vehicles and Defects Qualify in Washington
Washington's Lemon Law covers new motor vehicles – including passenger cars, light trucks, and motorcycles – that are registered in Washington and were purchased or leased primarily for personal, family, or household use. The self-propelled chassis and drivetrain portion of a new motor home is also covered, although the living-quarters portion (appliances, plumbing, and similar systems) generally is not. Very large vehicles, off-road vehicles, and used vehicles that were not subject to the original warranty fall outside the law.
A qualifying defect is a "nonconformity": a defect or condition that is covered by the manufacturer's written warranty and that substantially impairs the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle. Minor cosmetic issues or problems caused by your own abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modifications do not qualify. Washington draws an important distinction between two categories:
Serious safety defect: a life-threatening malfunction or nonconformity that impedes your ability to control or operate the vehicle for ordinary use, or that creates a risk of fire or explosion. Because of the danger, the law triggers a presumption after only two repair attempts.
General nonconformity: any other warranty defect that substantially impairs the vehicle. This requires four or more repair attempts before the presumption applies.
The Repair-Attempt and Out-of-Service Triggers
Washington gives you three separate ways to establish that the manufacturer has had a "reasonable number of attempts" to fix the problem:
Two or more attempts on the same serious safety defect, and the defect still exists.
Four or more attempts on the same general nonconformity, and the nonconformity still exists.
30 or more cumulative calendar days out of service for repair of one or more nonconformities.
At least one of those repair attempts (or the start of the out-of-service period) must occur during the Lemon Law rights period. Keep every repair order, even for the same problem, and make sure each one accurately describes the symptom you reported – dealers sometimes write up the same issue under different codes, which can make it look like fewer attempts than you actually made. The vehicle must be delivered to an authorized dealer or the manufacturer's agent for the repairs to count.
The Deadlines You Cannot Miss
Two timeframes matter. The first is the Lemon Law rights period described above – the two-year/24,000-mile window during which a qualifying repair attempt must occur. The second is the filing deadline for arbitration: you must submit your Request for Arbitration to the Attorney General's Office within 30 months of the date the vehicle was originally delivered to a retail consumer. Even if your repair attempts qualified, waiting past the 30-month mark can cost you the right to use the state arbitration board. Because these dates are calculated from the original delivery, buyers of demonstrator or dealer-driven vehicles should confirm exactly when the clock started.
Refund or Replacement: What You Can Recover
If you prevail, the manufacturer must give you one of two remedies – and in Washington the consumer generally chooses:
A refund: the full purchase or lease price, plus collateral charges such as sales tax, license and registration fees, and certain finance charges and incidental costs. From this total, the manufacturer may subtract a "reasonable offset for use" – an amount tied to the miles you drove before the first repair attempt. Washington calculates this offset using a statutory mileage formula rather than letting the manufacturer pick an arbitrary number, which protects you from excessive deductions.
A replacement vehicle: a comparable new motor vehicle, with collateral and incidental costs covered.
The reasonable offset for use is generally figured by multiplying the purchase price by the number of miles you drove before your first repair attempt and dividing by a fixed statutory mileage figure. Because that denominator and the exact list of recoverable collateral charges are set by statute and can be applied differently to motorcycles, confirm the current calculation with the Attorney General's Lemon Law staff before you accept any settlement offer.
How to Enforce Your Rights
Washington's system is designed so you do not need to file a lawsuit first. The steps generally run as follows:
Give written notice. Notify the manufacturer in writing (the request-for-arbitration process itself serves as formal notice) and give it a final opportunity to repair if required.
Request state arbitration. File a Request for Arbitration form with the Attorney General's Office. Unlike many states, Washington runs its own New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board rather than forcing you into the manufacturer's in-house program. The state program is free to consumers.
Attend the hearing. An independent arbitrator reviews your repair records and hears both sides, then issues a binding written decision, typically within a set number of days. The vehicle may be inspected as part of the process.
Collect or appeal. If you win, the manufacturer must comply within a defined period or face penalties. Either party may appeal the decision to superior court, but appeals face a high standard of review.
If the manufacturer ignores a decision in your favor, Washington allows recovery of additional damages and attorney fees, which gives manufacturers a strong incentive to pay promptly.
How Washington Compares to Federal Law
Separate from the state Lemon Law, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act gives consumers nationwide a path to sue when a written or implied warranty is breached, and it allows recovery of attorney fees. The federal law has no fixed repair-attempt count or out-of-service threshold the way Washington does – it asks only whether the warrantor had a reasonable opportunity to repair. For most Washington buyers, the state Lemon Law's free arbitration and clear numeric triggers make it the faster, cheaper first option, with the federal statute available as a fallback or for vehicles and situations the state law does not cover.
Where to Verify and Get Help
The Washington State Attorney General's Office administers the Lemon Law and operates a dedicated Lemon Law program within its Consumer Protection Division. The office maintains a toll-free Lemon Law hotline (1-800-541-8898 within Washington) and publishes the official Request for Arbitration forms and current eligibility rules on its website. Before relying on any specific figure – the offset-for-use denominator, the exact list of recoverable collateral charges, or current arbitration timelines – confirm it directly with the Attorney General's Lemon Law staff, because statutory details are periodically updated. For complex disputes, especially those involving leases, motor homes, or appeals to superior court, consider consulting a Washington consumer-protection attorney.
Official Washington Sources
This page is based on Washington law. Limits and deadlines change — verify the current details directly with the official Washington sources below. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Federal law also applies. Federal laws like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act protect you nationwide, on top of Washington’s own rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many repair attempts does Washington require before my car is a lemon?
Washington presumes a lemon after two or more repair attempts on the same serious safety defect, four or more attempts on the same general nonconformity, or 30 or more cumulative days out of service. At least one attempt must occur during the first two years or 24,000 miles, and the defect must still exist.
What is the deadline to file a Lemon Law claim in Washington?
You must submit your Request for Arbitration to the Washington Attorney General's Office within 30 months of the date the vehicle was originally delivered to a retail consumer. A qualifying repair attempt must also have occurred during the two-year/24,000-mile Lemon Law rights period.
Can I choose a refund instead of a replacement vehicle in Washington?
Yes. If you win, Washington generally lets you choose between a refund of the purchase price plus collateral charges (minus a statutory offset for the miles you drove before the first repair) or a comparable replacement vehicle.
Does Washington cover used cars or motorcycles under the Lemon Law?
The Lemon Law covers new passenger cars, light trucks, and motorcycles registered in Washington, plus the chassis and drivetrain of a new motor home. Used vehicles no longer under the original warranty are generally not covered, though the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act may still apply.
Does it cost money to use Washington's Lemon Law arbitration?
No. Washington runs its own New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board through the Attorney General's Office, and the arbitration program is free to consumers, unlike a court lawsuit.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law or the law in your jurisdiction. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
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