Montana lemon law and warranty dispute resources
Status: Official page read; key points summarized. Last checked 2026-10-18.
What the official page says
Source: Vehicles and the Lemon Law (Montana Department of Justice, Office of Consumer Protection) (read 2026-10-18). This is a summary of that page, not the statute. Exact tests, exclusions and deadlines are on the official page and in the statute, and may have changed.
- The page says Montana's New Motor Vehicle Warranty Act covers vehicles purchased, titled or leased in Montana that are less than two years old with 18,000 miles or less on the odometer (including motorcycles), and substantial defects that impair use, market value or safety.
- The page says the Lemon Law does not cover vehicles purchased for business use, trucks over 15,000 lbs. GVW, non-motorized and off-road vehicles, the residential portion of motor homes, or defects resulting from accident, abuse, neglect, or modification by anyone other than the manufacturer or authorized dealer.
- The page says the warranty period ends two years after original delivery or the first 18,000 miles, whichever occurs first, and can be extended for up to a year if a defect is reported in writing during the period but not cured by its expiration.
- The page says that if a substantial defect recurs or still exists after the third repair attempt, you notify the manufacturer by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the need to repair it on the fourth attempt (the page says this notice is not required by the law but serves as notice of your intentions).
- The page says that if the manufacturer will not provide a refund or replacement you must first submit the dispute to a state-certified dispute settlement program approved by the Montana Department of Justice, and lists documents to keep: purchase or lease documents, maintenance records, repair orders, maintenance receipts, a copy of the certified letter, and other defect documents.
Numbers the page states
| Item | As stated on the official page |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Less than two years old and 18,000 miles or less |
| Warranty period (Lemon Law) | Two years or first 18,000 miles, whichever occurs first (extendable up to a year if reported in writing) |
| Excluded weight | Trucks over 15,000 lbs. GVW |
Counting rules differ (calendar days vs. business days, what counts as a repair attempt). Use the repair log tool to organize dates, then confirm how your state counts.
Not covered or not confirmed in this summary
- The arbitration filing fee and the administrative rules (ARM 23.19) were not read, so no fee is stated here.
Industry arbitration program summary (not a government source)
BBB National Programs, which runs the BBB AUTO LINE dispute program, publishes a state summary: BBB AUTO LINE: Montana lemon law summary (link checked 2026-10-18). It is published by an industry-linked program, so treat it as a starting point and confirm against the state's own page or statute.
What to do first
- Keep every repair order and receipt. See the records checklist.
- Write down dates and mileage for each repair visit with the repair log tool (nothing is saved or sent).
- Read the federal warranty basics and arbitration pages.
- Consider speaking with a licensed attorney in your state about deadlines. Many have free consultations, but we do not recommend any specific one.