oada home > legal & government > legal library

Ohio Lemon Law

Duty to Repair Non-Conforming New Motor Vehicles; Consumer’s Options when Repairs are Unsuccessful. ORC §1345.72

If a new motor vehicle does not conform to any applicable express warranty and the consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer during the period of one year following the date of original delivery or during the first eighteen thousand miles of operation, whichever is earlier, the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer shall make any repairs as are necessary to conform the vehicle to such express warranty, notwithstanding the fact that the repairs are made after the expiration of the appropriate time period.

If the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer is unable to conform the motor vehicle to any applicable express warranty by repairing or correcting any nonconformity after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the manufacturer, at the consumer's option, either shall replace the motor vehicle with a new motor vehicle acceptable to the consumer or shall accept return of the vehicle from the consumer and refund each of the following: 

(1) The full purchase price;

(2) All incidental damages, including, but not limited to, any fees charged by the lender or lessor for making or canceling the loan or lease, and any expenses incurred by the consumer as a result of the nonconformity, such as charges for towing, vehicle rental, meals, and lodging.

Nothing in the “Lemon Law” imposes any liability on a new motor vehicle dealer or creates a cause of action by a buyer against a new motor vehicle dealer.

If the vehicle is subject to a loan or retail installment sales contract or there is a lien holder involved, then:

(1) If the consumer elects to take a refund, the manufacturer shall forward the total sum required by an instrument jointly payable to the consumer and any lien holder that appears on the face of the certificate of title or the lessor. Prior to disbursing the funds to the consumer, the lien holder or lessor may deduct the balance owing to it, including any fees charged for canceling the loan or the lease and refunded as described above, and shall immediately remit the balance if any, to the consumer and cancel the lien or the lease.

(2) If the consumer elects to take a new motor vehicle, the manufacturer shall notify any lien holder noted on the certificate of title or the lessor. If both the lien holder or the lessor and the consumer consent to finance or lease the new motor vehicle obtained through the exchange described above, the lien holder or the lessor shall release the lien on or surrender the title to the nonconforming motor vehicle after it has obtained a lien on or title to the new motor vehicle. If the existing lien holder or lessor does not finance or lease the new motor vehicle, it has no obligation to discharge the note or cancel the lien on or surrender the title to the nonconforming motor vehicle until the original indebtedness or the lease terms are satisfied.