Oregon · Lemon law · Updated Oct 2026
Oregon Lemon Law (Motor Vehicle Warranties) (Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 646A.400 to 646A.418) protects buyers of new vehicles that can't be fixed. Here is what counts as a lemon in Oregon, the notice you must send and what you can get back.
Within 2 years or 24,000 miles, your car is presumed a lemon if: the same defect was repaired 3 or more times and still exists; or it was out of service for repairs a total of 30 or more calendar days (60 for a motor home); or a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was repaired at least once and the manufacturer then made a final repair attempt that failed. The presumption only applies if the manufacturer got direct written notice from you and a chance to fix the defect.
Period: 2 years or 24,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first.
You must send the manufacturer direct written notice and give it a chance to fix the defect. This is required to get any lemon law remedy (ORS 646A.402(3)) and to use the presumption (ORS 646A.406(4)). Asking for the manufacturer's dispute program counts as notice.
If the manufacturer has a dispute program that meets the FTC rules (16 CFR Part 703) and tells you about it, you must use it before you can get a refund or replacement. The decision binds the manufacturer but not you. Oregon has no state-run program; the Department of Justice points to BBB AUTO LINE.
The manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a new one, or take it back and refund the full purchase or lease price plus collateral charges: sales or use tax, license, registration and title fees, finance charges, prepayment penalty, undercoating, rustproofing and options, and aftermarket items bought within 20 days of delivery (it may instead remove and return those items). It may deduct a use allowance: the miles on the vehicle times the price plus collateral charges, divided by 120,000 (25,000 for a motorcycle, 90,000 for a motor home), with a mileage credit for time the car was in for repair.
Attorney fees: Yes, a court may award a winning consumer reasonable attorney fees, expert fees and costs; in motor home cases fees go to whichever side wins, and a manufacturer can get fees if your suit was in bad faith (ORS 646A.412).
Deadline: You must sue within 1 year after the earlier of 2 years from original delivery or the date the vehicle reaches 24,000 miles, extended for any disaster-related extension (ORS 646A.416).
Oregon's lemon law covers new vehicles only. The Department of Justice notes Oregon has no three-day right to cancel a car purchase unless your contract says so.
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. You must send the manufacturer direct written notice and give it a chance to fix the defect. This is required to get any lemon law remedy (ORS 646A.402(3)) and to use the presumption (ORS 646A.406(4)). Asking for the manufacturer's dispute program counts as notice. Fill this in, copy the letter, sign it and send it by certified mail with return receipt. Keep a copy. Nothing you type here is sent to us; the letter is made in your browser.
Within 2 years or 24,000 miles, your car is presumed a lemon if: the same defect was repaired 3 or more times and still exists; or it was out of service for repairs a total of 30 or more calendar days (60 for a motor home); or a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was repaired at least once and the manufacturer then made a final repair attempt that failed. The presumption only applies if the manufacturer got direct written notice from you and a chance to fix the defect.
2 years or 24,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first.
You must send the manufacturer direct written notice and give it a chance to fix the defect. This is required to get any lemon law remedy (ORS 646A.402(3)) and to use the presumption (ORS 646A.406(4)). Asking for the manufacturer's dispute program counts as notice.
If the manufacturer has a dispute program that meets the FTC rules (16 CFR Part 703) and tells you about it, you must use it before you can get a refund or replacement. The decision binds the manufacturer but not you. Oregon has no state-run program; the Department of Justice points to BBB AUTO LINE.
The manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a new one, or take it back and refund the full purchase or lease price plus collateral charges: sales or use tax, license, registration and title fees, finance charges, prepayment penalty, undercoating, rustproofing and options, and aftermarket items bought within 20 days of delivery (it may instead remove and return those items). It may deduct a use allowance: the miles on the vehicle times the price plus collateral charges, divided by 120,000 (25,000 for a motorcycle, 90,000 for a motor home), with a mileage credit for time the car was in for repair.
You must sue within 1 year after the earlier of 2 years from original delivery or the date the vehicle reaches 24,000 miles, extended for any disaster-related extension (ORS 646A.416).
Oregon's lemon law covers new vehicles only. The Department of Justice notes Oregon has no three-day right to cancel a car purchase unless your contract says so.
Car not covered, or the period has passed? Federal warranty law may still help, and small claims court can handle smaller repair bills.
Federal warranty law