Recalls & Defects

The Pennsylvania Automobile Lemon Law applies to any new vehicle purchased or leased and registered in Pennsylvania or purchased or leased elsewhere and registered for the first time in the Commonwealth for personal, family or household use including a vehicle used by a manufacturer or dealer as a demonstrator or dealer vehicle prior to its sale and designed to transport up to 15 persons. Motorcycles, motor homes, and off-road vehicles are not included. Under the law, the manufacturer must, at no cost to the purchaser, repair or correct any defect which substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the vehicle which occurs within one year after delivery, or 12,000miles of use, or the term of the manufacturer’s express warranty, whichever comes first. If the defect cannot be repaired in a reasonable time, you may be eligible for a replacement vehicle or the refund of the purchase price, less a limited allowance for use. First, contact the manufacturer’s zone representative at the telephone number listed in your vehicle’s owner manual. If the zone representative is not successful in having the defect corrected, you may request an arbitration of your case through the manufacturer’s dispute settlement program if one exists. The arbitration decision is binding on the manufacturer, but not on the customer, who may proceed further by bringing a private lawsuit. If the manufacturer has not established an appropriate dispute resolution procedure, you may initiate a legal action at the outset.

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