The Lemon Law in Missouri

Missouri's lemon law covers new motor vehicles bought mainly for personal, family or household use, including demonstrators and lease-purchase vehicles sold with a manufacturer's warranty. It does not cover commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles, mopeds, electric bicycles, motorcycles, or recreational vehicles (except their chassis, engine, powertrain and component parts). Problems must be reported during the warranty or within one year of delivery, whichever ends first. A reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed if the same problem has been repaired four or more times and still exists, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more working days. The consumer must give the manufacturer written notice, and the manufacturer then has 10 calendar days after the vehicle reaches an authorized repair facility to fix it. If the problem cannot be fixed, the manufacturer must, at its option, replace the vehicle with a comparable new one acceptable to the consumer or refund the full purchase price plus collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for use. If the manufacturer has a qualifying informal dispute program, the consumer must use it first before seeking a refund or replacement.

1) Written notice: before using the lemon law, the consumer (or a representative) must give the manufacturer written notice of the need to repair the defect so the manufacturer has an opportunity to fix it. 2) Final repair attempt: the manufacturer must immediately tell the consumer of a reasonably accessible repair facility of a franchised new-vehicle dealer, and then has 10 calendar days after the consumer delivers the vehicle there to fix it. If the consumer then tells the manufacturer the vehicle still is not fixed, the manufacturer must say whether it has an informal dispute program (unless it already gave that notice). 3) Arbitration: Missouri has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. If the manufacturer has an informal dispute program that fully complies with federal rules (16 C.F.R. Part 703), the refund/replacement remedy does not apply to a consumer who has not first used it. 4) Deadline: a lawsuit must be started within six months after the express warranty expires or within 18 months after original delivery, whichever is earlier; if the consumer used the manufacturer's dispute program, within 90 days after the program panel's final action.

Missouri's lemon law does not apply to used cars. The Attorney General's consumer guide says the lemon law applies only to new vehicles, demonstrators and lease-purchase vehicles with a warranty; that most used cars are sold "as is"; and that dealers must display the federal Buyers Guide showing whether the car comes with a warranty or is sold "as is -- no warranty." The guide also says there is no state law allowing a buyer to return a car for a full or partial refund.