Connecticut was one of the first states, along with California, to protect consumers from defective new automobile problems. The state introduced the lemon law, otherwise known as the Connecticut General Statute Chapter 743b, "Automotive Warranties." in 1982. The law protects purchasers of new vehicles from defects during the first two years of ownership or 18,000 miles of driving, whichever comes first.

Under Connecticut law, a vehicle qualifies as a lemon if it meets the following requirements:

The vehicle must have been sold or leased in the state of Connecticut.

• The vehicle must be a passenger motor vehicle, such as a car, pickup truck, van or motorcycle.
• The vehicle must have a defect or condition which substantially impairs the safety, use, or value of the vehicle.
• The vehicle must be presented to the manufacturer for repairs and the defect must still exist after the manufacturer has been permitted a “reasonable” number of attempts to fix the problem. The state defines “reasonable” as four or more attempts to repair the problem during the warranty period.
• A vehicle may also qualify if it has been out of service for a period of 30 or more calendar days due to attempts to repair the vehicle. This period may be extended for an indefinite period of time should the manufacturer be unable to effect repairs due to circumstances beyond its control, such as strike, fire, flood, invasion or some other natural disaster.
• Vehicles with nonconformities affecting the safety of the vehicle or is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven shall qualify as a lemon after two or more repair attempts.

Should the vehicle qualify as a lemon, the owner will be entitled to his or her choice of the following:

• A replacement with a new motor vehicle which is acceptable to the consumer.
• A full refund of the purchase price, including charges for undercoating, dealer preparation, installed options, sales tax, license and registration fees, finance charges and any incidental charges, such as rental car fees or towing.

This refund may be adjusted to compensate for wear and tear and miles driven. This adjustment will be made by dividing the miles driven by 120,000 and multiplying the resulting figure times the purchase price.

Owners of qualifying vehicles must submit to arbitration if the manufacturer has an arbitration program that is certified by the state’s Attorney General’s office. The results of the arbitration panel’s ruling is binding on both parties, which differs from the lemon laws of most other states. The arbitration panel will recommend a settlement, usually in the form of either a refund or a replacement vehicle.

Connecticut Consumer Protection
Automobile Dispute Settlement Program
165 Capital Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
 1-800-538-2277 

All in all, this statute is not one of the stronger ones, mostly because it binds the vehicle owner to the results of the arbitration hearing. This is one of the few states that has such a requirement, although it may have changed. The Connecticut statute was written in the early 1980’s and has been amended many times since then. If you have any questions concerning this statute, you may wish to consult with an attorney.

If you are having trouble with your automobile, truck or van, you may realize that you need the aid of an experienced lawyer. LegalMatch can help find an experienced attorney in your area. Confidentiality is protected, all lawyers are licensed, and inquiries are free.

Details can be found the Connecticut Lemon Law page