Track a letter

Lemon Law Demand Letter — Hawaii

In Hawaii, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the lemon law rights period — the express warranty term, 2 years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first, it has had three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Hawaii's statute — the Hawaii Motor Vehicle Express Warranty Enforcement Act — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Hawaii at a glance

  • Coverage window: the lemon law rights period — the express warranty term, 2 years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
  • The tests: three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days.
  • What this letter does: statutorily required — a letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, within the lemon law rights period, giving the manufacturer a reasonable opportunity to repair the nonconformity.
  • Where it escalates: Hawaii’s own state-certified arbitration program run by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, or a civil lawsuit.
  • Hawaii’s law requires this notice to go by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Lemon Law Demand Letter

Copy the letter below into the editor, replace the text in [brackets] with your details, and PostPal will print and mail it for you.

Subject: Lemon Law Notice — Demand for Repurchase or Replacement
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Hawaii ZIP Code]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

[Date]

[Manufacturer Name] — Customer Relations / Owner Relations
[Manufacturer Address — listed in your warranty booklet or owner's manual]

RE: Written notice under the Hawaii Motor Vehicle Express Warranty Enforcement Act (Lemon Law)
Vehicle: [Year] [Make] [Model], VIN [VIN]

Dear [Manufacturer Name] Owner Relations,

I am the [owner / lessee] of a [Year] [Make] [Model], VIN [VIN], purchased [or leased] new on [Purchase Date] from [Dealer Name] in [City], Hawaii.

Since delivery, the vehicle has exhibited the following defect: [describe the defect and how it impairs the vehicle's use, value, or safety]. The vehicle has been presented to your authorized dealer for repair of this defect on the following occasions:

• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]
• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]
• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]

In total, the defect has been subject to [number] repair attempts, and the vehicle has been out of service for [number] days. The defect remains uncorrected.

Under Hawaii’s Motor Vehicle Express Warranty Enforcement Act (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 481I-1 to 481I-4), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts must repurchase or replace it. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed where the same nonconformity has been subject to repair three or more times, once for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the vehicle has been out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days, within the lemon law rights period — the express warranty term, 2 years after delivery, or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. The manufacturer must receive a written report of the nonconformity and a reasonable opportunity to repair it.

This letter is my written notice, by certified mail return receipt requested, of the nonconformity described above, giving you a reasonable opportunity to repair it. If it remains uncorrected, I intend to pursue repurchase or replacement through Hawaii’s state-certified arbitration program, or in court, without further notice to you.

Copies of my repair orders are available on request. Please respond in writing to the address above.

Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

What your lemon law demand letter must include

  • Your full name, address, and contact details
  • The vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN, plus the purchase/lease date and selling dealer
  • A clear description of the defect and how it impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety
  • The full repair history: dates, repair-order numbers, and days out of service (Hawaii looks for three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days)
  • What you are demanding — a repurchase (refund) or a comparable replacement vehicle
  • Proof of the mailing method — Hawaii requires this notice to go by certified mail, return receipt requested

Frequently asked questions

When does a car qualify as a lemon in Hawaii?

The defect must substantially impair the vehicle's use, value, or safety, and the manufacturer must have had a reasonable chance to fix it — in Hawaii that is presumed within the lemon law rights period — the express warranty term, 2 years after original delivery, or the first 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first, after three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. Hawaii’s law requires this notice to go by certified mail, return receipt requested — this letter satisfies the content requirement.

Who do I send the letter to — the dealer or the manufacturer?

The manufacturer. Lemon law obligations run against the vehicle manufacturer, not the selling dealer — send it to the manufacturer’s customer/owner relations address listed in your warranty booklet or owner’s manual (PostPal’s where-to-mail directory also lists head-office addresses for major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Tesla). Keep dealing with the dealer for the repairs themselves.

What happens after I send it?

You can apply directly to Hawaii’s state-certified arbitration program, run by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, or pursue the matter in court.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: law.justia.com, files.hawaii.gov.

This template is provided for convenience only. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Court limits and rules change — confirm anything time-sensitive on the official page, and consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your situation.