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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Michigan

In Michigan, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the vehicle’s first year after delivery, or the term of its express warranty if earlier, it has had four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative 30 days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Michigan's statute — the New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (Michigan Lemon Law) — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Michigan at a glance

  • Coverage window: the vehicle’s first year after delivery, or the term of its express warranty if earlier.
  • The tests: four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative 30 days.
  • What this letter does: statutorily required — after the third repair attempt for the same defect, or after the vehicle has been out of service 25 days, you must give the manufacturer written notification by return-receipt service; the manufacturer then has 5 business days to repair the vehicle after it is delivered to its designated repair facility.
  • Where it escalates: the manufacturer’s certified informal dispute-settlement program, or a civil lawsuit.
  • Michigan’s law requires this written notification to go by return-receipt service (the equivalent of certified mail with a return receipt) — keep the signed receipt as proof the manufacturer received it.

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, Michigan 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 notification under Michigan’s New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act — final opportunity to repair
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], Michigan.

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 Michigan’s New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (MCL §§ 257.1401–257.1410), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts must replace it or refund the purchase price. Under § 257.1403, after the same defect has been subject to repair three or more times, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs 25 or more days, the consumer must give the manufacturer written notification by return-receipt service; the manufacturer then has 5 business days to repair the vehicle once it is delivered to a designated repair facility.

This letter is my written notification under § 257.1403. You have 5 business days from delivery of the vehicle to your designated repair facility to repair the defect. If it remains uncorrected, I will pursue replacement or a refund through your certified dispute-settlement 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 (Michigan looks for four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative 30 days)
  • What you are demanding — a repurchase (refund) or a comparable replacement vehicle
  • Proof of the mailing method — Michigan requires this notice to go by return-receipt service

Frequently asked questions

When does a car qualify as a lemon in Michigan?

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 Michigan that is presumed within the vehicle’s first year after delivery, or the term of its express warranty if earlier, after four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative 30 days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. Michigan’s law requires the notification itself to go by return-receipt service (the certified-mail equivalent) — this letter satisfies the content requirement; the mailing method is what makes it valid.

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?

The manufacturer has 5 business days to repair the vehicle once you deliver it to its designated repair facility after this notice. If the defect isn’t fixed, you can use the manufacturer’s certified dispute-settlement program if it has one, or file a lawsuit — Michigan does not run its own state arbitration program.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: legislature.mi.gov, legislature.mi.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.