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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Montana

In Montana, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery, it has had four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Montana's statute — the Montana Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Montana at a glance

  • Coverage window: the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery.
  • The tests: four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days.
  • What this letter does: statutorily required — written notice to the manufacturer at the address disclosed in your warranty or owner’s manual, giving it an opportunity to cure the defect.
  • Where it escalates: a dispute settlement program certified by the Montana Department of Justice (required first), then a civil lawsuit — if the certified program’s procedures weren’t followed correctly, you can appeal for a fresh arbitration ("de novo") by a department arbitrator before going to court.
  • Certified mail with return receipt is the recommended way to send this notice and document your claim.

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, Montana 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 Montana Lemon Law (Mont. Code Ann. § 61-4-501 et seq.)
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], Montana.

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 the Montana Lemon Law (Mont. Code Ann. §§ 61-4-501 to 61-4-533), 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. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed where the same defect has been subject to repair four or more times, or the vehicle has been out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days, within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after delivery. Your warranty or owner’s manual discloses the address where written notice of the nonconformity must be sent.

This letter is my written notice of the defect described above, sent to the address disclosed in my warranty and owner’s manual, and my request that you repair it. If it is not corrected after a reasonable number of attempts, I intend to pursue replacement or a refund through the dispute settlement program certified by the Montana Department of Justice, 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 (Montana looks for four repair attempts for the same defect, 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
  • A deadline for the manufacturer to respond, and where to send its response

Frequently asked questions

When does a car qualify as a lemon in Montana?

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 Montana that is presumed within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery, after four repair attempts for the same defect, 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. Send this letter to the address your warranty or owner’s manual discloses for defect notices — certified mail is recommended so you can prove delivery.

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 generally must submit your dispute to a program certified by the Montana Department of Justice before pursuing a refund or replacement directly. If that process wasn’t handled correctly, you can request a fresh arbitration by a department arbitrator; either way, if it’s still unresolved, you or the manufacturer can file a civil suit.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: dojmt.gov, carlemon.com.

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.