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Lemon Law Demand Letter — New York

In New York, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the first 2 years after original delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, it has had four or more repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative total of at least 30 days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with New York's statute — the New Car Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

New York at a glance

  • Coverage window: the first 2 years after original delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • The tests: four or more repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative total of at least 30 days.
  • What this letter does: a formal demand that the manufacturer honor § 198-a — putting your refund-or-replacement demand and full repair history on the record before you file for the Attorney General’s arbitration program or go to court.
  • Where it escalates: New York’s Lemon Law arbitration program, run through the Attorney General’s office (you can also sue in court instead).
  • Certified mail with return receipt is the usual way to prove the manufacturer received your demand before you escalate to arbitration.

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, New York 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: Demand for refund or replacement under N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 198-a (New Car 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], New York.

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 New York’s New Car Lemon Law (Gen. Bus. Law § 198-a), a manufacturer that is unable to repair a defect that substantially impairs the value of a new motor vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts must, at the consumer’s option, refund the purchase price or replace the vehicle. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed where the same problem has been subject to repair four or more times, or the vehicle has been out of service by reason of repair for a cumulative total of at least 30 days, within the first 2 years or 18,000 miles.

This letter is my formal demand that you refund the full purchase price [or: replace the vehicle with a comparable new vehicle]. If I do not receive a satisfactory response within [14] days, I will file for New York’s Lemon Law arbitration program through the Attorney General’s office, or pursue my remedies 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 (New York looks for four or more repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative total of at least 30 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 New York?

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 New York that is presumed within the first 2 years after original delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, after four or more repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle out of service for repairs a cumulative total of at least 30 days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No form is required for this demand letter. If the manufacturer doesn’t resolve it, the next step — requesting arbitration through the Attorney General’s Lemon Law program — does use the AG’s Request for Arbitration form, which you can email or mail to the AG’s Lemon Law Unit. This letter and your repair records are the evidence that filing relies on.

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 choose the venue: New York’s arbitration program (administered through the Attorney General, with a modest filing fee and a decision that binds the manufacturer) or a lawsuit in court. Most consumers use arbitration — file the AG’s Request for Arbitration form with your repair history and a copy of this demand.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 2, 2026: ag.ny.gov, nysenate.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.