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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Oregon

In Oregon, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the first 2 years after original delivery or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, it has had three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Oregon's statute — the Oregon Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Oregon at a glance

  • Coverage window: the first 2 years after original delivery or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • The tests: three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury.
  • What this letter does: required before a court can order a remedy — you must report each nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or an authorized dealer during the coverage period, and the manufacturer must receive direct written notification from you.
  • Where it escalates: a civil lawsuit — Oregon does not require arbitration first unless the manufacturer runs a certified informal dispute settlement program that substantially complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703 and properly notified you of it.
  • Oregon’s statute requires direct written notification to the manufacturer but doesn’t name a specific mailing method — certified mail with return receipt is still the practical way to prove delivery.
  • Oregon requires only three repair attempts for the standard presumption — fewer than most states’ four — and just one attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury.

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, Oregon 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: Direct written notification under the Oregon Lemon Law (ORS 646A.402)
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], Oregon.

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 Oregon’s Lemon Law (ORS 646A.400 to 646A.418), 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 nonconformity has been subject to repair three or more times, or once for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, within the first 2 years or 24,000 miles. Under ORS 646A.402, the manufacturer must receive direct written notification of the nonconformity from you before a court can order this remedy.

This letter is my direct written notification of the nonconformity described above, and my demand that you replace the vehicle with a comparable new vehicle or refund the full purchase price. If this is not resolved, I intend to 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 (Oregon looks for three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury)
  • 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 Oregon?

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 Oregon that is presumed within the first 2 years after original delivery or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, after three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or one repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. Oregon’s law requires "direct written notification" to the manufacturer — this letter satisfies that requirement; the statute doesn’t prescribe a specific mailing method, though certified mail is still the practical way to 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?

Unlike many states, Oregon doesn’t require you to go through arbitration before suing — unless the manufacturer runs a certified informal dispute settlement program and properly notified you of it, in which case you generally must try that first. Otherwise, you can take the matter straight to court.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: doj.state.or.us, law.justia.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.