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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, it has had four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Rhode Island's statute — the Rhode Island Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Rhode Island at a glance

  • Coverage window: the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • The tests: four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more days.
  • What this letter does: the manufacturer must be given written notice of the defect and at least one opportunity to fix it — certified mail with return receipt is the recommended way to prove delivery.
  • Where it escalates: the manufacturer’s certified informal dispute settlement program if it has one and gave clear written notice of the program at delivery (required first), or a civil lawsuit.
  • Rhode Island’s guidance is to send this notice by certified mail with return receipt to document your claim.
  • Rhode Island’s 15,000-mile coverage threshold is lower than the 12,000–24,000-mile range most other states use.

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, Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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], Rhode Island.

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 Rhode Island Lemon Law (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-5.2-1 to 31-5.2-14), 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 days, within the first year or 15,000 miles.

This letter is my written notice of the defect 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 through your certified dispute settlement program, if you have one, 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 (Rhode Island looks for four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more 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 Rhode Island?

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 Rhode Island that is presumed within the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, after four repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. This letter, sent by certified mail with return receipt, satisfies Rhode Island’s written-notice 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?

If the manufacturer maintains a certified informal dispute settlement program and gave you clear written notice of it at delivery, you generally must try that first. Otherwise, or if you’re dissatisfied with the outcome, you can sue.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: riag.ri.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.