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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Tennessee

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

Tennessee at a glance

  • Coverage window: the term of protection — the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery.
  • The tests: three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days.
  • What this letter does: statutorily required — written notification by certified mail directly to the manufacturer of the need for repair, giving it one additional opportunity (not to exceed 10 days) to correct the defect before you can proceed under the Act’s refund or replacement remedy.
  • Where it escalates: the manufacturer’s certified informal dispute settlement program (required first if it complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703 — commonly BBB AUTO LINE), then a civil lawsuit, where a prevailing consumer recovers attorney’s fees.
  • Tennessee’s statute requires this notification to go by certified mail directly to the manufacturer — not just the dealer.
  • If the manufacturer’s address isn’t in your owner’s manual or warranty documents, Tennessee’s law lets you mail this notice to an authorized dealer instead, who must forward it to the manufacturer.

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, Tennessee 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 of nonconformity under the Tennessee Lemon Law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-24-105)
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], Tennessee.

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 Tennessee Lemon Law (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-24-101 to 55-24-112), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its express 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 the vehicle has been out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days, during the term of protection — the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after delivery. Under § 55-24-105, written notification by certified mail directly to the manufacturer is required before you may proceed under the Act’s refund or replacement remedy.

This letter is my written notification, by certified mail, of the nonconformity described above, and my request that you correct it. You have an additional opportunity, not to exceed 10 days, to repair the defect. If it remains uncorrected, I intend to 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 (Tennessee looks for three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days)
  • What you are demanding — a repurchase (refund) or a comparable replacement vehicle
  • Proof of the mailing method — Tennessee requires this notice to go by certified mail

Frequently asked questions

When does a car qualify as a lemon in Tennessee?

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 Tennessee that is presumed within the term of protection — the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery, after three repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. Tennessee’s law requires the notification itself to go by certified mail directly to the manufacturer — this letter satisfies the content requirement. If the manufacturer’s address isn’t in your owner’s manual or warranty documents, the law lets you mail it to an authorized dealer instead, who must forward it to the manufacturer.

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 gets one more opportunity — up to 10 days — to fix the defect after receiving your notice. If it doesn’t, and the manufacturer runs a certified informal dispute settlement program (commonly BBB AUTO LINE), you generally must try that first; either way, if the matter isn’t resolved, you can sue, and Tennessee’s law entitles a prevailing consumer to attorney’s fees.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: law.justia.com, 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.