What Vehicles Are Covered

• Colorado's lemon law covers new vehicles such as cars, trucks and SUVs, but does not cover motorcycles and motor homes.
  
  

How to Qualify

• In order to make a claim, the vehicle must have developed the defect within 1 year of purchase, and the dealer or manufacturer must have been given the opportunity to repair, or attempted to repair, the defect four or more times; or the vehicle must have been unavailable for use by the owner for 30 or more business days within the warranty period, or within 1 year after purchase, whichever comes first.
  
  

Before You Can Make a Claim

• Before you can bring a claim against the manufacturer for a refund or replacement, send a certified letter to the manufacturer, telling it of the problem and giving it the opportunity to either repair the problem or to go through any dispute resolution process the company may have. If the manufacturer's dispute resolution process complies with federal dispute resolution standards, you cannot bring a claim under Colorado's lemon law until you have been through the dispute resolution process. The owner's manual or warranty information should provide information about the manufacturer's contact information and dispute resolution process.
  
  

Remedies

• If you bring a successful claim under the Colorado lemon law, the court can order the manufacturer to refund the purchase price of the vehicle or replace the vehicle. If you are awarded a refund, the court may deduct a part of the money to allow for the time you were able to use the vehicle. The court can also award attorney's fees to the winning side in the suit.
  
  

Federal Lemon Law

• Federal law can also provide relief if you have purchased a lemon and have given the manufacturer reasonable opportunity to make repairs. Under the Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, you can sue the dealer for a breach of express warranty, implied warranty or a service contract. Under this Act you may be able to recover damages, attorney's fees and court costs.