States
Connecticut lemon law: when a new car is a lemon
What Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-186 asks before a manufacturer must repurchase or replace a car, the steps on the way and the last day to act.
Does your car meet the Connecticut lemon law tests?
Connecticut, November 5, 2026 read in the statute
Not yet: one more repair attempt
| Protection period | 2 years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first: until January 5, 2028 or 24,000 miles. You are inside it. |
| Repair attempts, same defect | Not met: needs 4, you have 3 |
| Serious safety defect | Not met: needs 2 attempts, you have no safety defect |
| Days out of service | Not met: needs 30 calendar days, you have 12 |
| Notice | Written notice only if the warranty or owner’s manual clearly says it is required (§ 42-179(c)). |
| Dispute step | State arbitration run by the Department of Consumer Protection ($50 fee) when the manufacturer has no procedure certified by the Attorney General; a certified procedure must be used first (§§ 42-179, 42-181, 42-182). |
Tests as written in the law; a court or arbitrator decides. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-186
The Connecticut lemon law in detailConnecticut’s lemon law, sections 42-179 to 42-186 of the General Statutes, read on the legislature’s site on November 1, 2026, covers passenger cars, combination vehicles and motorcycles, bought or leased, for two years or 24,000 miles from delivery, whichever comes first. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed after four repairs of the same defect, after two repairs of a defect that could cause death or serious injury, or after 30 calendar days out of service. Written notice is needed only when the warranty or the owner’s manual clearly says so. If the manufacturer has a dispute procedure certified by the Attorney General, it must be used first; if not, the Department of Consumer Protection runs a state arbitration program for a $50 fee. The use offset is the contract price times miles driven, divided by 120,000.
What notice does your state ask for?
Connecticut
Written notice
| Rule: Written notice only if the warranty or owner’s manual clearly says it is required (§ 42-179(c)). | |
| Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-186 |
State laws read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The Connecticut state program
Connecticut is one of the states where the government itself hears lemon law cases. The Department of Consumer Protection’s program sends the dispute to an arbitrator, and the manufacturer is bound to take part. The $50 fee is the only cost the statute sets for the owner.
A car bought back under the law is not simply resold. Its title must carry the words “manufacturer buyback-lemon”, and a dealer who sells it must disclose that history. A later buyer who finds the notation on a title can still claim under the remaining warranty, and the Connecticut text also reaches later owners during the protection period.
The Connecticut lemon law at a glance
| Law | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-186 |
| Protection period | 2 years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Repair attempts | 4 attempts on the same defect |
| Serious safety defect | 2 attempts for a serious safety defect |
| Days out of service | 30 calendar days |
| Written notice | Written notice only if the warranty or owner’s manual clearly says it is required (§ 42-179(c)). |
| Dispute step | State-run program. State arbitration run by the Department of Consumer Protection ($50 fee) when the manufacturer has no procedure certified by the Attorney General; a certified procedure must be used first (§§ 42-179, 42-181, 42-182). |
| Deadline | Not set in the text we read |
| Use offset in a buyback | Contract price × miles before the manufacturer accepts the return ÷ 120,000 (§ 42-179(d)). |
| Vehicles covered | Passenger and combination vehicles and motorcycles, bought or leased; later owners during the warranty. |
| Used cars | Separate used-car warranty rules (§ 42-221), not covered by this tool. |
| State page | no agency page |
| Level of reading | read in the statute |
From written notice to a decision
Certified mail, return receipt requested.
Earliest decisionbetween Oct 16, 2026 and Nov 25, 2026
1. Done · milestone
Written notice reaches the manufacturer
Oct 16, 2026
Written notice only if the warranty or owner’s manual clearly says it is required (§ 42-179(c)).
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 42-179 to 42-1862. Done · milestone
Final repair attempt
Oct 16, 2026
No fixed number of days for this step in the Connecticut text we read.
3. In progress · 0 day – 6 weeks
Dispute program decides
Oct 16, 2026 – Nov 25, 2026
A program that follows 16 CFR Part 703 must decide within 40 days of receiving your dispute. State arbitration run by the Department of Consumer Protection ($50 fee) when the manufacturer has no procedure certified by the Attorney General; a certified procedure must be used first (§§ 42-179, 42-181, 42-182).
16 CFR 703.5(d)4. Upcoming · milestone
Accept, refuse or go further
Oct 16, 2026 – Nov 25, 2026
If you refuse the decision, the next step is the state program or a court.