Illinois Lemon Law Buyback Calculator

In Illinois, a lemon law buyback (repurchase) refunds what you paid for the vehicle minus an allowance for the use you got from it. Under 815 ILCS 380/3(c) that allowance is the amount directly attributable to wear and tear from use before the first report of a nonconformity to the seller, and during any later period when the vehicle is not out of service for repair. The statute sets no mileage divisor, so our calculator's allowance is only an estimate: it divides the mileage you enter for when the defect first appeared by 120,000, the figure California's and Florida's lemon statutes use, and multiplies by the price. A licensed attorney can confirm how the allowance applies to your purchase or lease.

Illinois recognizes a "lemon presumption" that shifts the burden to the manufacturer once your repair history crosses set thresholds. If the dealer cannot fix the same substantial, warranty-covered defect after 4 repair attempts, or if the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative 30 business days, the vehicle is presumed to be a lemon. This presumption generally applies within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles of ownership.

Illinois's state lemon law generally covers new vehicles purchased with a manufacturer's warranty. If your vehicle is used or falls outside the state statute, you may still have a claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which applies to written warranties nationwide.

You generally have 18 months to bring a lemon law claim in Illinois, shorter than the national average of 2.4 years. Acting before the warranty expires and while repair records are fresh protects your claim. When a vehicle qualifies, Illinois requires the manufacturer to repurchase or replace it rather than keep attempting repairs. Illinois's lemon law (the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act, 815 ILCS 380) has no attorney-fee provision. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act lets a court award a consumer who wins a warranty case costs and attorney fees (15 U.S.C. 2310(d)(2)).