Engine Defects in Illinois Lemon Law Cases

Engine defects routinely satisfy Illinois’s substantial-impairment test under § 380/2(f).

Common engine defect categories

Intermittent stalling

Engine cuts out — safety-critical. Strong ICFA exposure.

Misfires

Rough idle, hesitation under load, check-engine lights.

Excessive oil consumption

Common in Subaru FB-series, Honda 1.5L turbo, BMW N20. See Subaru article and Honda article.

Head-gasket failures

Common in Subaru EJ-series and Hyundai/Kia engines.

Theta II engine failures (Hyundai/Kia)

Hyundai/Kia 2.0L and 2.4L engines (2011-2019) — extensive Illinois cases. See Hyundai and Kia.

Timing-chain stretch / failure

BMW N20, Audi 2.0T, Ford EcoBoost.

Diagnostic challenges

• Record video.
• Note specific conditions.
• Request multi-day diagnostic holds.
• Get diagnostic codes.

ICFA willfulness exposure

Engine cases frequently involve manufacturer TSBs and recalls — supports ICFA damages with treble enhancement.

What you should do

1. Pull every repair order.
2. Document oil-consumption test results.
3. Save TSBs the dealer mentioned.
4. Send § 380/3 notice.
5. Get a free case review.

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