Commercial Vehicles Under Illinois Lemon Law

Illinois’s Lemon Law (815 ILCS 380) covers vehicles used primarily for personal, family, or household use and under 8,000 lbs GVW. Commercial-use vehicles are generally excluded.

For commercial-use vehicles, ICFA and Magnuson-Moss provide alternative remedies in civil court.

Who’s covered

Illinois Lemon Law tends to focus on:

• Vehicles with mixed personal and commercial use.
• Self-employed individuals.
• Small business vehicles with significant personal-use components.

Pure commercial-fleet vehicles fall outside coverage.

Common commercial-vehicle defect categories

Same patterns as for personal vehicles:

• Transmission failures.
• Engine issues.
• Brake-system defects.
• Electrical issues.
• Drivetrain failures.

Where ICFA applies to commercial users

ICFA’s definition of “consumer” is broad — many small Illinois businesses can pursue ICFA actions. ICFA provides:

• Actual damages.
• Treble damages for willful violations.
• Mandatory attorney fees under § 10a(c).

Consequential damages — lost business

Lost business income may be recoverable as consequential damages under ICFA and Magnuson-Moss.

Substitute vehicle costs

Rental or substitute-vehicle costs are recoverable as incidental damages.

What manufacturers typically argue

• “Purely commercial; Lemon Law doesn’t apply.”
• “Operator abuse caused the failure.”
• “Overloading.”

What you should do

1. Determine usage pattern — what fraction is personal vs. commercial?
2. Pull every repair order.
3. Quantify lost business income if applicable.
4. Document substitute-vehicle costs.
5. Get a free case review.

For Illinois commercial cases, ICFA is typically the primary avenue.

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