Commercial Vehicles Under Indiana Lemon Law
Commercial-vehicle coverage under Indiana § 24-5-13 — 10,000 lbs GVWR cap, commercial-use exclusion, and Magnuson-Moss alternative.
Commercial-use vehicles face limited coverage under Indiana’s Lemon Law (§ 24-5-13). The statute excludes vehicles above 10,000 lbs GVWR and vehicles purchased for commercial-only use.
§ 24-5-13 exclusions
Section 24-5-13-2 excludes:
- Vehicles above 10,000 lbs GVWR.
- Vehicles purchased for commercial use (not personal/family/household).
- Motor homes above 10,000 lbs (except chassis).
Common exclusion lines
- Ford F-450, F-550, F-650/750 — typically above 10,000 lbs GVWR.
- Ram 4500, 5500 — above 10K.
- GM Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, 6500HD — above 10K. (Fort Wayne builds Silverado HD.)
- Class C / Class A motor home chassis — above 10K.
- Cargo vans (Sprinter, ProMaster, Transit 350 HD) — varies.
Mixed-use vehicles
For vehicles used both personally and commercially:
- Personal predominant use — § 24-5-13 may apply.
- Commercial predominant use — § 24-5-13 excluded.
- Determining factor: actual use, not stated intent at purchase.
Alternative remedies for excluded vehicles
For commercial-use or >10K GVWR vehicles:
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — applies regardless of GVWR.
- UCC § 26-1-2-313 / § 26-1-2-314 — express + implied warranties under Indiana UCC.
- IDCSA (§ 24-5-0.5) — applies to commercial transactions (with some limitations). Requires cure notice.
IDCSA in commercial cases
IDCSA generally applies to commercial transactions where the deceptive practice has consumer impact. Indiana courts have allowed IDCSA claims in commercial-vehicle dealer fraud cases — though “consumer” status sometimes contested.
Strategic considerations
- Commercial vehicle owners should plead Magnuson-Moss + UCC + IDCSA where Lemon Law doesn’t apply.
- D. Ind. federal venue is often preferred for commercial cases due to Magnuson-Moss jurisdiction.
- Discovery is broader in commercial cases.
Indiana commercial-vehicle market
- Logistics corridors — I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, I-80/90.
- Indianapolis FedEx Express hub — fleet vehicles.
- Northern Indiana RV component — commercial chassis demand.
- Construction + agriculture in rural IN.
Bottom line
Commercial vehicles above 10K GVWR are typically excluded from § 24-5-13. Magnuson-Moss + UCC + IDCSA remain available. IDCSA cure notice critical if deceptive practices are pleaded.
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