Iowa Lemon Law Statute (Iowa Code § 322G)

Iowa Code § 322G (“Defective Motor Vehicles — Lemon Law”) is the core Iowa Lemon Law. The statute combines a 2-year / 24,000-mile Rights Period with the distinctive “3 attempts + final manufacturer attempt” presumption structure (joining Alabama § 8-20A-2(b) as one of only two states with this layered framework), MANDATORY § 322G.6 attorney fees, and a uniquely consumer-favorable mileage-offset formula that caps miles at the third-attempt date.

Core eligibility

Under § 322G.2, the statute covers:

New motor vehicles purchased or leased in Iowa.
Personal, family, or household use.
GVWR: under 15,000 lbs (Iowa’s threshold is broader than the typical 10,000 lbs in peer states).

The statute excludes:

Used vehicles — no separate IA Used Car Lemon Law.
Vehicles 15,000+ lbs GVWR.
Motor home living facilities (chassis may still be covered).
Commercial-only use vehicles.

“Consumer” includes both purchasers and lessees.

The 2-year / 24,000-mile Rights Period

§ 322G.2 establishes the eligibility window:

Manufacturer’s express warranty term, OR
2 years from original delivery, OR
24,000 miles, whichever expires FIRST.

IA’s 2-year / 24K Rights Period joins the 24-month / 24K combined tier:

24-month / 24K: Iowa, Connecticut, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Arizona, Oregon.
More generous than 1-year tier: Alabama, South Carolina, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Louisiana.

Repair-attempt thresholds — distinctive “3 + final attempt” structure

Under § 322G.3, the presumption applies when any one of the following is met:

Pathway 1 — 3 attempts + final manufacturer attempt

Three or more repair attempts by the manufacturer or its authorized service agent for the same nonconformity; AND
A final attempt by the manufacturer after written notice.

Pathway 2 — 1 attempt for a serious-safety defect + final manufacturer attempt

One or more repair attempts for a nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; AND
A final attempt by the manufacturer after written notice.

Pathway 3 — 30 days OOS

30 or more days out of service for repair within the Rights Period.

Iowa joins Alabama as only two states with “3 + final” structure

Iowa joins Alabama § 8-20A-2(b) as the only two states with the distinctive layered “3 dealer attempts + final manufacturer attempt” structure. Most peer states use:

Straight 3 attempts: Tennessee, Massachusetts, Georgia § 10-1-783(b), Virginia § 59.1-207.13(B)(2), South Carolina, Oregon § 646A.402(1)(b)(A).
Straight 4 attempts: Connecticut, California § 1793.22, Washington, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma.
3 + final manufacturer attempt: Iowa, Alabama — only two.

Practical implications:

Written notice to manufacturer is a procedural prerequisite — skip it and the manufacturer has a defense.
Final attempt at manufacturer-designated location — typically with senior technicians or FSE involvement.
Effectively 4-attempt structure with the fourth at the manufacturer’s option after formal notice.

MANDATORY § 322G.6 attorney fees

§ 322G.6 provides:

“In an action under either subsection 1 or 2, the court shall award a consumer who prevails the amount of any pecuniary loss, including relief the consumer is entitled to under section 322G.4, subsection 2, reasonable attorney’s fees, and costs.”

“Shall award” makes fees MANDATORY for prevailing consumers. Comparable to:

Alabama § 8-20A-3(4) — mandatory.
Tennessee § 55-24-204 — mandatory.
Oklahoma § 901 — mandatory.
North Carolina § 20-351.8 — mandatory.

Stronger than Kentucky § 367.844 (discretionary) and South Carolina § 56-28-50 (discretionary).

Distinctive miles-capped mileage offset

§ 322G.4(1)(a)(2) provides:

“Reasonable offset for use means the number of miles attributable to a consumer up to the date of the third attempt to repair the same nonconformity which is the subject of the claim, or the first attempt to repair a nonconformity that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or the twentieth cumulative day when the vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of one or more nonconformities, whichever occurs first, multiplied by the purchase price of the vehicle… and divided by one hundred twenty thousand.”

Formula: Reduction = Price × (Miles up to threshold-reaching date) ÷ 120,000

Distinctively consumer-favorable structure

IA’s “miles capped at threshold-reaching date” structure is unique among major state lemon laws. Most peer states count miles up to the date of refund, replacement, or first repair report:

Alabama § 8-20A-3(2)(d): miles before first report ÷ 100,000.
Oklahoma § 901(C): 15K-free-use baseline + (miles beyond 15K) ÷ 120,000.

IA’s structure means additional consumer miles during litigation don’t grow the offset. For death-or-serious-bodily-injury defects, the cap kicks in at the first attempt — minimal offset for safety-critical cases.

Damages — refund or replacement

§ 322G.4 provides for refund or replacement when the presumption is satisfied. Consumer typically can request preferred remedy.

Manufacturer IDS

If the manufacturer has a certified IDS procedure (16 C.F.R. Part 703 compliant), the consumer typically must first complete that procedure. Most manufacturers’ IDS in IA:

BBB Auto Line — Toyota, GM, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, others.
Ford Dispute Settlement Board (DSB) — Ford / Lincoln.

Iowa does NOT have a state-administered Lemon Law arbitration board.

Bottom line

IA’s § 322G framework combines a 2-year / 24K Rights Period with the distinctive “3 + final manufacturer attempt” presumption structure (joins Alabama as only two states), mandatory § 322G.6 attorney fees, and a uniquely consumer-favorable miles-capped mileage offset. Combined with § 714H treble damages and mandatory fees and Magnuson-Moss federal fees, IA provides one of the more consumer-favorable lemon-law frameworks in the country.

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