Engine Defects Under Louisiana Lemon Law / Redhibition

Engine defects routinely qualify under Louisiana’s Lemon Law (§ 51:1944) and Redhibition.

Common engine failure modes

• Stalling — at speed, at idle, or on startup.
• Misfires — recurring CEL, rough idle, vibration.
• Excessive oil consumption — 1 qt per 1,000 miles or worse.
• Engine knock / detonation.
• Coolant loss — head gasket failure.
• Timing chain failure.
• Turbocharger failure.

Brand-specific engine patterns

• Hyundai / Kia Theta II — connecting-rod failure recall.
• Subaru EJ25 / FB25 / FB20 — head gasket, oil consumption.
• Audi / VW 2.0T TSI / TFSI — oil consumption, timing chain.
• GM 5.3L AFM — lifter collapse.
• GM 6.6L Duramax — CP4 fuel pump failure.
• Ford EcoBoost — coolant intrusion, carbon buildup.
• Ford 6.7L Power Stroke — CP4 fuel pump.
• BMW N20 / N26 — timing chain.
• Honda 1.5L Turbo — oil dilution (less Louisiana-relevant given warm climate).

Why engine defects qualify

1. Safety — stalling in traffic is dangerous.
2. Substantial impairment — engine repairs are major.
3. Value impact — engine work flags vehicle history.

Hurricane flood engine cases — Redhibition specialty

For Louisiana used vehicles with hurricane flood history, engine corrosion is a classic redhibitory defect:

• Saltwater corrosion in engine block / heads.
• Bearing damage from water intrusion.
• ECU failures from electrical damage.

These cases are paradigm Redhibition + LUTPA cases.

Documentation specifics

• Oil consumption tests.
• Compression tests.
• Code numbers — engine DTCs.
• TSB references.

Bottom line

Engine defects qualify easily under Louisiana’s Lemon Law and Redhibition.

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