Montana Lemon Law

Montana’s lemon law — the New Motor Vehicle Warranty Act, Mont. Code Ann. § 61-4-501 to -533 — gives consumers a refund or replacement when a manufacturer can’t fix a substantial defect. Disputes resolve through arbitration administered by the Department of Justice (or a manufacturer’s certified program), and — distinctively — that arbitration must take place in Montana. The lemon law carries no fee provision of its own, so the Consumer Protection Act (§ 30-14-133) and federal Magnuson-Moss supply the attorney fees and multiplier.

Montana is distinctive in five ways:

1. The 18,000-mile cap closes the window fast. The warranty period is 2 years or 18,000 miles, whichever is earlier (§ 61-4-501(7)). Because Montanans drive long rural distances, the 18,000-mile cap often ends the window well before two years — the opposite of low-mileage states. Act early. See statute of limitations.
2. Arbitration must be held in Montana. Whether through a manufacturer’s certified informal dispute settlement (IDS) program or the Department of Justice program, arbitration “must take place in Montana at a place reasonably convenient to the consumer” (§ 61-4-515). See state arbitration board.
3. The manufacturer elects refund or replacement. Unlike consumer-election states, Montana lets the manufacturer choose between replacing the vehicle and refunding the price (§ 61-4-503).
4. No sales tax to refund. Montana has no general sales tax, so a refund’s collateral charges are property tax, registration, and fees in lieu of tax (§ 61-4-501(1)) — not sales tax.
5. The CPA carries the fees. The lemon law has no fee-shifting clause; instead § 61-4-533 makes a violation an unfair or deceptive practice under the Consumer Protection Act — which provides discretionary treble damages and discretionary fees.

This page is the hub for our Montana coverage. Use the topic guides for deeper reading:

• The Law — § 61-4-501, the CPA, Magnuson-Moss, the presumption, and deadlines.
• The Process — Documented repair attempts, written notice, the arbitration program, and court action.
• Remedies — Refund (with the 100,000-mile offset), replacement, CPA damages, and attorney fees.
• Qualifying Defects — Defect categories, from transmissions to EV batteries.
• Vehicle Types — Used, leased, EVs, motorcycles, RVs, commercial.
• Manufacturers — Common case patterns by brand in the Montana market.
• FAQ — Common questions about Montana lemon-law claims.

Who’s protected

Section 61-4-501 covers a new motor vehicle purchased or leased in Montana for personal, family, or household use, designed primarily for passenger transport on public highways. Leases are covered. Trucks of 15,000 lbs GVWR or more (and motor-home living quarters) are expressly excluded (§ 61-4-501); motorcycles are not named and likely fall outside the Act’s passenger-vehicle scope — confirm coverage.

The warranty period runs 2 years or 18,000 miles, whichever is earlier — and the defect must substantially impair the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle.

The presumption: 4 attempts or 30 business days

Under § 61-4-504, within the warranty period:

• 4 or more repair attempts for the same nonconformity, and it persists; OR
• 30 or more cumulative business days out of service for warranty repairs.

Montana has no one-attempt safety rule — even a serious defect uses the 4-attempt / 30-business-day track. Written notice to the manufacturer is a prerequisite (§ 61-4-502(3)). See the repair-attempt presumption guide.

What you can recover

A successful Montana claim typically produces:

• Refund or replacement — the manufacturer elects — with the refund returning the full purchase price plus collateral charges (property tax, registration, fees in lieu of tax), minus a use offset on a 100,000-mile basis.
• Arbitration in Montana, through a certified IDS or the Department of Justice program.
• Consumer Protection Act damages — actual damages, discretionary treble (up to 3x), and discretionary attorney fees — because a lemon-law violation is a per se CPA violation (§ 61-4-533).
• Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) fees.

Montana’s climate and geography

• Extreme cold — sub-zero winters stress EV range, batteries, cold-start, and diesel systems.
• Mountain grades — the Rockies and Continental Divide drive brake fade and transmission/cooling stress at altitude.
• Magnesium-chloride de-icer + sanding — mountain-west winter road treatment drives electrical and brake-line corrosion.
• Vast distances — few dealers across a huge state; parts delays run up out-of-service days, and high annual mileage hits the 18,000-mile cap fast.
• Markets: Billings (largest), Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman (fast-growing, luxury/EV), Helena, Kalispell, and the Bakken oil region (eastern Montana); strong truck/4x4 and Subaru/AWD demand.

What to do next

1. Act before 18,000 miles — Montana’s mileage cap closes fast for high-mileage rural drivers.
2. Give written notice to the manufacturer (§ 61-4-502(3)) and document every repair attempt and out-of-service day. See our evidence guide.
3. Use the arbitration program — a certified IDS or the Department of Justice program, held in Montana.
4. Invoke the Consumer Protection Act for discretionary treble damages and fees.
5. Get a free case review from a Montana lemon-law attorney.

Explore Montana lemon law

Topic

The Law: Montana Lemon Law and the Consumer Protection Act

The statutes behind a Montana lemon-law claim — the New Motor Vehicle Warranty Act (Mont. Code Ann. § 61-4-501), the Department of Justice arbitration, the Consumer Protection Act (§ 30-14-133), and Magnuson-Moss.

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The Process: Filing a Montana Lemon Law Claim

Step by step through a Montana lemon-law claim — documented repair attempts, written notice, the in-state arbitration program, and court action.

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Remedies Under the Montana Lemon Law

What you can recover in a Montana lemon-law claim — manufacturer-elected refund or replacement, the 100,000-mile offset, CPA discretionary treble, and attorney fees via the CPA and Magnuson-Moss.

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Qualifying Defects Under the Montana Lemon Law

Which defects qualify under Montana's lemon law — transmission, engine, brakes, electrical, steering, infotainment, EV — under the 4-attempt / 30-business-day presumption, with mountain-grade, extreme-cold, and mag-chloride factors.

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Vehicle Types Under the Montana Lemon Law

How Montana's lemon law applies across vehicle types — used, leased, EV, motorcycles, RVs, and commercial — under the 15,000-lb truck cap, the motorcycle exclusion, and the personal-use rule.

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Montana Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer

How the Montana Lemon Law and the Consumer Protection Act apply to specific manufacturers across the Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, and Bozeman markets.

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Montana Lemon Law FAQ

Common questions about Montana lemon-law claims — qualifying, the in-state arbitration, hiring a lawyer, cost, used vehicles, denied claims, repair shops, and deadlines.

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