Qualifying Defects Under Ohio Lemon Law
What kinds of vehicle defects qualify for an Ohio Lemon Law refund — the substantial-impairment test under Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.71.
A defect qualifies under the Ohio Lemon Law when it substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle.
Topics in this section
- Transmission defects
- Engine defects
- Brake-system defects
- Electrical and software defects
- Steering and suspension defects
- Infotainment defects
- EV-specific defects
The substantial-impairment test in Ohio
Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.71 defines a “nonconformity” as a defect that “substantially impairs the use, value, or safety” of the vehicle. Three prongs, any one sufficient.
What’s substantial vs. trivial
- Transmission that shifts hard — qualifies.
- Engine that stalls — qualifies.
- Brake-pedal feel that varies — qualifies (safety).
- Power-window switch — typically doesn’t qualify alone.
What’s NOT a qualifying defect
- Damage from accidents.
- Damage from unauthorized modifications.
- Normal wear.
- Neglect or misuse.
- Cosmetic flaws.
How qualifying defects interact with repair-attempt counts
A qualifying defect alone isn’t enough — the consumer still needs to meet § 1345.73 thresholds: one attempt (serious-safety defect), three attempts (same defect), eight attempts (any combination), or 30 cumulative days out of service.
Ohio’s 1-attempt serious-safety rule and its “any combination” 8-attempt rule are both distinctive — a single failed repair of a life-threatening defect qualifies, and defect categories can be counted together toward the 8-attempt test.
What court considers
- Clean documentation.
- Consistent symptoms across visits.
- Defect persistence.
- Aligned with documented TSBs.
Related
Ohio Lemon Law — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most-asked questions about Ohio's Lemon Law and CSPA.
Read → TopicOhio Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer
How the Ohio Lemon Law and CSPA apply to specific manufacturers.
Read → TopicThe Ohio Lemon Law Process
Step-by-step: how an Ohio lemon-law case moves through repair attempts, manufacturer notice, BBB Auto Line (optional), court action, and settlement.
Read → TopicOhio Lemon Law Remedies
What you can recover under Ohio's lemon-law framework — refund, replacement, cash-and-keep, CSPA treble damages, and statutory § 1345.75 attorney-fee recovery.
Read → TopicThe Law: Ohio Lemon Law and CSPA
The statutes behind an Ohio lemon-law claim — the Ohio Lemon Law (§ 1345.71), the Consumer Sales Practices Act (§ 1345.01), Magnuson-Moss, and timing rules.
Read → TopicVehicle Types Covered by Ohio Lemon Law
How Ohio's Lemon Law applies to used cars, leases, EVs, motorcycles, RVs, and commercial vehicles.
Read →Think you've got a lemon?
Compare your situation to your state's requirements — and connect with a vetted lemon-law attorney for a free case review.