Refund Under Ohio Lemon Law

A refund is the standard remedy in Ohio Lemon Law cases.

What the manufacturer must refund

Under Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.72(B):

The vehicle purchase price including dealer-installed options.
All collateral charges — sales tax, title and registration fees.
Incidental damages.
The remaining loan balance paid directly to the lender.

The “reasonable allowance for use”

Typical formula:

(Miles driven before defect manifestation ÷ 100,000) × Purchase price

The 100,000-mile denominator is fixed by Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.72(B). Typically 10-25% of purchase price.

A concrete example

Assume you bought a $42,000 vehicle in May 2026:

$4,500 cash down
$3,400 tax + $300 registration
$33,800 financed at 6.9%, paid for 10 months ($600/month)
Repair attempts at 4,000 / 9,500 / 14,000 miles
Current odometer at resolution (March 2027): 17,000 miles (within 18,000 window)

Recovery breakdown:

Element	Amount
Down payment	$4,500
Tax	$3,400
Registration	$300
Monthly payments × 10	$6,000
Remaining loan payoff	~$30,000
Subtotal	$44,200
Less: reasonable allowance for use (~12%)	–$5,300
Net refund to consumer	$38,900
Plus: § 1345.75 statutory attorney fees	$25,000-$60,000+
Plus: CSPA damages (if applicable)	Variable

What the manufacturer cannot deduct

Wear-and-tear beyond use allowance.
Market depreciation unrelated to defect.
“Diminished value” for cosmetic flaws.

The mechanics

Settlement or court order documented.
Manufacturer wire transfers to lender for loan payoff.
Separate wire transfer to consumer.
Consumer signs vehicle title to manufacturer.
Dealer takes possession.
Loan closes.

Total time: 4-6 weeks.

What about attorney fees?

§ 1345.75 provides statutory mandatory attorney fees. Plus CSPA § 1345.09 and Magnuson-Moss provide additional fee-shifting.

When refund makes sense

The defect is persistent.
The vehicle has substantial diminished value.
You want a clean break.

What if the manufacturer won’t comply?

Notify the Ohio Attorney General.
File enforcement action.

Bottom line

An Ohio Lemon Law refund — combined with § 1345.75 statutory attorney fees and parallel CSPA damages — produces strong consumer-favorable outcomes.

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Attorney Fees in Ohio Lemon Law Cases

Ohio has statutory mandatory attorney-fee shifting in the Lemon Law itself under Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.75. Plus CSPA and Magnuson-Moss for additional fee recovery.

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