Are Used Vehicles Covered Under Tennessee Lemon Law?

No — Tennessee’s Lemon Law (§ 55-24-101) does NOT cover used vehicles. Unlike Connecticut, NY, NJ, MA which have separate used-car Lemon Laws, Tennessee relies on Magnuson-Moss + TCPA + UCC for used-vehicle defect cases.

What used vehicle buyers can rely on

• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — applies where factory or dealer warranty is in place. 4-year UCC SOL.
• TCPA (§ 47-18-101 et seq.) — applies to deceptive used-car practices. 1-year SOL from discovery.
• UCC § 47-2-313 / § 47-2-314 — express and implied warranties under Tennessee UCC. 4-year SOL.
• Common-law fraud — for willful concealment.

TCPA for used-vehicle deceptive practices

TCPA covers:

• Misrepresentation of vehicle condition.
• Failure to disclose salvage, prior accidents, odometer rollback, known defects.
• Deceptive warranty representations by dealer.
• F&I deceptive add-ons.

Discretionary treble + mandatory fees under § 47-18-109.

”As-is” sales

Tennessee permits “as-is” used-vehicle sales — typically with disclaimer in the buyer’s guide. This:

• Limits Magnuson-Moss implied warranty claims.
• Does NOT limit TCPA claims for misrepresentation.
• Does NOT limit fraud claims.

Practical advice for used-car buyers

• Get pre-sale inspection by independent mechanic.
• Check Carfax / AutoCheck for prior damage.
• Confirm warranty in writing — factory or dealer.
• Save the buyer’s guide required by FTC.
• Document any defects immediately.
• File TCPA claim within 1 year of discovery.

Bottom line

Tennessee’s Lemon Law doesn’t cover used vehicles. Used-car claims rely on Magnuson-Moss + TCPA + UCC. The 1-year TCPA SOL is the critical deadline. File quickly.

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