Maryland lemon law and warranty dispute resources
Status: Official page read; key points summarized. Last checked 2026-10-17.
What the official page says
Source: Lemon Law (Maryland Attorney General) (read 2026-10-17). This is a summary of that page, not the statute. Exact tests, exclusions and deadlines are on the official page and in the statute, and may have changed.
- The page says Maryland's law applies to new or leased cars, light trucks and motorcycles registered in Maryland that are less than 24 months old and have fewer than 18,000 miles.
- The page lists three situations: a brake or steering failure not corrected after the first repair attempt that causes the vehicle to fail Maryland's safety inspection; any one problem that substantially impairs use and market value not corrected in four repair attempts; or any number of such problems causing a cumulative total of 30 or more days out of service.
- The page says the dealer or manufacturer must correct a defect within 30 days after the consumer writes to the manufacturer by certified mail.
- The page says you do not need to wait for four attempts or 30 days before writing to the manufacturer, and links sample letters and a complaint form.
- The page advises keeping copies of all receipts and correspondence and notes of phone calls with dates.
Numbers the page states
| Item | As stated on the official page |
|---|---|
| Brake/steering failure | Not corrected after the first repair attempt |
| One substantial problem | 4 repair attempts |
| Out of service | 30 or more days, cumulative |
| Age/miles | Less than 24 months and fewer than 18,000 miles |
Counting rules differ (calendar days vs. business days, what counts as a repair attempt). Use the repair log tool to organize dates, then confirm how your state counts.
Industry arbitration program summary (not a government source)
BBB National Programs, which runs the BBB AUTO LINE dispute program, publishes a state summary: BBB AUTO LINE: Maryland lemon law summary (link checked 2026-10-17). It is published by an industry-linked program, so treat it as a starting point and confirm against the state's own page or statute.
What to do first
- Keep every repair order and receipt. See the records checklist.
- Write down dates and mileage for each repair visit with the repair log tool (nothing is saved or sent).
- Read the federal warranty basics and arbitration pages.
- Consider speaking with a licensed attorney in your state about deadlines. Many have free consultations, but we do not recommend any specific one.