Put car problems in writing before the warranty ends

Your car is under warranty and something is not right. It rattles, a warning light comes and goes, or the transmission (gearbox) hesitates. The warranty will end, on a date, and it may have a mileage limit too. A problem that is written down before then is much easier to point to after it.

While the warranty is still running, report each problem to the dealer in writing, ask for a repair record every time the car goes in, and keep copies of everything.

This page is for a car still under warranty in the United States. If the warranty has already ended, or you bought the car as-is, skip to the section on big repairs. There is a section for the UK as well.

Why the paper matters more than the dealer’s goodwill

People disagree about dealerships. One person worries that a dealer may hold warranty work until the warranty has ended, and another says it sometimes happens. Another person points out that the car maker pays the dealer for warranty repairs, so a covered problem brings the shop money. One person warns that a dealership with a full schedule may push back on warranty work, because the same hours could earn more from a customer who pays directly.

This page cannot tell you which kind of dealer yours is, and a written report works with either kind. The US Federal Trade Commission, in its 2011 tips on car warranties, says to be aware of when the warranty period ends and to get any problems that arise checked out beforehand.

What to put in writing

Each time the car goes in, ask for the repair record, which many shops call the work order, and keep a copy. The New York attorney general tells owners to keep “careful records of all complaints, and copies of all work orders, repair bills, and correspondence.”

New York says to report a defect directly to the manufacturer or its authorized dealer, and that a dealer you tell must send written notice to the manufacturer within seven days. California says that if your warranty or owner’s manual requires you to tell the manufacturer, you must have done so. So look in your warranty booklet for a line about telling the car maker directly. If it has one, write to the maker too and keep a copy.

If a problem comes and goes, one person suggests reporting it early and often. They say the paper trail can help later if it gets worse, and can help show that the defect was there while the warranty ran.

One person says a problem logged in the service records before the warranty ended may still be covered when it is fixed after the end date. Terms differ by car maker, so your warranty booklet decides.

Keep the maintenance receipts too. The Federal Trade Commission says to keep all service records and receipts, whoever does the service. One person warns that a claim can be refused if you cannot show the car’s maintenance history. One person also warns that a dealer can damage a car while it has it, and says to document everything with photos.

What a warranty does not cover

One person points out that a warranty covers defects that are the maker’s responsibility, not normal wear. One person says a claim generally needs a fault that can be shown, such as a broken part or a fault code from the car’s computer. So bringing the car in on the last day for routine jobs, such as a fluid change, will not get them done free, one person points out.

Before it ends: get the car checked

One person suggests booking a thorough check with a mechanic you trust, who can be the dealer, months before the warranty ends, so a dealer cannot put repairs off until the cover has lapsed. Another suggests the check shortly before the end, to find and document hidden defects and then ask the dealer to fix them under warranty.

On who should do the check, one person says to have an outside mechanic look first and then take the list to the dealer. Another says to go straight to the dealer, because the maker pays the dealer to find covered problems and an outside check is a waste of money. Which is right depends on the dealership, and this page cannot judge yours.

If a problem appears just after the warranty ends, one person says an earlier complaint on record may support a request for goodwill help from the maker, meaning a repair it pays for by choice. Some people warn that goodwill is the maker’s choice and is not guaranteed.

One person also suggests asking the dealer whether the maker has published a technical service bulletin for your problem. That is a notice about a known fault that is not a safety recall, and the person says it can bring a free fix. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a page at nhtsa.gov/recalls where you can search a vehicle for safety recalls, complaints and manufacturer communications.

Does leaving the car at the dealer build up lemon law days?

A lemon law is a state law for a car that keeps failing after repair attempts. One person says that leaving your car at the dealership for 30 days automatically qualifies you for a claim. Some people point out that it does not. Days count from the repair work order, the count stops when the work order is closed, and the dealer can charge a storage fee or tow a car left after the work is finished. One person warns not to refuse to collect a car that is ready. One person warns that a dealer may not open the work order until work starts, which leaves out days spent waiting for parts, and another says the days in the shop are what count.

The two attorneys general cited here put the count in terms of repairs, not parking. California’s attorney general lists, for a problem that first occurred within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, a vehicle “out of service for repair for more than 30 days” as one sign of a lemon, and four or more tries at the same problem as another. New York’s law covers the first 18,000 miles or two years, and its attorney general lists a car that “does not work for a total of 30 or more days” because the problem cannot be repaired. New York also says to keep careful records of every complaint, work order and repair bill.

Some people say lemon laws generally cover only new cars, and warn that the rules differ a lot by state. The authorities show the first claim is too simple. New York’s attorney general says its law covers new cars and many used cars, and California’s says its law also applies to used vehicles sold with a manufacturer’s new-car warranty. Check your own state’s rules. California adds that many car makers offer a state-certified arbitration program, which it calls a free and relatively simple way of resolving disputes.

If the warranty is over, or a shop quotes a big repair

The Federal Trade Commission’s advice on car repairs is short. Ask for a written estimate that names the repair, the parts and the labor charge, and get a signed copy. The estimate should say the shop will contact you for approval before doing work above a set amount of time or money, which state law may require. Ask for all the replaced parts, which state law may also require. For an expensive or complicated repair, or if you have doubts about the work recommended, the Commission says to consider a second opinion, and to ask first whether you would be charged for diagnosis if you took the work elsewhere.

Some people say to have an independent mechanic look at the car, as a second view, before you approve a costly repair such as engine or transmission work. One person says a tow to a second shop is worth the cost if it may avoid an unneeded repair. One person says a chain shop may give the work to a less experienced technician unless you ask for the lead technician.

If you dispute a repair bill, the Commission says to talk to the shop manager or owner first. If that fails, it points to your state attorney general or local consumer protection office, and to small claims court, where you do not need an attorney. If a dealer refuses a warranty claim you think is valid, the Commission’s 2011 warranty tips suggest the dealership supervisor first, then the car maker or another dealer, and then your state attorney general, a local consumer protection office, the local Better Business Bureau or the Commission itself. This page does not cover what to do if all of that fails.

In the United Kingdom

The lemon laws above are US state laws, and this page cannot compare your rights in the UK to them. Citizens Advice, in England, says that if something is wrong with a used car bought from a dealer, you might have a legal right to a repair, the cost of a repair, or some or all of your money back. It says you have no claim if the fault is normal for how much the car has been used, which it calls fair wear and tear. It says warranties and guarantees add to your legal rights, and that you have legal rights for up to 6 years (5 years in Scotland) if there is a fault. It adds that using those rights may be easier than using the warranty, especially in the first 6 months.

For a repair that was not done well, Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided with reasonable care and skill. It says you must first give the trader the chance to do the job again, and that you can ask for a discount if redoing the work is not possible, would take too long or would be very inconvenient. For advice, Citizens Advice is on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000, and Consumerline in Northern Ireland on 0300 123 6262.

Who this page is not for

If the warranty has ended, the section on big repairs is the one for you. It is not for a car bought as-is: one person says legal recourse against the seller is likely unavailable for an as-is sale, so check the paperwork you signed. New York’s attorney general says its law covers many used cars. A state consumer office or a lemon law lawyer can tell you what your own state’s law covers. It is not for ordinary maintenance: one person says basic items such as corroded battery terminals are typically not covered by a warranty. And it is not for anyone outside the United States and the UK, where the laws differ again.