North Little Rock Lemon Law

Most North Little Rock lemon law civil actions are filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court at 401 West Markham Street in Little Rock, the same venue used by residents of Little Rock and other Pulaski County communities. The case proceeds only after completion of any certified informal dispute settlement procedure the manufacturer offers under Ark. Code Ann. 4-90-409. Venue is proper in Pulaski County for residents of North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Jacksonville, and Cammack Village.

Only if the truck is used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes and weighs less than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. A half-ton pickup used for personal commuting and occasional contractor work typically qualifies. A heavy-duty F-250/F-350, RAM 2500/3500, or Silverado 2500/3500 HD typically exceeds the weight cap. A truck titled to a contractor, freight operator, or other business entity and used principally for that business falls outside Ark. Code Ann. 4-90-401 et seq. Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claims remain available for written warranty breaches on business-use vehicles within the warranty term.

Ark. Code Ann. 4-90-406 contains a uniquely strong provision: for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, the manufacturer is allowed only one repair attempt before the statutory presumption applies. On heavy freight corridors like I-40 and I-30 through North Little Rock, common serious-safety defects include unintended acceleration, loss of power brakes, defective steering racks, airbag deployment defects, and unintended engine shutoff at highway speeds. A single documented unsuccessful repair attempt for a serious safety defect is enough to qualify.

Yes if the manufacturer participates in a program certified by the Arkansas Attorney General, which covers essentially every major automaker. Under Ark. Code Ann. 4-90-409 you must file with the certified program within two years of first reporting the defect. The arbitrator's decision is non-binding on you. If you reject it you can sue in Pulaski County Circuit Court for the same statutory refund or replacement remedies plus attorney's fees and costs. If the manufacturer has no certified program or failed to give the required notice, you can file in court immediately.

Dealers will sometimes attribute suspension, alignment, or tire-wear complaints to 'rough freight-corridor pavement.' That is not a valid defense to a warranty claim if a manufacturing or design defect is actually present (defective bushings, defective struts, defective control-arm mounts). Insist that the dealer document your specific complaint verbatim on every repair order, request copies of any TSBs covering the affected component, and preserve the failed parts if possible. After three documented attempts for the same defect, the statutory presumption applies regardless of the dealer's explanation.

Under Ark. Code Ann. 4-90-404 you can elect a comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the full purchase price plus Arkansas sales tax, title, registration, and license fees paid in Pulaski County. Reasonable incidental costs like towing and rental cars caused by the defect are also recoverable. The refund is reduced by a mileage offset of (purchase price x consumer miles) divided by 120,000. Prevailing consumers recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Ark. Code Ann. 4-88-113) allows treble damages where the manufacturer's conduct was willful.

Both cities sit in Pulaski County, so the filing venue is the same: Pulaski County Circuit Court at 401 West Markham Street. The Arkansas lemon law does not require the consumer to file in the county where the dealership sits; it allows filing in the county of the consumer's residence. The selling dealer and the manufacturer can each be named as defendants, though the lemon law's refund-or-replacement remedy runs primarily against the manufacturer. Federal Magnuson-Moss claims can be added against the dealer for any independent dealer warranty.