Nashville Lemon Law

Most Davidson County lemon law cases are filed in the Davidson County Circuit Court at the Historic Metro Courthouse, 1 Public Square, Nashville. Tennessee venue rules under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-24-101 et seq. generally allow filing in the consumer's county of residence or in any county where the manufacturer or selling dealer transacts business. For most Nashville owners, that means Circuit Court or, for equitable relief, Chancery Court in Davidson County is the natural venue. Chancery cases are filed at the same Public Square address.

Tennessee presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if the same nonconformity has been subject to repair three or more times within the term of protection (the express warranty period or one year from delivery, whichever ends first), or if the vehicle has been out of service for repair for a cumulative 30 or more days during that term. After hitting either threshold, you must give the manufacturer written notice and a final opportunity to cure before filing. Keep every repair order — Nashville dealers along Broadway and Rivergate routinely document complaints differently, and detailed records are critical.

Yes, if your manufacturer has an informal dispute settlement program that substantially complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703 (such as BBB AUTO LINE), you must submit your dispute there before invoking the statutory refund or replacement remedy. The statute of limitations is tolled while your case is pending in arbitration. Decisions are typically not binding on the consumer, so if you reject the result you may file in Davidson County Circuit Court. If the manufacturer has no qualifying program, you may proceed directly to court.

Tennessee's lemon law statute of limitations under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-24-107 is unusually short: an action must be commenced within six months after the expiration of the express warranty term, or within one year after original delivery, whichever is later. Time spent in an informal dispute settlement procedure tolls the deadline. A separate federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act claim borrows Tennessee's four-year UCC limitations period, which can give Nashville owners parallel federal options if the lemon-law deadline has passed.

No. Where the vehicle was assembled does not affect Tennessee Lemon Law coverage. Many Nashville-area Nissan, Infiniti, and now electric Nissan Leaf owners purchased vehicles built at the Smyrna plant, but the manufacturer's obligations under Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-24-101 to 55-24-112 are identical regardless of the assembly origin. The relevant questions are whether the defect substantially impairs use, value, or safety; whether it was reported during the warranty period; and whether the manufacturer was given a reasonable number of repair attempts.

If your vehicle qualifies, the manufacturer must either replace it with a comparable motor vehicle or refund the full purchase price (including sales tax, registration, and finance charges), minus a use offset. Tennessee uniquely caps the offset at one-half the IRS standard business mileage rate per mile driven before your first report of the defect. Tennessee's Lemon Law itself does not provide a multiplier penalty, but pairing the claim with the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act under Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-101 et seq. allows treble damages and attorney fees for willful or knowing violations.

Yes. Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-24-104 expressly addresses leased motor vehicles and refunds. As a Nashville-area lessee of a qualifying new motor vehicle, you have the same right to pursue refund or replacement as a purchaser. A refund typically returns capitalized cost reduction, monthly lease payments, and similar charges, minus the statutory mileage offset capped at one-half the IRS business mileage rate per pre-defect mile. The manufacturer is responsible for coordinating the buyback with the captive finance company or lessor.