7 RV Lemon Law Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands (And How to Avoid Them)

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Have you ever wondered why your neighbor got a full refund for their defective RV while you’re stuck making payments on a rolling money pit?

The difference often comes down to knowing the legal traps before you fall into them. In this eye-opening interview with attorney Beth Wells from Burdge & Wells Law Office, we’re pulling back the curtain on the biggest mistakes RV owners make when dealing with lemon law claims.

From deadly warranty deadlines to the infamous dealer-manufacturer blame game, these seven pitfalls could mean the difference between getting your money back and being stuck with an RV that spends more time in the shop than on the road. Whether you’re about to sign on the dotted line for your first RV or you’re already battling repair issues, this article will show you exactly what the manufacturers and dealers don’t want you to know. Get ready to grab your notepad—this could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

1. Waiting “Just One More Week” for Repairs (While Your Legal Clock Runs Out)

Here’s the brutal truth: that warranty deadline you think you have plenty of time to meet? It’s probably shorter than you realize. According to attorney Beth Wells, most states have a statute of limitations around four years for breach of warranty claims. But here’s the catch—manufacturers can legally shorten that deadline to as little as one year through your warranty documents.

What makes this even more dangerous? The clock starts ticking from your purchase date, not from when you discovered the problems. States like Indiana allow manufacturers to reduce the statute of limitations to just 12 months, which means if you’re being “reasonable” and giving your dealer extra time to fix issues, you could suddenly find yourself with zero legal options.

Beth Wells explains it perfectly: “People think that they’re being reasonable and they’re giving them that extra time. They’re doing it out of a sense of trying to be fair. And those people are the ones that end up missing the date, unfortunately.”

You’ll be shocked to learn that Beth has seen cases where RV owners were in contact with manufacturers, getting regular updates, and then suddenly—radio silence. The manufacturer stops returning calls just as the statute of limitations deadline approaches. Coincidence? Beth says it makes you wonder.

State Type	Standard Statute of Limitations	Shortened by Warranty
Most States	4 years	Can be reduced to 1 year
Indiana (Example)	4 years	Reduced to 1 year in most RV warranties
Variable States	Check your specific state	Read your warranty documents

The Bottom Line: Don’t assume you have years to deal with your RV problems. Check your warranty documents NOW to see what your actual deadline is. And here’s the kicker—you need to have a lawsuit filed by that deadline, not just a nasty letter sent. That means you need to contact an attorney well before the deadline hits.

2. Being “Too Reasonable” With Your Dealer (The Nicest Way to Lose Your Case)

Let’s talk about something uncomfortable: being a nice person might be costing you your legal rights. You know the type—you don’t want to be “that customer,” so you keep giving your dealer another chance. “Maybe next week they’ll have the part.” “I’ll give them one more opportunity to make it right.”

Wells has seen this pattern destroy otherwise solid lemon law cases. People with perfectly legitimate claims lose everything because they were trying to be decent human beings. The problem? The legal system doesn’t reward patience when it comes to warranty deadlines.

Think about it this way: while you’re being understanding and giving them extra weeks to “get that part ordered,” or waiting for the service manager to “talk to the manufacturer,” your statute of limitations is ticking away like a time bomb. Once that clock hits zero, your claim explodes into nothing—even if your RV is legitimately a lemon.

According to the RV Dealers Association, warranty laws vary significantly by state, making it even more critical that you know your specific deadlines rather than just assuming the dealer is looking out for your interests.

Here’s the harsh reality: If you’re the type of person who values being fair and giving people the benefit of the doubt, you’re exactly the person who needs to set a phone reminder right now to call an attorney before your warranty period runs out. Your kindness is being counted on—literally. They’re banking on you being too nice to act in time.

3. Ignoring the Magic Number: 153 Days Out of Service

Want to know one of the most bizarre aspects of RV lemon law? There’s a specific number that can make or break your case: 153 days. According to Wells, this number comes from case law (legal precedent from previous court decisions), and while courts say it’s “not supposed to be a bright line rule,” in practice, it basically is.

What does this mean for you? Your RV typically needs to be out of service for more than 153 days—either in one long stint or cumulatively through multiple repair attempts—before courts will seriously consider it a lemon. Miss this threshold by even a few days, and your case becomes significantly weaker.

Here’s where it gets truly frustrating: manufacturers and dealers know this number. They know that if they can get your RV back to you on day 140, or day 150, they’ve potentially saved themselves from a lemon law claim. Wells notes from her actual courtroom experience that judges are treating this as a hard requirement, even though technically it shouldn’t be.

But wait, there’s more complexity: Some states also have alternative thresholds, such as:

Multiple repair attempts for the same issue (usually 4+ attempts)
Substantial impairment of use, value, or safety
Combination approaches that can trigger lemon law protections

The cruel irony? The 153-day requirement creates what Wells calls “this little baby window” where you finally hit the minimum days threshold, but you’re right up against your statute of limitations deadline. The manufacturers’ strategy essentially pushes you into a legal corner where you have just enough days to qualify but barely any time left to file.

You’d think with all the money you’re spending on a brand-new RV, someone would warn you about these arbitrary legal tripwires. But nope—that’s information you have to dig for yourself. Funny how the 153-day rule is common knowledge in courtrooms but mysteriously absent from dealer sales pitches.

4. Falling for the Dealer vs. Manufacturer Blame Game

Picture this scene: You’re sitting in the dealer’s service department, frustrated because your brand-new $150,000 RV has been in the shop for weeks. The service manager shakes his head sympathetically and says, “I wish I could help you, but the manufacturer won’t authorize the repair we want to do.” Meanwhile, if you call the manufacturer, they’ll tell you the dealer isn’t following proper repair procedures.

Welcome to the classic blame game—and you’re the one losing.

Beth Wells has seen this play out countless times. “It’s always easiest to blame somebody that’s not there to defend themselves,” she notes. Dealers naturally blame manufacturers because they’re the ones facing angry customers directly. They have to look you in the eye when you pick up your RV for the fifth time with the same issue unfixed.

Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes:

The dealer may want to fix something a certain way, but the manufacturer won’t authorize the warranty work
The manufacturer may specify a repair method that the dealer knows won’t work, but the dealer has to follow it anyway or lose warranty reimbursement
Both sides may be documenting their communications to use as evidence if you sue—while telling you they’re on your side

According to research on lemon law claims, over 29 million vehicle recalls in 2024 alone have fueled rising consumer claims, proving that defects are rampant—yet the finger-pointing between dealers and manufacturers continues.

Wells’ critical advice: Stay in contact with both the dealer and the manufacturer. Document everything. If there really is a delay because of the manufacturer, you’ll have proof. If the dealer is dragging their feet, you’ll know. Don’t let them use the other party as an invisible shield.

The truth nobody wants to admit: Many purchase agreements literally state in the fine print that if you have a problem with your RV, you can’t go after the dealer—only the manufacturer. Buyers sign away their right to hold the dealer accountable, then get shocked when the dealer shrugs and says, “Not our problem.” You’re essentially signing up to play a game where one team can’t be penalized no matter how badly they perform. Sounds fair, right?

5. Accepting a Checkbox PDI Instead of a Real Inspection

Let’s talk about one of the biggest scams in the RV industry: the fake Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI). You know what I’m talking about—that sheet with 100+ checkmarks that the dealer slides across the desk during signing, barely giving you time to glance at it before they’re pointing to the next signature line.

Beth Wells drops a bombshell: After years of handling these cases, she recently discovered that some manufacturers don’t even pay dealers for PDI work. Think about that for a second. If the dealer isn’t getting paid to inspect your $100,000+ purchase, how thorough do you think that inspection really was?

Here’s the dirty secret about PDI paperwork:

Many dealers use computerized checklists where someone can click one box and it checks everything
The “inspection” might have been done months ago when the RV arrived on the lot, but it’s been sitting there ever since accumulating issues
Even if the dealer is getting paid for PDI, some manufacturers only reimburse for the first one—not a second inspection if the RV has been sitting on the lot for a year

According to Jayco’s official inspection process, a proper PDI facility should check for “precise measurements, functional electronics, accurate components” and much more. But here’s the reality: most dealerships aren’t doing anywhere close to that level of inspection. They’re checking boxes.

Wells reveals another problem: Many buyers vaguely remember signing the PDI checklist, but they never actually discussed the items on it. The dealer treated it like just another piece of paperwork in the stack, not a critical document that could determine whether you have legal recourse later.

Fake PDI Red Flags	Real PDI Standards
Computerized checkmarks with no tech signature	Individual tech initials for each section
Completed months before your purchase	Done within days of delivery to you
No detailed notes or measurements	Specific details about what was checked
No separate work order generated	Separate work order showing PDI was performed
5-minute “walkthrough”	2-4 hours comprehensive inspection

What should you demand? Wells says a separate work order for the PDI makes it far more credible. If the dealer went to the time and expense of generating an actual work order, they likely performed real work. If all you have is a sheet with checkmarks and a signature, you might as well have nothing.

Here’s what nobody tells you when you’re signing: that PDI checklist you’re initialing? It’s not there to protect you. It’s there to protect them. When you inevitably discover problems later, they’ll wave that paper in your face and say, “But you said everything was fine!” You’re literally signing a document that will be used against you in court, and you probably spent less time reviewing it than you do reading restaurant reviews on Yelp. Makes perfect sense for a six-figure purchase, doesn’t it?

6. Failing to Create Your Paper Trail (AKA Evidence That Actually Matters)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had this conversation with your dealer: “Yeah, we talked to the manufacturer about that issue, and they said…” Wait—did they send you documentation of that conversation? Do you have an email? A work order reference number? Or are you just taking their word for it?

According to attorney Beth Wells, your lemon law case lives or dies on documentation. Without a proper paper trail, you’re essentially showing up to court saying, “Trust me, it happened,” while the manufacturer shows up with a filing cabinet full of records proving their version of events.

Here’s your essential documentation checklist:

Every Single Repair Visit:

✅ Repair orders with detailed descriptions of problems (not just “customer states issue”)
✅ Dates the RV was dropped off and picked up (this counts toward your 153 days)
✅ Mileage records (proves the problems occurred during warranty period)
✅ Copies of ALL paperwork before you leave the dealership (don’t trust “we’ll email it to you”)

All Communications:

✅ Email correspondence with dealers, service departments, and manufacturers
✅ Photos and videos of defects before and after repairs
✅ Written notes of phone conversations including date, time, who you spoke with, and what was said
✅ Certified mail receipts if you send formal complaint letters

Warranty and Purchase Documents:

✅ Original purchase agreement and all addendums
✅ Complete warranty documents from both manufacturer and dealer
✅ That PDI checklist we discussed (yes, even if it was fake)
✅ Any extended warranty or service contracts you purchased

According to lemon law experts, failing to document everything is one of the top mistakes that turns a winning lemon law case into a loser.

Wells shares a disturbing reality: In discovery, she regularly sees that manufacturers and dealers have been meticulously documenting every interaction—while the consumer has nothing. They’re building their defense against your potential lawsuit from day one. Meanwhile, you’re trusting that everyone will just “do the right thing.”

Here’s a pro tip that could save your case: Create a simple spreadsheet or folder (physical or digital) labeled “RV Lemon Law Evidence.” Every time anything happens with your RV—repair visit, phone call, email, problem you notice—add it to this file immediately. Yes, it feels paranoid. Yes, it feels like you’re assuming the worst. But when you’re sitting in an attorney’s office a year from now, you’ll be grateful you have actual evidence instead of hazy memories.

You’d think that in an era where we document our lunch on Instagram and our cats on TikTok, people would remember to document a six-figure purchase that’s falling apart. But somehow, RV owners will take 47 photos of their campsite views and zero photos of the water leak destroying their bedroom. It’s almost like they’d rather not have evidence of what a mistake they made. Can’t imagine why.

7. Not Knowing When to Call an Attorney (Hint: It’s Earlier Than You Think)

Let’s address the elephant in the RV: When should you actually contact an attorney about your lemon RV? Most people’s answer is “when all else fails.” Beth Wells is here to tell you that’s exactly how you end up with a failed case.

Here’s the timeline most RV owners follow:

Month 1-3: “It’s a new RV, there are always bugs to work out.”
Month 4-6: “The dealer says they’ll fix it next visit for sure.”
Month 7-9: “The manufacturer is aware and working on a solution.”
Month 10-11: “I should probably talk to an attorney soon.”
Month 12: “Why is no attorney taking my case?” (Hint: Statute of limitations expired)

Wells explains that preparing a demand letter and lawsuit takes time—especially if you don’t have all your documentation organized. If you call an attorney on day 360 of your one-year statute of limitations, and they need documents you don’t have readily available, you could be toast. The lawyer needs time to review your case, request documents, and file properly.

Red flags that mean you should call an attorney NOW:

Your RV has been in the shop for more than 100 cumulative days (you’re approaching that 153-day threshold)
You’ve had three or more repair attempts for the same significant issue with no resolution
Your warranty period is more than 50% expired and problems persist
The dealer or manufacturer has started ignoring your calls or emails
Anyone tells you “you’re out of time” or “there’s nothing more we can do”

According to Leaders in Law’s state-by-state guide, lemon law rights don’t last forever, and most states start the clock on delivery day. The earlier you know your rights, the better your chances of exercising them.

Here’s what many people don’t realize: Consulting with a lemon law attorney is usually free. Firms like Burdge & Wells offer free case evaluations. You’re not committing to a lawsuit by making a phone call—you’re finding out whether you have options before it’s too late.

Wells emphasizes a crucial point: The manufacturers’ strategy is often to drag things out past your deadline. She’s seen suspicious patterns where manufacturers suddenly stop returning calls as the statute of limitations approaches. They don’t have to beat you in court if they can run out the clock.

When You Think You Should Call	When You Actually Should Call
“When I’ve exhausted all options”	When you’ve had 2-3 failed repair attempts
“In month 11 of my warranty”	In month 6-7 at the latest
“When I’m absolutely sure it’s a lemon”	When you suspect there might be a pattern
“After I’ve been nice long enough”	Before “being nice” costs you your legal rights

The hard truth: Attorneys can’t help you if you contact them the day after your statute of limitations expires. Wells has to turn away people with legitimate lemon RVs simply because they waited too long. These are people who have clearly been wronged, who spent their life savings on a defective product, but the law says “too bad, you’re out of time.”

Let’s be real for a second: You wouldn’t wait until your house is 90% burned down before calling the fire department. You wouldn’t wait until you’re flat broke to check your bank balance. So why would you wait until your legal rights are 90% expired before checking whether you have a lemon law case? The manufacturers are counting on you to wait. They’re betting that you’ll be too proud, too busy, or too optimistic to lawyer up until it’s too late. Don’t make their job easier by proving them right.

Final Thoughts: Knowledge Is Your Best Defense

The RV industry hopes you’ll stay blissfully unaware of these seven traps until it’s too late to do anything about them. But now you know better.

Remember these key takeaways:

Your warranty deadline is probably shorter than you think—check it today
Being “reasonable” can cost you your legal rights—set firm boundaries
The 153-day threshold is real and strict—document every day your RV is out of service
The dealer-manufacturer blame game is designed to confuse you—stay in contact with both
Most PDIs are checkbox theater—demand a real inspection with a separate work order
Your paper trail is your legal lifeline—document absolutely everything
Calling an attorney early is free and smart—waiting until the last minute is expensive and often fatal to your case

If you’re dealing with a potentially defective RV, don’t wait for “just one more repair attempt.” Contact a qualified lemon law attorney for a free case evaluation before your rights evaporate. Firms like Burdge & Wells specialize in these cases and can tell you exactly where you stand.

Your dream RV adventure shouldn’t turn into a legal nightmare—but if it does, at least now you know how to fight back.