Buying a new Ford should not mean spending month after month dealing with warning lights, failed repairs, dealership appointments, towing bills, and a vehicle you cannot depend on.
Yet some Texas Ford owners find themselves caught in exactly that situation. You take your Ford to an authorized dealership, explain the problem, wait for the repair, and pick it up believing the issue has finally been resolved. A few days or weeks later, the same problem returns. Or a different major defect develops. Before long, your new truck, SUV, or electric vehicle seems to spend more time at the Ford dealership than in your driveway.
If this sounds familiar, it may be time to learn about your rights under the Texas Lemon Law.
Texas has protections for consumers who purchase or lease new motor vehicles and experience repeated problems getting warranty-covered defects properly repaired. Depending on the circumstances, a qualifying consumer may be entitled to relief involving repair, replacement, or repurchase of the vehicle.
If you own a problematic Ford in Texas, understanding the law — and documenting what has happened with your vehicle — can be extremely important.
Does the Texas Lemon Law Apply to Ford Vehicles?
Yes.
The Texas Lemon Law is administered by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV). According to TxDMV, the law helps consumers who buy or lease new motor vehicles and repeatedly have problems getting those vehicles properly repaired under the manufacturer’s original warranty.
Covered vehicles can include new cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles and certain other motor vehicles.
That means Ford vehicles can potentially qualify just like vehicles manufactured by other automakers.
Depending on the facts, this could include models such as:
- Ford F-150
- Ford F-250 Super Duty
- Ford F-350 Super Duty
- Ford Maverick
- Ford Ranger
- Ford Bronco
- Ford Bronco Sport
- Ford Explorer
- Ford Expedition
- Ford Escape
- Ford Mustang
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Ford Transit
The name or model of the vehicle does not determine whether you have a Lemon Law claim.
The repair history, nature of the defect, warranty coverage, timing, mileage, and other circumstances are much more important.
What Makes a Ford a Lemon in Texas?
Having a defective Ford does not automatically mean that the vehicle legally qualifies as a lemon.
TxDMV identifies several conditions that generally must be satisfied.
The vehicle must have a substantial manufacturing defect. That defect must be covered by the manufacturer’s written warranty. The owner must report the problem to the dealer or manufacturer during the warranty term and give the dealer a reasonable number of opportunities to repair it.
The consumer must also provide the manufacturer written notice of the defect and at least one opportunity to cure it. TxDMV recommends sending that notice by certified mail.
Finally, the defect must persist and substantially impair the vehicle’s use or market value, or create a serious safety hazard.
In other words, Texas Lemon Law cases are very fact-specific.
A minor annoyance is different from an F-150 that repeatedly loses power, an Explorer with a significant transmission problem, or a Bronco that has spent weeks at a dealership because technicians cannot resolve a warranty-covered defect.
How Many Repair Attempts Does Ford Get?
This is one of the first questions many Texas consumers ask.
There isn’t necessarily one universal number that applies to every case.
Instead, TxDMV describes three tests that can establish a presumption that a manufacturer or authorized dealer has been given a reasonable number of opportunities to repair a vehicle.
They are commonly called the:
Four-Times Test
Serious Safety-Hazard Test
30-Day Test
Understanding these tests can help you evaluate your Ford’s repair history.
The Texas Four-Times Test
Under TxDMV’s published guidance, a consumer passes the four-times test when the vehicle has been taken to a dealership for repair of the same defect four times within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first, and the defect remains unrepaired.
Imagine, for example, that you purchase a new Ford.
A serious electrical malfunction develops at 4,000 miles.
You take the vehicle to the dealership.
The technicians perform a repair and return the vehicle.
At 7,000 miles, the same malfunction happens again.
You return to the dealer.
Then it happens again at 11,000 miles.
And again at 15,000 miles.
After the fourth repair visit, the problem still exists.
Those repair orders could become extremely important when evaluating whether the vehicle satisfies the four-times test.
This is why Ford owners should keep every repair order, even when the dealership says something such as:
“Could not duplicate.”
“No problem found.”
“Operating as designed.”
“Software updated.”
“Vehicle returned to customer.”
Do not assume that a repair visit is meaningless simply because the dealer did not replace a component.
The documentation showing that you repeatedly reported the defect can matter.
The Serious Safety-Hazard Test
Texas provides another test for particularly serious safety problems.
TxDMV defines a serious safety hazard as a life-threatening malfunction that substantially impedes the consumer’s ability to control or operate the vehicle normally or creates a substantial risk of fire or explosion.
Under TxDMV’s guidance, the serious safety-hazard test can be satisfied when the vehicle has been presented for repair of the serious safety hazard twice within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first, and the problem remains unrepaired.
This distinction makes sense.
A consumer dealing with a potentially life-threatening vehicle defect should not necessarily have to wait for four unsuccessful repair attempts before pursuing Lemon Law relief.
If your Ford has a recurring problem that you believe affects safe operation, describe the symptoms accurately every time you bring the vehicle to the dealership.
Don’t simply tell the service adviser:
“My truck is acting weird.”
Be specific.
For example:
“The vehicle suddenly loses power while accelerating.”
“The vehicle stalls while driving.”
“The brakes intermittently fail to respond normally.”
“The steering becomes difficult while the vehicle is moving.”
“The vehicle unexpectedly shifts while driving.”
Accurate descriptions can help create a meaningful service history.
Never exaggerate a problem. Simply make sure the repair order accurately reflects what you actually experienced.
The Texas 30-Day Test
Repair attempts aren’t the only issue.
The amount of time your Ford spends out of service can also matter.
According to TxDMV, the 30-day test can be satisfied when a vehicle is out of service for repair because of a defect covered by the original factory warranty for a total of 30 days or more during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, and a substantial defect still exists.
The 30 days do not have to occur consecutively.
That is an important point.
Your Ford could be at the dealership for:
8 days during one visit,
12 days during another visit,
and another 10 days during a third visit.
Those periods can potentially add up.
However, TxDMV notes an important limitation: if the consumer was provided a comparable loaner vehicle while the vehicle was being repaired, that period does not count toward the 30-day calculation.
This is one reason you should maintain your own timeline instead of relying entirely on the dealership’s records.
Write down:
- The date you dropped off the vehicle
- The mileage
- The reason for the repair
- The date the dealership said repairs were completed
- The date you actually received the vehicle
- Whether you received a comparable loaner
- Whether the same problem returned
A simple folder containing your Ford’s repair documents can become extremely valuable.
What Ford Problems Could Potentially Lead to a Lemon Law Claim?
There is no single list of defects that automatically makes a Ford a lemon.
The important questions generally involve the severity of the problem, whether it is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, whether Ford or its authorized dealership has had reasonable opportunities to repair it, and whether the problem persists.
Depending on the circumstances, consumers may experience problems involving:
Transmission Problems
A transmission problem can dramatically affect the way a vehicle drives.
Owners may report symptoms such as harsh shifting, hesitation, slipping, delayed engagement, jerking, unexpected gear changes, loss of acceleration, or transmission warning messages.
If you repeatedly report a transmission defect and it continues after dealership repairs, preserve every repair order.
Engine Problems
Recurring engine defects can include stalling, loss of power, rough operation, abnormal noises, warning lights, overheating, oil-related problems, or repeated failures to start.
A Ford that repeatedly stalls or loses power can present much more than an inconvenience.
Electrical Problems
Modern Ford vehicles contain extensive electronic systems.
A persistent electrical problem can affect numerous vehicle functions.
Some consumers may experience recurring warning lights, dead batteries, malfunctioning screens, sensors that repeatedly fail, electrical modules that need replacement, intermittent starting problems, or other electronic faults.
An electrical problem that appears, disappears, and then returns can be especially frustrating because a dealership may have difficulty duplicating the condition.
That makes documentation particularly important.
Infotainment and Technology Problems
Not every malfunctioning screen makes a vehicle a lemon.
Texas requires a substantial defect.
However, technology-related failures may become more significant when they interfere with essential vehicle functions or are part of a larger electrical defect.
Document the actual effect of the malfunction instead of merely stating that the technology “doesn’t work.”
EV and Mustang Mach-E Problems
Electric vehicles introduce additional systems that gasoline-powered Ford vehicles do not have.
Depending on the vehicle and circumstances, an owner could experience problems involving charging, high-voltage systems, battery-related warnings, loss of propulsion, electrical systems, or software.
Ford states that its hybrid and electric-vehicle batteries are generally covered for eight years or 100,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever comes first, including excessive capacity loss.
But warranty coverage and Texas Lemon Law qualification are separate questions.
The precise warranty applicable to your particular vehicle should always be reviewed.
Keep Every Ford Repair Order
If there is one practical habit every owner of a problematic vehicle should develop, it is this:
Keep the paperwork.
Your repair orders create a timeline.
They can show when you first complained about a problem, the vehicle’s mileage, how you described the symptoms, what diagnostic work the dealership performed, what parts were replaced, and whether the same problem occurred again.
Before leaving the dealership, read the repair order.
Make sure it accurately describes your complaint.
If you told the service adviser:
“My Ford loses power while I’m driving at highway speeds, and this has happened three times,”
but the repair order says:
“Customer requests check-engine light diagnosis,”
ask that the repair order accurately reflect the symptoms you reported.
The details matter.
Don’t Wait Until the Warranty Expires
Texas consumers also need to pay close attention to timing.
According to TxDMV, a Lemon Law complaint must be filed within six months following the earlier of:
- Expiration of the express warranty term;
- 24 months after purchase; or
- 24,000 miles following delivery of the vehicle, subject to different rules for certain recreational vehicles.
TxDMV specifically advises consumers to file as soon as they realize the dealer is having difficulty repairing the vehicle.
That means waiting can be risky.
If your Ford is approaching 24 months or 24,000 miles and the same substantial defect keeps returning, do not assume you have unlimited time simply because another warranty may continue beyond that point.
What Can Happen If Your Ford Qualifies?
Texas Lemon Law remedies depend on the circumstances of the individual case.
TxDMV states that the law can provide relief involving repair, replacement, or repurchase.
For qualifying new vehicles, a refund may require the manufacturer to buy back the vehicle based on its purchase price, including certain taxes, title and license fees, subject to a deduction calculated for vehicle use and other applicable factors.
A replacement may also be available in an appropriate case.
The specific remedy depends upon the facts and applicable law.
It is therefore important not to assume that every Ford Lemon Law case will produce the same result.
What About a Used Ford?
Used vehicles require additional analysis.
TxDMV explains that a used vehicle may have potential warranty-performance protection if it remains covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty.
There may also be circumstances in which a defect was first reported while the vehicle was under the manufacturer’s original warranty and continues to exist.
However, an extended service contract is not the same thing as the manufacturer’s original warranty for purposes of TxDMV’s guidance.
If you purchased a used Ford and are experiencing repeated warranty problems, the vehicle’s age, mileage, original warranty status, date the defect first appeared, and repair history should be reviewed carefully.
What Should You Do If Your Ford Keeps Going Back to the Dealer?
Start creating a complete record.
Keep copies of:
- Purchase or lease documents
- Warranty documents
- Every repair order
- Dealership invoices
- Towing records
- Emails with Ford or the dealership
- Text messages with service personnel
- Photographs
- Videos showing intermittent defects
- Warning-light photographs
- Loaner-vehicle paperwork
You should also consider maintaining a simple repair log.
Record the date, mileage, defect, dealership, days out of service, work performed, and whether the problem returned.
Ford states that warranty repair work must be completed through an authorized Ford dealer, although certain warranty repairs may require a dealership with specialized training.
Your Ford Doesn’t Have to Spend Its Life at the Dealership
You bought or leased a vehicle because you needed transportation.
You did not bargain for an endless cycle of service appointments.
If your Ford has a substantial warranty-covered defect and repeated repair attempts have failed to solve the problem, Texas law may provide options.
Whether you drive an F-150, Super Duty, Bronco, Explorer, Expedition, Escape, Maverick, Ranger, Mustang Mach-E, Transit, or another Ford model, the most important thing is to evaluate the specific history of your vehicle.
How many repair attempts have there been?
When did you first report the problem?
What was the mileage?
How many days has the Ford been unavailable?
Was a comparable loaner provided?
Is the defect still occurring?
Does the problem substantially impair the vehicle’s use or market value?
Does it present a serious safety hazard?
Those details can make the difference.
Talk to Ginsburg Law Group About Your Texas Ford Lemon Law Problem
If you purchased or leased a Ford in Texas and it has been repeatedly returned to the dealership for warranty repairs, you may have legal rights.
Don’t throw away your repair orders.
Don’t assume another unsuccessful dealership visit is your only option.
And don’t wait indefinitely while important Lemon Law deadlines continue to run.
Ginsburg Law Group represents consumers dealing with defective vehicles and warranty disputes.
If your Ford F-150, Bronco, Explorer, Expedition, Escape, Maverick, Ranger, Super Duty, Mustang Mach-E, or other Ford vehicle has been repeatedly repaired without solving the problem, contact Ginsburg Law Group to discuss your situation.
Learn more at www.ginsburglawgroup.com.
Every case depends on its individual facts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not legal advice.
