Florida Lemon Laws - Florida Recreation Vehicle Lemon Law

The living facilities of recreation vehicles are NOT COVERED under Florida’s Lemon Law. That doesn’t mean your RV has no coverage at all.

If you bought a new or demonstrator recreation vehicle in Florida, at the time of purchase you should have received a copy of the “Consumer Guide to the Florida Lemon Law” from the dealer. If you didn’t, you can call 1-800-321-5366 (1-850-488-2221 if outside Florida) to request a copy of the Guide. Additionally, at the time of purchase all RV manufacturers must provide information in writing on how and where to file a claim with the Pilot RV Mediation/Arbitration Program.

Please keep in mind that not all components or parts of RVs are covered under the Lemon Law in Florida. Examples of some of the areas not covered are (this is not a complete list):

Flooring
Plumbing systems and fixtures
Roof air conditioners
Furnace
Generator
Electrical systems other than automotive circuits
Side entrance door
Exterior components and windows other than the windshield and driver and front passenger windows

Like passenger vehicles, the Lemon Law period for reporting issues is 24 months from the date of delivery. Again, we recommend visiting the Florida State Attorney General’s website for more detailed information surrounding RVs, Florida’s Lemon Law and periods for initiating a Lemon Law claim.

At the time of purchase the RV dealer should have provided copies of all the pertinent warranties as RVs are usually constructed by more than one manufacturer. Keep all of these warranties in a single place as you never know when they may be needed.

When seeking repair for your RV, we recommend using the service agent authorized for repair by the manufacturer of the non-working components. You can find this information in the warranty or owner’s manual. Any diagnosis or repair done under warranty must be accompanied by a written, legible repair order for each incident the RV arrives in the shop. Be sure to keep all records of all maintenance and repairs done on your RV, along with the mileage from the odometer each time you took it in. This type of data is invaluable when pursuing relief using Florida’s Lemon Law for RVs.

If you believe your RV fits the criteria to be considered a “lemon”, then you must send notification in writing to each and every one of the manufacturers who you believe to be responsible for the warranties. If you’re unsure about which manufacturers to send notification to, Fraud Guides recommends using the Florida Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form to send notification to all potentially responsible manufacturers. The form must be sent using express or registered mail. Notification, manufacturer response and time requirements differ by recreation vehicle so you may want to review the “Consumer Guide to the Florida Lemon Law” for more details regarding the Lemon Law and RVs.

If you want to take advantage of the remedies offered through Florida’s Lemon Las for RVs, you need to submit a dispute to the RV Mediation/Arbitration Program currently administered by the Collins Center for Public Policy, inc. Claims must be made using the RV Program Request for Mediation/Arbitration form which can be obtained by calling the Collins Center at 1-888-505-8592. Please don’t delay as there are strict guidelines surrounding the time limits for which a claim can be filed. See the Florida State Attorney General’s website for more detailed information surrounding RVs, Florida’s Lemon Law and periods for initiating a Lemon Law claim. Their website also provides additional information on the RV Lemon Law arbitration and mediation processes.