Customer Care

A Warranty is a Promise

A warranty is a seller’s promise that a product will perform as intended. The warranty tells what items the seller will pay to fix after the sale, and for how long. A vehicle may have a “manufacturer warranty” that obligates the manufacturer to pay the cost of certain repairs. Or it may have a “dealer warranty” that obligates the dealer to pay. If a car comes with a warranty, you are entitled to get the warranty in writing from the dealership. Read the warranty carefully to learn what is covered, for how long, who pays for the repairs, and what you must do to keep the warranty in effect.

Source: State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Purchase Cancellation

Many consumers mistakenly believe they have three days to cancel a motor vehicle purchase contract. They do not. The 3-day “cooling off” period only applies to sales the dealer makes away from the dealership — for example, at a mall or fair grounds. If you sign a purchase contract at the dealership it is a binding contract. The dealer may charge you a penalty if you cancel the deal. By law, the penalty cannot be more than 5% of the purchase price of the vehicle.

If you order a new vehicle to be delivered at a later date and the vehicle is not delivered within 15 days of the anticipated delivery date recorded on the purchase contract, you can cancel the contract without penalty.

If you are unhappy with your purchase, talk with your dealer. Some dealers will make a goodwill adjustment, or even cancel your contract without a penalty in order to satisfy a good customer.

Source: State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Other Sources of Help

• Non-warranty repair problems: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection or call (800) 422-7128
• Recalls and safety defects: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or call (888) DASH-2-DOT
• Search tool to check for unperformed safety recalls: visit safercar.gov/VIN and enter your vehicle identification number