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Already bought or leased

Keep the next step clear.

Something changed, a promise is unfinished, or the car has a problem. Find the matching issue below, gather the evidence, and make a record of who must respond and by when.

Last reviewed: September 5, 2026. Review notes and sources. Rules and fees can vary by state, lender, dealer, and vehicle.

Find my next step Make an action record

Check safety and deadlines first

If the car may be unsafe, stop using it and arrange a qualified assessment. Follow any manufacturer do-not-drive, towing, or parking instruction. For an immediate emergency, call emergency services. Report a suspected vehicle safety defect to NHTSA; reporting it does not arrange a repair or reimbursement.

NHTSA: report a vehicle safety problem

Write down any payment, permit, warranty-notice, return-policy, or legal deadline now. If you have a repossession threat, court papers, or a short demand to return the car, seek local legal advice promptly. A complaint alone does not cancel your contract, stop a payment obligation, or extend a deadline.

Find local legal aid through Legal Services Corporation

What your documents can establish

  • No automatic federal three-day dealer return right. Check state rules and the seller's actual written policy immediately. Product cancellation and lease termination are separate questions.
  • Keep the final Buyers Guide. For a dealer used-car sale, its warranty information overrides conflicting sales-contract language. Save both documents and any written repair promise.
  • An as-is label may not answer every coverage question. State implied-warranty rules matter. The FTC explains that a dealer service contract purchased within 90 days of a used-car purchase prevents the dealer from disclaiming implied warranties on the systems it covers.
  • Warranty and lemon-law outcomes depend on the facts. Eligibility, required repair opportunities, notice procedures, and deadlines vary. Have the manufacturer, state consumer office, or local counsel review the applicable terms and law.
FTC: used-car return policies, Buyers Guide, and warranty rules

Choose the issue you need to resolve

The dealer wants different financing terms

Request the proposed change and its contract basis in writing. Compare it with every signed loan and conditional-delivery document before signing again. Verify the status with the named creditor. If the dealer demands the car back, threatens repossession, or sets a short deadline, get prompt local legal help with the documents.

Keep together: Signed contract, approval or delivery conditions, creditor details, original and revised terms, trade/down-payment receipts, messages, and the exact response deadline.

CFPB: changed terms after deliveryCFPB: vehicle loan or lease complaintRecord the request, response, and next deadline

A repair, warranty, or promised-work problem

Notify the responsible dealer, manufacturer, or contract administrator using the required claim procedure. Ask for a written diagnosis, coverage decision, reason for any denial, and next step. Check authorization rules before paying for repairs you expect someone else to cover. Keep each repair visit and days out of service.

Keep together: Buyers Guide, warranty/service contract, promised-work form, purchase mileage, symptom dates, repair orders, invoices, photos, claim numbers, and written denials.

FTC: auto warranties and service contractsFind your state consumer-protection officeRecord the request, response, and next deadline

An unwanted product or missing cancellation refund

Identify the exact product, administrator, signed authorization, and cancellation terms. Send a dated request through the required channel and retain proof of receipt. Ask for the effective date, calculation, fees, expected payment date, and refund recipient. If the product was financed, verify any credit with the lender; a refund does not necessarily change the scheduled payment.

Keep together: Itemized price, product agreement, consent documents, cancellation instructions, submitted request, delivery receipt, refund calculation, and lender account-credit confirmation.

CFPB: optional products and cancellationCFPB: finance complaintRecord the request, response, and next deadline

The trade loan, title, or registration is unresolved

Confirm an old trade payoff directly with the old lender. For missing title, lien release, registration, or plates, contact the responsible seller/lienholder and state motor-vehicle agency. Ask what remains missing and record permit expiration and filing deadlines. Save each response and follow up before a deadline passes.

Keep together: Trade allowance and payoff agreement, old-lender status, title/lien documents, filing receipts, seller commitments, temporary permit, and agency reference numbers.

CFPB: verify trade-in loan payoffFind your state motor-vehicle agencyRecord the request, response, and next deadline

A payment, servicing, or credit-report error

Contact the verified lender or servicer with the disputed amount, date, and proof of payment. Ask for an explanation and written correction. If a payment is becoming unaffordable, contact the servicer promptly about available options and get any arrangement in writing. Dispute credit-report errors with the bureau and the business that supplied them.

Keep together: Signed payment schedule, statements, payment confirmations, fees, correspondence, credit-report date, dispute references, and upcoming payment deadline.

CFPB: difficulty making auto-loan paymentsCFPB: dispute a credit-report errorCFPB: submit a finance complaintRecord the request, response, and next deadline

The ad, price, condition, or agreement was misrepresented

Preserve the original ad or offer and write a factual comparison with what you received. Ask the seller for a specific written resolution. A state consumer-protection office can direct state-law complaints; the FTC accepts reports of deceptive practices. A complaint is not a guaranteed refund or a substitute for meeting a legal deadline.

Keep together: Dated ad/screenshots, exact VIN, quote, signed agreement, payment receipts, condition/history findings, promised terms, and the seller's response.

FTC: report deceptive practicesFind your state consumer-protection officeRecord the request, response, and next deadline

Nothing wrong yet? Finish the handoff.

Verify the old trade loan was paid, confirm the new servicer and first payment, track title and registration, and check promised work. Retain any product-cancellation receipt and confirm where the refund went.

Open the delivery and first-month record

Open the private-sale handoff record

After-buying action record

Write the facts, requested outcome, and next deadline in one place. Download or print this record to use when contacting the company, an agency, or an adviser. Nothing is submitted from this page.

  • Keep original documents and dated copies of communications. Describe what you can show; separate a suspected cause from an established fact.
  • Ask for a specific response in writing and track receipt. Follow the contract or agency's required notice method and deadlines.
  • Review any agency's instructions before submitting. A complaint can seek a response and report a practice; it does not guarantee an individual remedy.

Notes stay in this open page only. Copy, download, or print before leaving. Record document names or reference numbers; keep account numbers, credit reports, and identity documents in your own secure files.

Fill in this record

VIN, purchase/lease date, mileage, state, dealer/private seller, lender/lessor, and document locations.

What happened, what differs from the agreement, and the specific correction, repair, explanation, or refund requested.

One line per event: date, person/company, what happened, and supporting record.

Contract, Buyers Guide, ad/quote, messages, receipts, photos, inspection/repair orders, and reference numbers.

Exact date/time, source of each deadline, required notice method, payment/permit status, safety or transport needs.

Dealer/administrator/lender/manufacturer contact, role, verified channel, request sent date, and delivery receipt.

Written answer, offer or denial, reason given, missing records, and what remains disputed.

Responsible person, state agency/CFPB/NHTSA/legal-aid route, reference, next deadline, and completion evidence.

Sources & Further Reading

Notes: Sources are provided for general education. Rules can vary by state and change over time.

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Notes: Deal rules and fee limits can vary by state. Always confirm with local DMV or consumer protection guidance.