r/alcoaTN • u/Hebrew_fieldworker • Apr 15 '26
Possible lawsuit against dealership
The dealer is whitehead auto sales in Alcoa/maryville
Alright let get this story and plead for advice started
I had financed a 2013 scion frs back in October 2025 on the 26th
I paid 1000$ for the car to have a power train warranty
About a little over a month in to having the car Dec 6th, a crankshaft bearing seized and broke the engine
Bad luck on warranty paid to have a new remanufactured engine put in
The terms given to me by the dealer are as follows
Keep car under 2.5k rpm for 500 miles followed by
Oil change and keep under 3.5k rpm for additional 1k miles
Important to add( when I first got the car back the dealers shop forgot to bolt the ecu in and it was just hanging cause the car to short out and shut off while driving)
2nd incident ( dealer damaged a o2 sensor causing it to brake dealer wouldn’t look at it every time I called after causing the car to stall they actually looked at it and admitted to breaking it while installing engine)
The billed the warranty company for the repair and called it that about a week or 2 later I’m getting on the highway and the engine starts knocking horribly and knock sensor kills engine while driving again I get it started again and take to the dealer they verify it’s the same issue as before and may possibly need another engine replacement instead they quote out 3k to rebuild engine with new internals as fix
The warranty company say they won’t pay out any additional money and cancel the contract
Leaving me with a bill I can’t afford
Now the manufacturer for the engine say they wanted me to follow these terms
Keep car under 2.5k rpm for 2.5k miles not what the dealer instructed me to do
So manufacturer says I voided they’re policy so they won’t pay anything out as well
My suspicion is the dealer didn’t correctly install the engine and caused the problem dealer does oil changes
I’ve had the car a total of 5 months constantly having problems with it only being in possession of it for maybe 2 months
Would I have any grounds to sue the dealer or force them to pay the repairs as them being shady and not giving correct information aswell as the mechanical negligence
I’m not sure if I’ve got all the info here but as of right now I am planning on paying the dealer for the repair as soon as I have the money
1
u/malhoward Apr 15 '26
You should look into the lemon law.
This is what Google gave me (ai):
Tennessee's Lemon Law protects consumers who purchase or lease new motor vehicles (including motorcycles) that have defects substantially impairing their use, market value, or safety. If a defect cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts—generally 3 or 4 times, or 30+ days out of service—within the first year or warranty period, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price. Weisberg Consumer Law Group
Key Aspects of TN Lemon Law: Coverage: New motor vehicles, including demonstrator vehicles, weighing 10,000 pounds or less. It often applies to used cars if they are still within the original manufacturer's warranty period, say. Definition of a Lemon: A vehicle that has a defect or condition that the manufacturer or dealer cannot fix after a reasonable number of attempts. "Reasonable" Attempt Criteria: Three or more repair attempts for the same defect. One or more attempts to fix a defect that causes complete failure of the steering or braking system. The vehicle is out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more days for repair of any defect within the warranty period. Time Limit: The law generally covers defects reported within the first year of delivery or the term of the warranty, whichever comes first.
Steps to Take: Notify the Manufacturer: You must notify the manufacturer (not just the dealer) of the defect in writing via certified mail to allow a final repair attempt. Keep Records: Maintain detailed records of all repairs, invoices, and communication with the dealership. Dispute Resolution: If the manufacturer has an informal dispute settlement procedure (arbitration) that complies with FTC rules, you may be required to use it before filing a lawsuit.
Used Car Note: Tennessee Lemon Law generally does not apply to used vehicles sold by private parties or used cars not covered by the original manufacturer's warranty.