The dealer wants different financing terms
Ask the dealer to email or text the exact proposed terms, why they say the change is allowed, and the deadline for your reply. Compare that message with the contract and any conditional-delivery form you signed. Contact the creditor named in your paperwork through an independently verified number to check the approval status. If the dealer demands the car back, threatens repossession, or sets a short deadline, get prompt local legal help with the documents before signing again.
Keep together: Signed contract, approval or delivery conditions, creditor details, original and revised terms, trade/down-payment receipts, messages, and the exact response deadline.
A repair, warranty, or promised-work problem
Start with the agreement and any written warranty, service contract, or repair promise to identify who handles the claim. If you bought a used car from a dealer, also check the final Buyers Guide; private sellers do not provide that dealer form. For warranty or service-contract coverage, contact the dealer, manufacturer, or administrator through the written claim channel and ask for a diagnosis, coverage decision, reason for any denial, and next step in writing. For a private-sale promise, contact the seller in writing about the specific documented promise and the resolution you want. Check authorization rules before paying for a repair you expect a provider to cover. Record every repair visit and day the car is out of service.
Keep together: Sale or lease agreement, any dealer used-car Buyers Guide, warranty/service contract, written repair promise, delivery mileage, symptom dates, repair orders, invoices, photos, claim numbers, and written denials.
An unwanted product or missing cancellation refund
Find the product name, seller or administrator, any signed authorization, and cancellation instructions in your paperwork. Send a dated cancellation or correction request through the listed channel and keep proof it arrived. Ask for the effective date, refund calculation, fees, expected payment date, and who receives the refund. If the product was financed, confirm any credit with the lender; your scheduled payment may stay the same.
Keep together: Itemized price, product agreement, consent documents, cancellation instructions, submitted request, delivery receipt, refund calculation, and lender account-credit confirmation.
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.
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.
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.
