New Jersey has lemon laws apply to both new and used cars, though there are limits in each case. We’ll provide an overview of New Jersey’s lemon laws for new and used cars and explain your options even if the lemon laws don’t apply.
New Jersey’s New Car Lemon Law
The new car lemon law in New Jersey applies if the defect is found in the first 24,000 miles or two years. The Sealer must be notified immediately. The repairs have to be done by an authorized dealer. They have three visits to repair the issue unless the problem is one that causes severe bodily injury or harm. For example, if the brakes went out, they can’t make you come back if the issue isn’t resolved. New Jersey says the dealers can only take the car out of service 20 or more days cumulatively. The dealer only has to act if the defect substantially impairs the vehicles safety, use or value. Loose cup holders and minor paint defects don’t count.
The lemon law doesn’t apply to the livable portion of an RV, motorcycles and commercial vehicles.
New Jersey’s Used Car Lemon Law
New Jersey’s used car lemon laws only apply to used / pre-owned vehicles purchased from a dealer in New Jersey. The car must be less than seven years old and have fewer than a hundred thousand miles on it at the time of purchase. The car must be worth more than three thousand dollars when purchased, twice the limit in New York’s lemon laws. The defect must be unresolved after three repair attempts for the buyer to be able to seek other remedies. After two attempts by the dealer to repair it or twenty days out of service, the customer has to send a certified letter to the seller. The lemon laws don’t apply to vehicles sold as-is or salvaged vehicle. Nor do dealers have to repair anything damaged by after-market modifications. However, consumers not covered by the lemon laws may still be covered under the state’s warranty protection.
New Jersey Used Car Warranty Laws
New Jersey car dealers must provide a warranty for the vehicle. The warranty period will be based on the mileage at the time of purchase. If the used car has been driven less than 24,000, the warranty has to be for 90 days or 3000 miles. For cars with up to 60,000 miles on the odometer, the warranty is 60 days or 2000 miles. For cars with up to 100,000 miles, the warranty is one month or a thousand miles. The warranty must cover, at a minimum, major parts like the timing belt, oil pump, transmission case, the drive and other parts critical to the vehicle’s function. It doesn’t include the manual clutch in a manual transmission.
New Jersey also allows you to pursue a breach of warranty if the car is still covered by the original manufacturer warranty or under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. You should consult with an attorney if you think that these laws or the lemon laws are applicable to your case. For example, a defect that arises during the warranty period may be the manufacturer’s responsibility even if the warranty period has ended. However, it only applies if the claim is filed within four years. This is why acting as soon as you realize there is an issue is essential to seeking recourse.
