Whenever we make a major purchase, such as a new car, there is always that fear that perhaps we are buying the one vehicle, out of thousands, that has a defect or isn’t working properly. New automobiles that fail to operate properly or have major problems that cannot be fixed after multiple attempts are called "lemons."
Given the money involved in purchasing a new car, as well as the potential high costs of repair, many states have enacted lemon laws to hold dealers and manufacturers accountable for defective products. These laws protect consumers by requiring dealers to either refund the consumer or replace the automobile if they are stuck with a lemon. New Jersey lemon law, for example, gives manufacturers and dealers one year or 12,000 miles (whichever occurs first) in which to fix any serious problems before the lemon law kicks in.
The main provisions of New Jersey's lemon law are listed in the following chart. See FindLaw's Lemon Law section for additional resources.
| Code Section | 56:12-29, et seq. |
| Title of Act | Not specified |
| Definition of Defects | Nonconformity to express warranties which significantly affects the use, market value, or safety of vehicle |
| Time Limit for Manufacturer Repair | Term of warranty or during period of 1 year following date of original delivery to consumer, or 12,000 miles of operation, whichever is earlier |
| Remedies | Option of consumer: accept return and refund full purchase price including any stated credit/allowance for consumer's used motor vehicle, cost of any options/other modifications arranged, installed/made by manufacturer within 30 days after date of original delivery and sales tax, license and registration fees, finance charges and other incidental fees less a reasonable allowance for use |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a New Jersey lemon law attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
More Information
For more information on New Jersey’s lemon laws, feel free to click on the links listed below which lead to a variety of helpful websites. You can also learn more about the topic, in general, by checking out FindLaw’s section on vehicle recalls and defects. If you have additional questions or concerns, you may want to think about consulting with a local lemon law lawyer.
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New Jersey Lemon Laws: Related Resources
