N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-26.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:45A-26.3 - Statements to consumer; other notices

(a) At the time of purchase or lease of a motor vehicle in the State of New Jersey, the manufacturer, through its dealer or lessor, shall provide the following written statement in English and Spanish directly to the consumer on a separate piece of paper, in at least 10-point bold-face type:

IMPORTANT: IF THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEFECT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIRS ITS USE, VALUE OR SAFETY OR THAT IS LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY INJURY IF DRIVEN, AND WAS PURCHASED, LEASED OR REGISTERED IN NEW JERSEY, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED UNDER NEW JERSEY'S LEMON LAW TO A REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OR YOUR LEASE PAYMENTS.

Here is a summary of your rights:

1. To qualify for relief under the New Jersey Lemon Law, you must give the manufacturer or its dealer the opportunity to repair or correct the defect in the vehicle within the Lemon Law's term of protection, which is the first 24,000 miles of operation or two years after the vehicle's original date of delivery, whichever is earlier.

2. If the manufacturer or its dealer is unable to repair or correct a defect within a reasonable time, you may be entitled to return the vehicle and receive a full refund, minus a reasonable allowance for vehicle use.

3. It is presumed that the manufacturer or its dealer is unable to repair or correct the defect if substantially the same defect continues to exist after the manufacturer has received written notice of the defect by certified mail, return receipt requested, and has had a final opportunity to correct the defect or condition within 10 calendar days after receipt of the notice. This notice must be received by the manufacturer within the term of protection and may be given only after (i) the manufacturer or its dealer has had two or more attempts to correct the defect; (ii) the manufacturer or its dealer has had at least one attempt to correct the defect if the defect is one that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven; or (iii) the vehicle has been out of service for repair for a cumulative total of 20 or more calendar days, or in the case of a motor home, 45 or more days.

4. If substantially the same defect continues to exist after the manufacturer has had the final opportunity to repair or correct the defect, you may file an application for relief under New Jersey's Lemon Law.

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR RIGHTS AND REMEDIES UNDER THE RELEVANT LAW, INCLUDING THE MANUFACTURER'S ADDRESS TO GIVE NOTICE OF THE DEFECT, CONTACT THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, LEMON LAW UNIT, AT POST OFFICE BOX 45026, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07101, TEL. NO. (973) 504-6226.

IMPORTANTE: SI ESTE VEHICULO TIENE UN DEFECTO QUE SUBSTANCIALMENTE AFECTA SU USO, VALOR O SEGURIDAD, O QUE PUEDE CAUSAR MUERTE O SERIO DANO CORPORAL SI SE MANEJA, Y FUE COMPRADO, ARRENDADO O REGISTRADO EN NUEVA JERSEY, USTED PUEDE TENER EL DERECHO BAJO LA LEY DE LIMON DEL ESTADO DE NUEVA JERSEY A UN REEMBOLSO DEL PRECIO DE COMPRA O A LOS PAGOS DE SU ARRENDAMIENTO.

Aqui le damos un sumario de sus derechos:

1. Para calificar por compensacion bajo la Ley de Limon de Nueva Jersey, usted debe darle al fabricante o a su concesionario la oportunidad de reparar o corregir el defecto del vehiculo dentro del termino de proteccion bajo la Ley de Limon, que son las 24,000 millas primeras de operacion o dos anos despues de la fecha original de la entrega del vehiculo o lo que suceda primero.

2. Si el fabricante o su concesionario no puede arreglar o corregir el defecto dentro de un tiempo razonable, usted puede tener el derecho de devolver el vehiculo y recibir un reembolso completo, menos un descuento por el uso del vehiculo.

3. Si se supone que el fabricante o su concesionario no puede reparar o corregir el defecto y si substancialmente el mismo defecto continua existiendo despues que el fabricante ha recibido un aviso del defecto, mandado por correo certificado con recibo de retorno, y ha tenido una oportunidad final para corregir el defecto o condicion dentro de los 10 dias naturales despues de recibir el aviso. Este aviso tiene que ser recibido por el fabricante dentro del termino de proteccion y solo se puede dar despues que (i) el fabricante o su concesionario ha intentado dos o mas veces de corregir el defecto; (ii) el fabricante o su concesionario ha intentado por lo menos una vez de corregir el defecto si el defecto es uno que puede causar la muerte o serio dano corporal si el vehiculo se maneja; o (iii) el vehiculo ha estado fuera de servicio por reparos por una acumulacion total de 20 dias naturales o mas, o en el caso de una casa rodante motorizada (motorhome) de 45 dias o mas.

4. Si substancialmente el mismo defecto continua existiendo despues que el fabricante ha tenido la ultima oportunidad de reparar o corregir el defecto, usted puede presentar una solicitud para compensacion bajo la Ley de Limon de Nueva Jersey.

PARA INFORMACION COMPLETA ACERCA DE SUS DERECHOS Y RECURSOS BAJO ESTA LEY, INCLUYENDO LA DIRECCION DEL FABRICANTE PARA NOTIFICARLE EL DEFECTO, PONGASE EN CONTACTO CON: NEW JERSEY DEPARTAMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, LEMON LAW UNIT, POST OFFICE BOX 45026, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07101, NUMERO DE TELEFONO: 973-504-6226

(b) The manufacturer, through its dealer or lessor, shall maintain a record substantiating compliance with (a) above and shall make the record available to the Division upon request.

(c) If a motor vehicle is returned to the manufacturer under the provisions of the Lemon Law or a similar statute of another state or as the result of a legal action or an informal dispute settlement procedure, the motor vehicle shall not be resold or released in New Jersey unless the following steps are taken:

1. Immediately upon receipt of the vehicle, the manufacturer, its agent, or a dealer who accepts the vehicle shall cause the words "R--RETURNED TO MANUFACTURER UNDER LEMON LAW OR OTHER PROCEEDING" to be clearly and conspicuously stamped on the face of the original certificate of title, the manufacturer's statement of origin, or other evidence of ownership.

2. Within 10 days of receipt of the vehicle, the manufacturer, its agent, or a dealer who accepts the vehicle shall submit a copy of the stamped document to the Special Title Section of the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to indicate that title to the vehicle shall be permanently branded.

3. The manufacturer shall provide to the dealer or lessor, and the dealer or lessor shall provide to the consumer prior to the resale or release of the motor vehicle a copy for the consumer's records of the following statement on a separate piece of paper, in 10-point boldface type:

NOTICE OF NONCONFORMITY

"IMPORTANT: THIS VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE IT DID NOT CONFORM TO THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AND THE NONCONFORMITY WAS NOT CORRECTED WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME AS PROVIDED BY LAW."

(This notice is required under the New Jersey "Lemon Law", 56:12-29, for vehicles that have been replaced or repurchased by the manufacturer as the result of any one of the following: a court judgment, or a final decision pursuant to a hearing or settlement by the Office of Administrative Law, or an arbitration proceeding between the manufacturer or its agent and a consumer.)

4. Upon delivery to the consumer of the statement in (b)3 above the dealer or lessor shall obtain from the consumer a signed receipt, on a separate sheet of paper, which shall state the following, in underlined 10-point boldface type:

"I ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF NOTICE OF NONCONFORMITY OF THIS VEHICLE, VIN NO. _______ AS REQUIRED BY 56:12-35 (THE 'LEMON LAW')."

Alternatively, the dealer or lessor may fulfill this requirement by making the following notation in underlined boldface type on the front page of the vehicle buyer order form or the lease form:

"NOTICE OF NONCONFORMITY OF THIS VEHICLE, VIN NO. ________, HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE PURCHASER OR LESSEE, AS REQUIRED BY 56:12-35 (THE 'LEMON LAW')."

5. The manufacturer, dealer or lessor shall notify the Special Title Section of the MVC of the resale or release of the vehicle by requesting transfer of the branded title to the new owner or lessor, in writing.

(d) Each time a consumer's motor vehicle is returned from being examined or repaired during the term of protection, the manufacturer through its dealer shall provide to the consumer an itemized, legible statement of repair which indicates any diagnosis made and all work performed on the vehicle; the statement of repair shall provide at least the following information:

1. A description or identification of the problem reported by the consumer or an identification of the defect or condition;

2. A specific description of the repair work performed.

3. The amount charged for parts and the amount charged for labor, if paid by the consumer;

4. The date and the odometer reading when the vehicle was submitted for repair; and

5. The date and the odometer reading when the vehicle was made available to the consumer.

(e) Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be a violation of the Consumer Fraud Act, 56:8-1 et seq.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-26.3

Administrative change.
See: 25 N.J.R. 1516(b).
Amended by R.1994 d.176, effective 4/4/1994.
See: 25 N.J.R. 3939(a), 26 N.J.R. 1535(a).
Amended by R.1995 d.618, effective 12/4/1995.
See: 27 N.J.R. 3566(a), 27 N.J.R. 4899(b).
Administrative Change.
See: 32 N.J.R. 1037(a).
Amended by R.2006 d.141, effective 4/17/2006.
See: 37 N.J.R. 4369(a), 38 N.J.R. 1760(a).
In (b)2, substituted "Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC)" for "Division of Motor Vehicle"; in (b)3, corrected the statutory cite in the "Notice of Nonconformity" statement; in (b)5, substituted "MVC" for "Division of Motor Vehicles".
Amended by R.2010 d.166, effective 8/2/2010.
See: 41 N.J.R. 4187(a), 42 N.J.R. 1740(a).
In the introductory paragraph of (a), inserted "in English and Spanish" and "at least"; rewrote the written statement in (a); inserted designation (b); in (b), substituted "(a) above" for "this section"; and recodified former (b) through (d) as (c) through (e).