New Jersey took significant steps to improve consumer protection and the remedies available to consumers unfortunate enough to end up buying a lemon. With the new requirements, a copy of the revised New Jersey lemon law must be provided to consumer in bolded font at least 10 points or larger at the time a vehicle is purchased or leased.

The revised notification must state:
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 motorhome, 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.

In addition to outlining the notification of lemon law rights at the time of sale, the new lemon law in New Jersey increases the time frame within which consumers are eligible for compensation from 1 year to 2 years and the maximum mileage also extends from 12,000 to 24,000. This means that a New Jersey car owner can qualify for remedies within 2 years of purchase if their car has not exceeded 24,000 miles.

“We applaud the state of New Jersey for taking action to protect its consumers” says New Jersey Lemon Law attorney David Gorberg. “For most people, a vehicle is the most expensive asset outside of a home. People rely on their car for the safety of their family, and getting to work reliably. We need to make sure our residents are protected when things go wrong with the car they have invested in.”