New Jersey Lemon Law Information
Robison Lemon Law’s Licensed Jersey City Attorneys will help you see your Lemon Law claim through to execution. Give us a call or contact us to let us know how we can help with your lemon.
First, here’s what you need to know about the New Jersey Lemon Law:
What qualifies as an NJ Lemon:
One of the following must apply to your vehicle:
- The car must be less than two years old
- Have 24,000 miles or less on it
How to know your car is a Lemon in NJ:
- The issue with your vehicle is not resolved within three trips to the manufacturer-approved shop for repair
- The issue with your vehicle is not resolved after it has spent at least 20 days (total) in a manufacturer-approved shop for repair
- Your vehicle’s serious safety defect is not resolved within one trip to the manufacturer-approved shop for repair
- The vehicle’s defect or problem reduces its value, safety, and/or overall usefulness
- The vehicle’s defect or problem amounts to a serious safety defect that renders it likely to cause serious injury or death if driven
Does NJ Lemon Law Cover Used cars?
New Jersey’s used car lemon law protects consumers who purchase or lease vehicles from dealerships within NJ. The used car lemon law requires a fair number of visits shortly after purchase. Because of this, make sure you start keeping records at the first sign of trouble.
Used Car Lemon Law Requirements in New Jersey:
- The vehicle must be less than seven years old and have fewer than 100,00 miles on the odometer at the time of purchase
- The vehicle must be purchased from a dealership, not a private seller
- The purchase price must be at least $3,000
- The defect must be unresolved after three repair attempts and/or twenty cumulative days out of service during the warranty period
- After the failed second attempt or twenty days out of service, a certified letter must be sent to the selling dealer
Used Car Dealer Warranty
The lemon law warranty provided by the dealer varies according to the vehicle’s mileage at the time of purchase:
- 0-24,000 miles, the dealership must provide a warranty for 90 days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first
- 24,000-60,000 miles, the dealership must provide a warranty for 60 days or 2,000 miles, whichever comes first
- 60,000-100,000 miles, the dealership must provide a warranty of 30 days or 1,000 miles, whichever comes first
Exceptions to the Lemon Law in Jersey City
- Does not apply to motorcycles, off-road vehicles, the living portion of a motor home, and commercial vehicles. Also does not apply to vehicles that still have the original manufacturer’s warranty
- A claim must be brought within four years after the date of purchase
- There are caveats and exceptions to this rule that may extend this requirement
- Does not apply to vehicles with 60,000 or more miles when the warranty has been waived and the car is sold “as is.”
- Does not apply to salvaged vehicles or those that have been modified, abused or not maintained by the consumer
Our Lemon Law Process
1) Client Intake
We will assess your case to ensure that the vehicle is no more than 5 years old, and that the defect started within the applicable warranty period. Once we’ve determined that you may have a viable claim, we will send you an initial client packet which will give you further insight into the process and how your case will proceed.
We will also work with you to obtain all the necessary documentation to further evaluate your claim and pursue the matter to the fullest extent.
2) Pre-Litigation Claim Resolution
Some manufacturers require that your claim be submitted to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the National Center for Dispute Resolution (NCDS). Our firm will handle the submission of your case to these agencies and follow up on their progress. If the agency finds that your vehicle qualifies for lemon law, our firm will work with the manufacturer to attempt to enforce this decision.
However, it is important to note that the decision made by the agency is not binding on either party, so if we are unable to resolve your case with the manufacturer, or we receive a decision from the agency not in our favor, we still have the right to file a lawsuit.
Our Expert Mechanics Will Help Maximize Your Chances Of Recovery
Other manufacturers have a pre-litigation group which allows us to submit your claim with the manufacturer prior to filing a lawsuit. This can be an effective means to efficiently and quickly resolve the matter with the manufacturer. However, should a resolution not be reached, we will have the right to file a lawsuit on your behalf.
3) Filing Suit
If we cannot settle the claim through the pre-litigation process or the manufacturer does not have a group to contact, we’ll file suit.
The costs of filing suit are paid for by the Robison Lemon Law Group and do not come from our clients as the Lemon Law and Breach of Warranty Statutes include provisions that allow us to recover the costs related to your claim from the manufacturer.
All Cases Reviewed By An Experienced Attorney
An exception to this is any claim that falls solely under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). These claims are generally those for commercial vehicles (ie. heavy duty trucks) that are not manufactured for personal use. In these cases, a contingency agreement is signed with our clients.
Under these agreements, our firm retains a percentage of any recovery received to recoup these costs and fees. If no recovery is received, our clients are still not responsible for the payment of these costs and fees.
4) Once a Case is Filed
We zealously work to gather all the necessary documentation to pursue the claim while attempting to resolve the matter with the manufacturer.
It is also important to note that each case is different and not all timelines are the same. Some cases may settle quickly, while others take a bit more time. Either way, throughout the entire process our firm will regularly communicate with you and keep you up to date.
5) Discovery
After the case is filed, we enter the discovery phase. During this time, we collect all the information necessary to pursue your lemon law and/or breach of warranty claim and provide copies of these documents to the manufacturer.
We strongly recommend that if you are still having problems with your vehicle, that you return to the dealership during this time and report the defect. Please be sure to obtain a repair order every time you visit the dealership for a problem.
6) Arbitration
Some states, such as PA and NJ, have an arbitration process that helps resolve many lemon law and breach of warranty claims. Many cases are able to settle prior to attending arbitration, but others may have to go forward.
Arbitration permits both sides to come before neutral legal professionals and argue their case. At this time, you will answer questions related to your claim and explain why your vehicle violates lemon law and/or the breach of warranty statues. An attorney from our group will attend the arbitration with you and walk you through the entire process.
A decision is generally received within seven (7) to ten (10) days after the arbitration. If either side disagrees with the decision, an appeal can be filed within thirty (30) days of the date of the arbitration.
7) Trials
In the unlikely event that your case goes to trial, you must attend along with our experts. Trials generally last 2-3 days.
Why Hire an Attorney for Your Lemon Law Case
Now you may be wondering “why should I hire an attorney for my Lemon Law Case?” Although Lemon Law may appear on paper to be in favor of the client and against vehicle proprietors, all is not as it seems. Producers and businesses will challenge a purchaser’s Lemon Law claim with their abundant legal assets. You will be going against large corporations with their high paid attorneys that will fight to get your case thrown out. That’s where we come in.
When you enlist the help of Robison Lemon Law Group, we fight for your case and work to win. We also practice Lemon Law litigation in many states including Pennsylvania Lemon Law and New York Lemon Law. For more info, read more here!
Jersey City
Jersey City Resources:
Jersey City Area Car Dealerships
Robison Lemon Law covers Lemon claims from the following dealerships in Jersey City:
Huston Toyota - Toyota Dealership located at 599 NJ-440, Jersey City, NJ 07305
Hudson Hyundai - Hyundai Dealership located at 977 Communipaw Ave.Jersey City, NJ 07304
Jersey City Kia - Kia Dealership located at 36 Water Street Jersey City, NJ 07305
Find Out if YOU Qualify for the Lemon Law
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