Get Compensation for Your Defective Vehicle
New Jersey’s Lemon Law protects consumers by ensuring they are entitled to a refund or replacement for their new, defective vehicles.
“Lemon Law protects owners and lessees of vehicles with persistent defects.” –– Joseph Novel, Esq.
founding attorney
Full refund, incl. taxes, fees, & remaining loan balance.
You’ll receive a new car of equal value.
Under the New Jersey Lemon Law, your vehicle may qualify if it has a nonconformity — a defect or condition that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety — and the manufacturer is unable to correct it within a reasonable time. The nonconformity must be reported during the first 18,000 miles of operation or within two years of the original delivery date, whichever comes first. If your new car has been failing repeatedly without a real fix, the New Jersey Lemon Law gives you strong grounds to pursue a refund or replacement.
Under New Jersey Lemon Law 56:12-33, the manufacturer is presumed unable to fix a nonconformity within a reasonable time if the same defect has been subject to repair three or more times without being resolved, or if your vehicle has been out of service for a cumulative total of 20 or more calendar days, all within the first 18,000 miles or two years of delivery. Importantly, before the presumption applies, you must send the manufacturer written notification by certified mail with return receipt requested, giving them one final opportunity of 10 calendar days to repair the defect. Once those thresholds are met, the New Jersey Lemon Law firmly supports your right to demand a refund or replacement.
If your vehicle qualifies under the New Jersey Lemon Law, the manufacturer must accept the return of your vehicle and provide a full refund of the purchase price. The refund covers trade-in or down payment credits, options added within 30 days of delivery, sales tax, license and registration fees, finance charges, towing reimbursement, and rental car expenses for the period your vehicle was out of service, minus a reasonable allowance for your use. The manufacturer may also offer a replacement vehicle, but you always have the right under the New Jersey Lemon Law to reject that offer and demand a refund instead.
Yes, leased vehicles are fully covered under the New Jersey Lemon Law. If you leased a new motor vehicle and it qualifies as a lemon, you have the same remedies as a buyer, including the right to a full refund of all payments made under the lease agreement plus additional charges, without any early termination penalty. The New Jersey Lemon Law makes sure that lessees are not left without recourse, so do not assume that because you are leasing rather than owning, your rights are limited.
Yes, and it is one of the best steps you can take early in the process. The New Jersey Lemon Law has specific certified mail notice requirements, filing procedures with the Division of Consumer Affairs, and strict timelines that can be easy to get wrong without guidance. Under New Jersey Lemon Law 56:12-42, a prevailing consumer is entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, expert witness fees, and costs, meaning legal help typically costs you nothing out of pocket. A New Jersey Lemon Law attorney can protect your rights and make sure every step is handled correctly from the start.
