Lemon Law in New Hampshire
Working along side federal laws, New Hampshire state lemon laws are in place to help consumers achieve compensation for motor vehicles and trucks that have major defects. Motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, consumer appliances, and computers also qualify for lemon compensation.
In order to be eligible for lemon compensation in the state of New Hampshire a motor vehicle, which are the most common class of lemons, must still be under the manufacturer’s express warranty. The motor vehicle must also have suffered several attempted repairs for the same defect. The defect is required to inhibit the market value of the motor vehicle or inhibit the safety of the motor vehicle’s passengers.
Normal lemon defects include seatbelt issues and break issues. When a motor vehicle is deemed a lemon the consumer will either be refunded his or her purchase amount or have the motor vehicle replaced without cost.
A motor vehicle will also be eligible for lemon compensation if the vehicle has been out of service and in a repair facility for a total of thirty days. These thirty days are not required to be consecutive and can be added up throughout the express warranty’s time period. In this case the reasonable number of repair attempts are not necessary for the motor vehicle to be deemed a lemon.
Intent
The New Hampshire legislature declares that all importers, manufacturers, and distributors are bound by law to uphold lemon laws and are required to resolve the problem in a fast and costly efficient manner. When the manufacturer is to refund or replace the motor vehicle, the manufacturer must do so as conformed through the express warranty. The dealers of both new and used motor vehicle cannot be sued for providing lemon vehicles.
Warranties
Warranties will dictate how long a consumer has to report the lemon defect. If the lemon defect has received attempted repair three or more times while under express warranty and the consumer reports the motor vehicle as a lemon prior to the expiration of the express warranty, the motor vehicle may still receive manufacturer repair or replacement even if the express warranty has expired. The only instance where an express warranty’s effectiveness will be terminated prior to the one-year mark is when the motor vehicle’s mileage exceeds eighteen thousand miles.
While the vehicle is under express warranty the manufacturer, dealer, or agent is required to attempt a repair. This repair must conform the motor vehicle to the manufacturer’s standard, otherwise the motor vehicle will require replacement or refund. If the motor vehicle cannot be repaired to the manufacturer’s standard within thirty calendar days the consumer will also be eligible for compensation.
Refund
When a motor vehicle is refunded the purchasing price will be refunded along with licensing fees, repair fees, registration fees, government fees, and all other expenses. If the motor vehicle has received abuse or neglect, that is outside of the lemon defect, the manufacturer is not required to compensate for the abuse. This is also the case with cosmetic alterations, such as paint and radio additions.