Source: http://www.lemonlaw.com/tennessee_lemon_law.html
Timestamp: 2017-02-24 01:24:26
Document Index: 159370450

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 162', 'art:\n1', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 55', '§ 5', 'art 703', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 55', '§ 6', '§ 55', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 9', '§ 55', '§ 10', '§ 12', '§ 1']

TN Lemon Law Statute
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1. "Consumer" means the purchaser (other than for purposes of resale) or the lessee of a motor vehicle, any person to whom such motor vehicle is transferred during the duration of an express warranty applicable to such motor vehicle, and any other person entitled by the terms of such warranty to enforce the obligations of the warranty. "Consumer" does not include any governmental entity or any business or commercial entity which registers three (3) or more vehicles;
2. "Lessee" means any consumer who leases a motor vehicle pursuant to a written lease agreement by which a manufacturer's warranty was issued as a condition of sale or which provides that the lessee is responsible for repairs to such motor vehicle;
3. "Motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle as defined in § 55-1-103, which is sold and subject to the registration and certificate of title provisions in chapters 1-6 of this title in the state of Tennessee, and classified as a Class C vehicle according to § 55-4-111. For the purposes of this part, "motor vehicle" does not include motorized bicycles as defined in § 55-8-101, motor homes as defined in § 55-1-104, lawnmowers or garden tractors, recreational vehicles or off-road vehicles and vehicles over ten thousand (10,000) pounds gross vehicle weight;
4. "Substantially impair" means to render a motor vehicle unreliable or unsafe for normal operation or to reduce its resale market value below the average resale value for comparable motor vehicles; and
5. "Term of protection" means the term of applicable express warranties or the period of one (1) year following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer, whichever comes first; or, in the case of a replacement vehicle provided by a manufacturer to a consumer under this part, one (1) year from the date of delivery to the consumer of the replacement vehicle.
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 1.]
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 2.]
1. The manufacturer must replace the motor vehicle with a comparable motor vehicle or accept return of the vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer the full purchase price if:
1. The nonconformity, defect or condition substantially impairs the motor vehicle; and
2. The manufacturer, its agent or authorized dealer is unable to conform the motor vehicle to any applicable express warranty after a reasonable number of attempts.
3. "Full purchase price" means the actual cost paid by the consumer, including all collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for use; and
4. (A) "Reasonable allowance for use" means that amount directly attributable to use by a consumer prior to such consumer's first report of the nonconformity to the manufacturer, agent or dealer and during any subsequent period when the vehicle is not out of service by reason of repair, plus a reasonable amount for any damage not attributable to normal wear.
2. A reasonable allowance for use shall not exceed one half (1/2) of the amount allowed per mile by the internal revenue service, as provided by regulation, revenue procedure or revenue ruling promulgated pursuant to § 162 of the Internal Revenue Code, for use of a personal vehicle for business purposes, plus an amount to account for any loss to the fair market value of the vehicle resulting from damage beyond normal wear and tear, unless the damage resulted from nonconformity to an express warranty.
3. Refunds shall be made to the consumer, and lienholder, if any, as their interests appear. The provisions of this section shall not affect the interests of a lienholder; unless the lienholder consents to the replacement of the lien with a corresponding lien on the vehicle accepted by the consumer in exchange for the vehicle having a nonconformity, the lienholder shall be paid in full the amount due on the lien, including interest and other charges, before an exchange of automobiles or a refund to the consumer is made.
4. In instances where a vehicle which was financed by the manufacturer or its subsidiary or agent is replaced under the provisions of this section, the manufacturer, subsidiary or agent shall not require the consumer to enter into any refinancing agreement which would create any financial obligations upon such consumer beyond those imposed by the original financing agreement.
5. It shall be an affirmative defense to any claim under this part:
1. That an alleged nonconformity does not substantially impair a motor vehicle; or
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 3.]
1. In the case of a leased vehicle, refunds will be made to the lessor and lessee as follows: The lessee will receive the lessee cost and the lessor will receive the lease price less the aggregate deposit and rental payments previously paid to the lessor for the leased vehicle.
1. "Lease price" means the aggregate of:
1. Lessor's actual purchase cost;
2. Freight, if applicable;
3. Accessories, if applicable;
5. An amount equal to five percent (5%) of subdivision (b)(1);
3. "Lessee cost" means the aggregate deposit and rental payments previously paid to the lessor for the leased vehicle less service fees; and
4. "Service fees" means the portion of a lease payment attributable to:
1. An amount for earned interest calculated on the rental payments previously paid to the lessor for the leased vehicle at an annual rate equal to two (2) points above the prime rate in effect on the date of the execution of the lease; and
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 4.]
1. It shall be presumed that a reasonable number of attempts have been undertaken to conform a motor vehicle to the applicable express warranties, if:
1. The same nonconformity has been subject to repair four (4) or more times by the manufacturer or its agents or authorized dealers, but such nonconformity continues to exist; or
2. The vehicle is out of service by reason of repair for a cumulative total of thirty (30) or more calendar days during the term of protection.
2. The term of protection and such thirty-day period shall be extended by any period of time during which repair services are not available to the consumer because of a war, invasion, strike or fire, flood or other natural disaster.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the consumer, or the representative of the consumer, prior to proceeding under the provisions of § 55-24-203, to give written notification by certified mail directly to the manufacturer of the need for the correction or repair of the nonconformity. If the address of the manufacturer is not readily available to the consumer in the owner's manual or manufacturer's warranty received by the consumer at the time of purchase of the motor vehicle, such written notification shall be mailed to an authorized dealer. The authorized dealer shall upon receipt forward such notification to the manufacturer. If, at the time such notice is given, either of the conditions set forth in subsection (a) already exists, the manufacturer shall be given an additional opportunity after receipt of the notification, not to exceed ten (10) days, to correct or repair the nonconformity.
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 5.]
1. If a manufacturer has established or participates in an informal dispute settlement procedure which complies with the provisions of Title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 703, as those provisions read on November 3, 1983, and of this part, and causes the consumer to be notified of the procedure, the provisions of § 55-24-203 concerning refunds or replacement shall not apply to any consumer who has not first resorted to such procedure. The attorney general and reporter shall, upon application, issue a determination whether an informal dispute resolution mechanism qualifies under this section.
1. The informal dispute settlement panel shall determine whether the motor vehicle does or does not conform to all applicable express warranties.
2. If the motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties, the informal dispute settlement panel shall then determine whether the nonconformity substantially impairs the motor vehicle.
3. If the nonconformity does substantially impair the motor vehicle, the informal dispute settlement panel shall then determine, in accordance with this part, whether a reasonable number of attempts have been made to correct the nonconformity.
4. If a reasonable number of attempts have been made to correct the nonconformity, the informal dispute settlement panel shall determine whether the manufacturer has been given an opportunity to repair the motor vehicle as provided in § 55-24-202.
5. If the manufacturer has been given an opportunity to repair the motor vehicle as provided in § 55-24-202, the panel shall find that the consumer is entitled to refund or replacement as provided in § 55-24-203(a).
6. The informal dispute settlement panel shall determine the amount of collateral charges, where appropriate.
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 6.]
1. Any action brought under this part shall be commenced within six (6) months following:
2. The statute of limitations shall be tolled for the period beginning on the date when the consumer submits a dispute to an informal dispute settlement procedure as provided in § 55-24-206 and ending on the date of its decision or the date before which the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer is required by the decision to fulfill its terms, whichever comes later.
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 7.]
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 8.]
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 9.]
1. Nothing in this part shall in any way limit the rights or remedies which are otherwise available to a consumer under any other law.
2. In no event shall a consumer who has resorted to an informal dispute settlement procedure be precluded from seeking the rights or remedies available by law. However, if the consumer elects to pursue any other remedy in state or federal court, the remedy available under this part shall not be available insofar as it would result in recovery in excess of the recovery authorized by § 55-24-203 without proof of fault resulting in damages in excess of such recovery.
3. Any agreement entered into by a consumer for, or in connection with, the purchase or lease of a new motor vehicle which waives, limits or disclaims the rights set forth in this part shall be void as contrary to public policy. These rights shall inure to a subsequent transferee of such motor vehicle.
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 10.]
History[Acts 1986, ch. 857, § 12.]
History[Acts 1994, ch. 672, § 1.]