Arizona
Lemon Law
Aizona Revised Statutes §§
44-1261 to 1267
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44-1261 . Definitions; exemptions
A. In this article, unless
the context otherwise requires:
1. "Consumer"
means the purchaser, other than for purposes
of resale, of a motor vehicle, any person
to whom the motor vehicle is transferred
during the duration of an express warranty
applicable to the motor vehicle or any
other person entitled by the terms of
the warranty to enforce the obligations
of the warranty.
2. "Motor vehicle" means a self-propelled
vehicle designated primarily for the transportation
of persons or property over the public
highways.
3. "Used motor vehicle"
means a motor vehicle that has been sold,
bargained, exchanged or given away or
the title to which has been transferred
from the person who first acquired the
vehicle from the manufacturer, importer
or dealer or agent of the manufacturer
or importer and that has been placed in
bona fide consumer use.
4. "Used motor vehicle
dealer" means a person or business
that sells or offers for sale a used motor
vehicle after selling or offering for
sale four or more used motor vehicles
in the previous twelve months but does
not include a bank or financial institution,
an insurance company, a business selling
a used motor vehicle to an employee of
that business, a lessor selling a leased
vehicle by or to the lessee of that vehicle
or to an employee of the lessee of that
vehicle or a person who buys, sells, exchanges
or offers or attempts to negotiate a sale
of or exchange an interest in a classic
car as defined in section 28-2483 or a
historic vehicle as defined in section
28-2484.
B. If the motor vehicle
is a motor home, the provisions of this
article shall apply to the self-propelled
vehicle and chassis but not to those portions
of the vehicle designed, used or maintained
primarily as a mobile dwelling, office
or commercial space.
C. The provisions of
this article do not apply to a sale of
a motor vehicle to a purchaser for the
purpose of resale for profit or to a motor
vehicle with a declared gross weight over
ten thousand pounds or that is sold at
a public auction.
44-1262 . New motor vehicle; repair during
express warranty or two years or twenty-four
thousand miles
A. If a new motor vehicle does not conform
to all applicable express warranties:
1. A consumer shall report
the nonconformity to the manufacturer,
its agent or its authorized dealer or
issuer of a warranty during the shorter
of the following:
(a) The term of the express warranty.
(b) The period of two years or twenty-four
thousand miles following the date of original
delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer,
whichever is earlier.
2. The manufacturer,
its agent or its authorized dealer or
the issuer of a warranty shall make those
repairs that are necessary to conform
the motor vehicle to such express warranties,
even if the repairs are made after the
expiration of the term or two year period
or twenty-four thousand mile limit.
B. This section does
not limit in any way the remedies available
to a consumer under a new motor vehicle
warranty that extends beyond the limits
prescribed in this section.
44-1263 . Inability to
conform motor vehicle to express warranty;
replacement of vehicle or refund of monies;
affirmative defenses
A. If the manufacturer, its agents or
its authorized dealers are unable to conform
the motor vehicle to any applicable express
warranty by repairing or correcting any
defect or condition which substantially
impairs the use and value of the motor
vehicle to the consumer after a reasonable
number of attempts, the manufacturer shall
replace the motor vehicle with a new motor
vehicle or accept return of the motor
vehicle from the consumer and refund to
the consumer the full purchase price,
including all collateral charges, less
a reasonable allowance for the consumer's
use of the vehicle. The manufacturer shall
make refunds to the consumer and lienholder,
if any, as their interests appear. A reasonable
allowance for use is that amount directly
attributable to use by the consumer before
his first written 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.
B. It is an affirmative defense to any
claim under this article that either:
1. An alleged nonconformity
does not substantially impair the use
and market value of the motor vehicle.
2. A nonconformity is the result of abuse,
neglect or unauthorized modifications
or alterations of the motor vehicle.
44-1264 . Reasonable
number of attempts to conform motor vehicle
to express warranty; presumption
A. It is presumed that a reasonable number
of attempts have been undertaken to conform
a motor vehicle to the applicable express
warranties if either:
1. The same nonconformity
has been subject to repair four or more
times by the manufacturer or its agents
or authorized dealers during the shorter
of the express warranty term or the period
of two years or twenty-four thousand miles
following the date of original delivery
of the motor vehicle to the consumer,
whichever is earlier, but the nonconformity
continues to exist.
2. The motor vehicle is out of service
by reason of repair for a cumulative total
of thirty or more calendar days during
the shorter of the express warranty term
or the two year period or twenty-four
thousand miles, whichever is earlier.
B. The term of an express
warranty, the two year period and the
thirty day period are extended by any
period of time during which repair services
are not available to the consumer because
of any war, invasion, strike, fire, flood
or other natural disaster.
C. The presumption prescribed
in this section does not apply against
a manufacturer unless the manufacturer
has received prior direct written notification
from or on behalf of the consumer of the
alleged defect and has had an opportunity
to cure the alleged defect.
44-1265 . Nonlimitation of rights; refund
or replacement not required if certain
procedures not followed; attorney fees
A. If a manufacturer
has established or participates in an
informal dispute settlement procedure
which complies in all respects with 16
code of federal regulations part 703,
section 44-1263 relating to refunds or
replacement does not apply to any consumer
who has not first resorted to such a procedure.
B. A consumer shall begin an action under
this article within six months following
the earlier of expiration of the express
warranty term or two years or twenty-four
thousand miles following the date of original
delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer,
whichever is earlier. If a consumer prevails
in an action under this article, the court
shall award the consumer reasonable costs
and attorney fees.
44-1266 . Notice to dealers
and prospective purchasers
A. A manufacturer who has been ordered
by judgment or decree to replace or repurchase
a motor vehicle pursuant to this article
or the repair or replace laws of another
state shall, before offering the motor
vehicle for resale, attach to the motor
vehicle written notification indicating
the motor vehicle has been replaced or
repurchased. A consumer has a cause of
action against any person who removes
the written notification from the motor
vehicle, except as provided in subsection
B of this section.
B. A motor vehicle dealer, broker, wholesale
motor vehicle dealer or wholesale motor
vehicle auction dealer as defined in section
28-4301 who offers for sale a motor vehicle
that has been replaced or repurchased
pursuant to this article or the repair
or replace laws of another state shall
provide the purchaser with the manufacturer's
written notification indicating that the
motor vehicle has been replaced or repurchased
before completion of the sale.
C. It shall constitute
an affirmative defense in an action brought
pursuant to subsection A of this section
against a motor vehicle dealer or an agent
of a motor vehicle dealer that the notification
described in subsection A of this section
was removed by someone other than the
dealer or agent without the knowledge
of the dealer or agent.
44-1267 . Used motor
vehicles; title; implied warranty of merchantability
disclaimer; waiver; burden of proof; remedies
A. Before the seller attempts to sell
a used motor vehicle the seller shall
possess the title to the used motor vehicle
and the title shall be in the seller's
name.
B. Except as provided in subsection I
of this section and in addition to the
requirements of section 28-4412, a used
motor vehicle dealer shall not exclude,
modify or disclaim the implied warranty
of merchantability prescribed in section
47-2314 or limit the remedies for a breach
of that warranty, except as otherwise
provided in this section, before midnight
of the fifteenth calendar day after delivery
of a used motor vehicle or until a used
motor vehicle is driven five hundred miles
after delivery, whichever is earlier.
In calculating time under this subsection,
a day on which the warranty is breached
is excluded and all subsequent days in
which the motor vehicle fails to conform
with the implied warranty of merchantability
are also excluded. In calculating distance
under this subsection, the miles driven
to obtain or in connection with the repair,
servicing or testing of the motor vehicle
that fails to conform with the implied
warranty of merchantability are excluded.
An attempt to exclude, modify or disclaim
the implied warranty of merchantability
or to limit the remedies for a breach
of that warranty, except as otherwise
provided in this section, in violation
of this subsection renders a purchase
agreement voidable at the option of the
purchaser.
C. For the purposes of
this section, the implied warranty of
merchantability is met if the motor vehicle
functions in a safe condition as provided
in title 28, chapter 3, article 16 and
is substantially free of any defect that
significantly limits the use of the motor
vehicle for the ordinary purpose of transportation
on any public highway. The implied warranty
of merchantability expires at midnight
of the fifteenth calendar day after delivery
of a used motor vehicle or when a used
motor vehicle has been driven five hundred
miles after delivery, whichever is earlier.
In calculating time under this subsection,
a day on which the warranty is breached
is excluded and all subsequent days in
which the motor vehicle fails to conform
with the implied arranty of merchantability
are also excluded. In calculating distance
under this subsection, the miles driven
to obtain or in connection with the repair,
servicing or testing of the motor vehicle
that fails to conform with the implied
warranty of merchantability are excluded.
D. The implied warranty
of merchantability described in this section
does not extend to damage that occurs
after the sale of the motor vehicle and
that is the result of any abuse, misuse,
neglect, failure to perform regular maintenance
or to maintain adequate oil, coolant or
other required fluid or lubricant or off
road use, racing or towing.
E. If the implied warranty
of merchantability described in this section
is breached, the purchaser shall give
reasonable notice to the seller. Before
the purchaser exercises any other remedies
under title 47, chapter 2, the seller
shall have a reasonable opportunity to
repair the vehicle. The purchaser shall
pay one-half of the cost of the first
two repairs necessary to bring the vehicle
in compliance with the warranty. The purchaser's
payments are limited to a maximum payment
of twenty-five dollars for each repair.
F. The maximum liability
of the seller under this section is limited
to the purchase price paid for the used
motor vehicle.
G. An agreement for the
sale of a used motor vehicle by a used
motor vehicle dealer is voidable at the
option of the purchaser unless it contains
on its face the following conspicuous
statement printed in bold-faced ten point
or larger type set off from the body of
the agreement:
The seller hereby warrants
that this vehicle will be fit for the
ordinary purposes for which the vehicle
is used for 15 days or 500 miles after
delivery, whichever is earlier, except
with regard to particular defects disclosed
on the first page of this agreement. You
(the purchaser) will have to pay up to
$25.00 for each of the first two repairs
if the warranty is violated.
H. The inclusion of the
statement prescribed in subsection G of
this section in the agreement does not
create an express warranty.
I. A purchaser of a used
motor vehicle may waive the implied warranty
of merchantability described in this section
only for a particular defect in the vehicle
and only if all of the following conditions
are satisfied:
1. The used motor vehicle dealer fully
and accurately discloses to the purchaser
that because of circumstances unusual
to the used motor vehicle dealer's business,
the used motor vehicle has a particular
defect.
2. The purchaser agrees to buy the used
motor vehicle after disclosure of the
defect.
3. Before the sale, the
purchaser indicates agreement to the waiver
by signing and dating the following conspicuous
statement that is printed on the first
page of the sales agreement in bold-faced
ten point or larger type and that is written
in the language in which the presentation
was made:
Attention purchaser:
sign here only if the dealer told you
that this vehicle has the following problem(s)
and that you agree to buy the vehicle
on those terms:
1._______________________________
2._______________________________
3._______________________________
J. The dealer has the
burden to prove by a preponderance of
the evidence that the dealer complied
with subsection I of this section.
K. Any purchaser or seller
who is aggrieved by a transaction pursuant
to this section and who seeks a legal
remedy shall pursue any appropriate remedy
prescribed in title 47, chapter 2 and
shall comply with the requirements prescribed
in title 47, chapter 2.
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