ultrarunner
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The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act can indirectly extend your warranty by allowing for a cause of action for a breach of warranty or service contract, even after the written warranty has expired, provided the defect appeared during the original warranty period. The Act also addresses situations where you're deprived of your product for an unreasonable time due to warranty repairs, allowing for an extension of the warranty period in such cases. Additionally, it provides legal recourse, such as for attorney fees, to ensure consumers can enforce their rights under the federal law and state lemon laws.
How the Magnuson-Moss Act Extended Warranty Protection
How the Magnuson-Moss Act Extended Warranty Protection
- Claims After Warranty Expiration:
The Act creates a cause of action for breach of a written warranty, which can be pursued even if the warranty period has passed, as long as the defect occurred and was present during the warranty term.
- Extension for Repair Delays:
The Act allows for the extension of the warranty period if the consumer is deprived of their product for an unreasonable amount of time due to the need for warranty repairs.
- Broader Consumer Rights:
It provides broader protections than many state lemon laws, applying even if a vehicle is slightly outside state-specific time or mileage limits but still under a written warranty or service contract.
- Protection for Used Cars:
The Act ensures that a used car with a written warranty or service contract is protected under federal law, preventing the sale of such a car "as is" during the warranty period.
- Attorney Fee Recovery:
A key feature is its fee-shifting provision, allowing consumers to recover attorney fees incurred when they win a case, making it more feasible to pursue claims for breaches of warranties or service contracts.
- Document everything:Keep records of purchase dates, all communications, and repair attempts.
- Allow reasonable repair attempts: Give the warrantor a fair opportunity to fix the defect.
- Escalate the issue: If the problem persists, notify the manufacturer's customer care contact.