Illinois State Statutes
Chapter 815, Section 380
Business Transactions
New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act
815.380.1
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act.
815.380.2 Definitions.
For the purposes of this Act, the following words have the meanings ascribed to them in
this Section.
(a) "Consumer" means an individual who purchases or leases for a
period of at least one year a new vehicle from the seller for the purposes of
transporting himself and others, as well as their personal property, for primarily
personal, household or family purposes.
(b) "Express warranty" has the same meaning, for the purposes of
this Act, as it has for the purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code.
(c) "New vehicle" means a passenger car, as defined in Section 1-157
of The Illinois Vehicle Code, a motor vehicle of the Second Division having a weight of
under 8,000 pounds, as defined in Section 1-146 of that Code, and a recreational
vehicle, except for a camping trailer or travel trailer that does not qualify under the
definition of a used motor vehicle, as set forth in Section 1-216 of that Code.
(d) "Nonconformity" refers to a new vehicle's failure to conform to
all express warranties applicable to such vehicle, which failure substantially impairs
the use, market value or safety of that vehicle.
(e) "Seller" means the manufacturer of a new vehicle, that
manufacturer's agent or distributor or that manufacturer's authorized dealer.
"Seller" also means, with respect to a new vehicle which is also a modified
vehicle, as defined in Section 1-144.1 of The Illinois Vehicle Code, as now or hereafter
amended, the person who modified the vehicle and that person's agent or distributor or
that person's authorized dealer. "Seller" also means, with respect to leased
new vehicles, the manufacturer, that manufacturer's agent or distributor or that
manufacturer's dealer, who transfers the right to possession and use of goods under a
lease.
(f) "Statutory warranty period" means the period of one year or
12,000 miles, whichever occurs first after the date of the delivery of a new vehicle to
the consumer who purchased or leased it.
(g) "Lease cost" includes deposits, fees, taxes, down payments,
periodic payments, and any other amount paid to a seller by a consumer in connection
with the lease of a new vehicle.
815.380.3 Failure of vehicle to conform; remedies; presumptions.
(a) If after a reasonable number of attempts the seller is unable to conform
the new vehicle to any of its applicable express warranties, the manufacturer shall
either provide the consumer with a new vehicle of like model line, if available, or
otherwise a comparable motor vehicle as a replacement, or accept the return of the
vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer the full purchase price or lease
cost of the new vehicle, including all collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance
for consumer use of the vehicle. For purposes of this Section, "collateral
charges" does not include taxes paid by the purchaser on the initial purchase of
the new vehicle. The retailer who initially sold the vehicle may file a claim for credit
for taxes paid pursuant to the terms of Sections 6, 6a, 6b, and 6c of the Retailers'
Occupation Tax Act. Should the vehicle be converted, modified or altered in a way other
than the manufacturer's original design, the party which performed the conversion or
modification shall be liable under the provisions of this Act, provided the part or
parts causing the vehicle not to perform according to its warranty were altered or
modified.
(b) A presumption that a reasonable number of attempts have been undertaken to
conform a new vehicle to its express warranties shall arise where, within the statutory
warranty period,
(1) the same nonconformity has been subject to repair by the seller, its
agents or authorized dealers during the statutory warranty period, 4 or more times,
and such nonconformity continues to exist; or
(2) the vehicle has been out of service by reason of repair of
nonconformities for a total of 30 or more business days during the statutory warranty
period.
(c) A reasonable allowance for consumer use of a vehicle is that amount
directly attributable to the wear and tear incurred by the new vehicle as a result of
its having been used prior to the first report of a nonconformity to the seller, and
during any subsequent period in which it is not out of service by reason of repair.
(d) The fact that a new vehicle's failure to conform to an express warranty is
the result of abuse, neglect or unauthorized modifications or alterations is an
affirmative defense to claims brought under this Act.
(e) The statutory warranty period of a new vehicle shall be suspended for any
period of time during which repair services are not available to the consumer because of
a war, invasion or strike, or a fire, flood or other natural disaster.
(f) Refunds made pursuant to this Act shall be made to the consumer, and lien
holder if any exists, as their respective interests appear.
(g) For the purposes of this Act, a manufacturer sells a new vehicle to a
consumer when he provides that consumer with a replacement vehicle pursuant to
subsection (a).
(h) In no event shall the presumption herein provided apply against a
manufacturer, his agent, distributor or dealer unless the manufacturer has received
prior direct written notification from or on behalf of the consumer, and has an
opportunity to correct the alleged defect.
815.380.4
(a) The provisions of subsection (a) of Section 3 shall not apply unless the
consumer has first resorted to an informal settlement procedure applicable to disputes
to which that subsection would apply where
(1) The manufacturer of the new vehicle has established such a procedure;
(2) The procedure conforms:
(i) substantially with the provisions of Title 16, Code of Federal
Regulation, Part 703, as from time to time amended, and
(ii) to the requirements of subsection (c); and
(3) The consumer has received from the seller adequate written notice of the
existence of the procedure. Adequate written notice includes but is not limited to the
incorporation of the informal dispute settlement procedure into the terms of the
written warranty to which the vehicle does not conform.
(b) If the consumer is dissatisfied with the decision reached in an informal
dispute settlement procedure or the results of such a decision, he may bring a civil
action to enforce his rights under subsection (a) of Section 3. The decision reached in
the informal dispute settlement procedure is admissible in such a civil action. The
period of limitations for a civil action to enforce a consumer's rights or remedies
under subsection (a) of Section 3 shall be extended for a period equal to the number of
days the subject matter of the civil action was pending in the informal dispute
settlement procedure.
(c) A disclosure of the decision in an informal dispute settlement procedure
shall include notice to the consumer of the provisions of subsection (b).
815.380.5
Persons electing to proceed and settle under this Act shall be barred from a separate
cause of action under the Uniform Commercial Code.
815.380.6
Any action brought under this Act shall be commenced within eighteen months following
the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer.
815.380.7
The seller who sells a new vehicle to a consumer, shall, upon delivery of that vehicle
to the consumer, provide the consumer with a written statement clearly and conspicuously
setting forth in full detail the consumer's rights under subsection (a) of Section 3, and
the presumptions created by subsection (b) of that Section.
815.380.8
This Act shall apply to motor vehicles beginning with the model year following the
effective date of this Act.
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