Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act

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TODO: Would like someone to look over the law's textand give a more robust summary; until then the summary is from Wikipedia.

Summary

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 is a federal law enacted in the United States. The law sets some of the rules that manufacturers must follow when giving warranties, if they choose to provide one. Some of the rules are (may not be legally valid; consult legal experts for specifics):

• Warranties must be specified in clear language.
• It is prohibited to require only "branded parts" as a requirement for a warranty.
• There are additional requirements imposed upon manufacturers if they choose to advertise a "full warranty."
• prevents manufactures from using misleading or unfair disclaimers to circumvent their warranty obligations.
  • one example of such disclaimers is "warranty void if removed stickers"

In cases of violation, consumers are encouraged to negotiate with warrantors under arbitration. Additionally, the federal government and consumers are able to file civil suits in the courts.

History of Enforcement

The act is an important piece of legislation, but its enforcement is a mixed bag. Although it is enforced, often the fines are little to nothing, which encourages manufacturers to disregard it. This effectively prevents the act from properly keeping vendors accountable.

Toyota held labile for all damages in used car's in-warranty repair case - June 16, 1992.

"Due to the purchase of the subject vehicle in used `as is' condition, the Defendant (Toyota) dealer assumed and bore no responsibility for subsequent repair of the vehicle or its road worthiness. " the plaintiff (vehicle owner) was found to be correct and the defendant (toyota) was found liable for damages plaintiff (vehicle owner) suffered as a result of that violation