New Mexico Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer

The Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act applies the same standard to every manufacturer. New Mexico’s market concentrates in the Albuquerque metro (Bernalillo County), Santa Fe (high-altitude luxury), Las Cruces / Mesilla Valley (Doña Ana), Rio Rancho (Sandoval), the Permian Basin southeast (Hobbs/Carlsbad — heavy pickups), and the Four Corners (Farmington/Navajo Nation).

Topics in this section

• Tesla
• Toyota
• Honda
• Ford
• General Motors
• BMW
• Mercedes-Benz
• Audi / Volkswagen
• Hyundai
• Kia
• Nissan
• Stellantis (Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram)
• Subaru

New Mexico-specific factors

• No state-administered arbitration — court-driven (manufacturer BBB Auto Line only if certified under § 57-16A-6).
• Mandatory § 57-16A-9 lemon-law fees + mandatory UPA § 57-12-10(C) fees + Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) — a triple mandatory-character fee structure.
• UPA treble (up to 3×) on willful conduct — TSB / recall / concealment evidence supports it.
• Tight 1-year Rights Period and short 18-month SOL — move quickly.
• High-desert heat (south/central) stresses batteries, HVAC, paint, rubber, electronics.
• High altitude (Santa Fe, Taos) stresses turbos, cooling, EV range.
• 10,000-lb GVWR cap excludes heavy-duty pickups (F-250/350, Ram HD, Silverado/Sierra HD) — those go to UPA + Magnuson-Moss.
• D.N.M. (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell) is the federal venue for Magnuson-Moss.
• Motorcycles are covered under § 57-16A-2 — see motorcycles.

Related

Topic

New Mexico Lemon Law FAQ

Common questions about New Mexico lemon-law claims — qualifying, hiring a lawyer, cost, used vehicles, denied claims, repair shops, and deadlines.

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The Process: Filing a New Mexico Lemon Law Claim

Step by step through a New Mexico lemon-law claim — documenting repair attempts, the manufacturer's informal dispute settlement procedure, court action, and settlement.

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Qualifying Defects Under the New Mexico Lemon Law

Which defects meet New Mexico's 'substantially impairs use and market value' test — transmission, engine, brakes, electrical, steering/suspension, infotainment, and EV-specific failures.

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Remedies Under the New Mexico Lemon Law

What you can recover in a New Mexico Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act claim — refund, replacement, UPA actual/treble damages, and stacked mandatory attorney fees.

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The Law: New Mexico Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act and UPA

The statutes behind a New Mexico lemon-law claim — the Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act (N.M. Stat. § 57-16A-1), the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act (§ 57-12-1), Magnuson-Moss, and timing rules.

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Vehicle Types Under the New Mexico Lemon Law

How New Mexico's Motor Vehicle Quality Assurance Act applies across vehicle types — used (with a dedicated § 57-16A-3.1 provision), leased, EV, motorcycles (expressly covered), RVs, and commercial.

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