2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Lemon Law Buyback in New Jersey
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Our client leased a new 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 in New Jersey. In January 2026 the truck would not go into reverse, the check engine light came on and power dropped with a "drive with care" warning. The manufacturer repurchased it in a buyback valued at $64,286.
The vehicle and its defects
The truck was a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500, leased new in August 2024 with 10 miles on the odometer. For more than a year it ran without a documented repair.
That changed at 13,685 miles. Three problems showed up together. The check engine light stayed on, the transmission refused to select reverse, and the truck lost acceleration while the dashboard displayed a "drive with care" message. The record ties these complaints to the engine, the transmission and the electrical system.
| Vehicle | 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 |
|---|---|
| State | New Jersey |
| Purchase | Leased new, August 2024 |
| Repair visits | 1 |
| Mileage at first repair | 13,685 |
| Days out of service | 21 |
| Resolution | Buyback, settled July 2026 |
| Total | $64,286 |
The repair record
The record shows 1 repair visit, which began at 13,685 miles, and 21 days out of service.
- January 2, 2026–Present
The owner brought in the Sierra with lots of complaints at the same time. The check engine light was illuminated and needed to be diagnosed. The truck would not shift into reverse, and it accelerated weakly while showing a "drive with care" alert on the dash. The visit still shows as open in the service history.
New Jersey Lemon Law and federal warranty law
This claim fell under the New Jersey Lemon Law, N.J. Stat. §56:12-29 to §56:12-49. It reaches new vehicles bought or leased in the state for personal, family or household use. A manufacturer can be held to a refund, a replacement or a cash settlement when the same defect survives 3 repair attempts (a single attempt can be enough for a serious safety defect), or when the vehicle sits out of service for 20 or more calendar days in total. The defect has to be reported within 2 years or 24,000 miles of delivery, whichever arrives first. New Jersey does not force owners into arbitration, and the statute lets a consumer who prevails recover attorney fees from the manufacturer.
The Sierra was delivered in August 2024 and first went in for repair in January 2026 at 13,685 miles, so the complaint came inside both the time and mileage limits. The record shows 21 days out of service, set against the statute's 20-day figure. Alongside the state claim sits the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq., which covers breaches of a written warranty and may allow an owner who wins to recover attorney fees.
- Statute
- New Jersey Lemon Law, N.J. Stat. §56:12-29 to §56:12-49
- Repair test
- 3 repair attempts for the same defect (or 1 for serious safety defects), or 20 cumulative calendar days out of service
- Time limit
- Not set by the Lemon Law itself (defects must be reported within 2 years or 24,000 miles from original delivery, whichever is earlier)
- Federal law
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.
More on New Jersey: New Jersey lemon law attorney page and how to file a lemon law claim in New Jersey.
How RockPoint built the claim
One visit carried this file. It was long, it involved a truck that could not back up, and it stretched to 21 days, past the 20-day figure in New Jersey's out-of-service test, with no second or third attempt on record.
Timing worked out too. The faults appeared well inside the 24,000-mile limit, on a truck that had gone more than a year without documented problems, which pointed to a defect rather than wear.
The outcome
The claim was resolved in July 2026 as a buyback, with the manufacturer taking the Sierra back. The total amount for this resolution was $64,286 (exact to the penny: $64,286.25). That figure covered the lease payoff, the amount paid to our client and attorney fees.
Questions about this case
The usual test is 3 attempts to fix the same defect. For a serious safety defect, 1 attempt can be enough. A vehicle that is out of service for 20 or more calendar days in total can also qualify. This Sierra's record shows 21 days out of service, above the 20-day figure the statute uses.
Yes. The statute covers new motor vehicles purchased or leased in New Jersey for personal, family or household use. This Sierra 1500 was leased when new.
The Lemon Law does not set its own filing deadline. The defect, though, must be reported within 2 years or 24,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first.
No. Arbitration is voluntary in New Jersey, and an owner may go straight to court. This case was resolved as a buyback in July 2026.
The manufacturer bought back the truck. The total value of the resolution was $64,286, covering the lease payoff, the payment to our client and attorney fees.
Is your vehicle back at the dealer again?
Send us your repair orders for a free review of whether your state's lemon law covers your vehicle.