MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY-FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IMPROVEMENT ACT (References in brackets [ ] are to title 15, United States Code) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Magnuson-Moss Warranty-Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act". TITLE I-CONSUMER PRODUCT WARRANTIES DEFINITIONS SEC. 101. [2301] For the purposes of this title: (1) The term "consumer product" means any tangible personal property which is distributed in commerce and which is normally used for personal, family, or household purposes (including any such property intended to be attached to or installed in any real property without regard to whether it is so attached or installed). (2) The term "Commission" means the Federal Trade Commission. (3) The term "consumer" means a buyer (other than for purposes of resale) of any consumer product, any person to whom such product is transferred during the duration of an implied or written warranty (or service contract) applicable to the product, and any other person who is entitled by the terms of such warranty (or service contract) or under applicable State law to enforce against the warrantor (or service contractor) the obligations of the warranty (or service contract). (4) The term "supplier" means any person engaged in the business of making a consumer product directly or indirectly available to consumers. (5) The term "warrantor" means any supplier or other person who gives or offers to give a written warranty or who is or may be obligated under an implied warranty. (6) The term "written warranty" means (A) any written affirmation of fact or written promise made in connection with the sale of a consumer product by a supplier to a buyer which relates to the nature of the material or workmanship and affirms or promises that such material or workmanship is defect free or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period of time, or (B) any undertaking in writing in connection with the sale by a supplier of a consumer product to refund, repair, replace, or take other remedial action with respect to such product in the event that such product fails to meet the specifications set forth in the undertaking, which written affirmation, promise, or undertaking becomes part of the basis of the bargain between a supplier and a buyer for purposes other than resale of such product. (7) The term "implied warranty" means an implied warranty arising under State law (as modified by sections 108 and 104(a)) in connection with the sale by a supplier of a consumer product. (8) The term "service contract” means a contract in writing to perform, over a fixed period of time or for a specified dura tion, services relating to the maintenance or repair (or both) of a consumer product. (9) The term "reasonable and necessary maintenance" consists of those operations (A) which the consumer reasonably can be expected to perform or have performed and (B) which are necessary to keep any consumer product performing its intended function and operating at a reasonable level of perform ance. (10) The term "remedy" means whichever of the following actions the warrantor elects: (A) repair, (B) replacement, or (C) refund; except that the warrantor may not elect refund unless (i) the warrantor is unable to provide replacement and repair is not commercially practicable or cannot be timely made, or (ii) the consumer is willing to accept such refund. (11) The term "replacement" means furnishing a new consumer product which is identical or reasonably equivalent to the warranted consumer product. (12) The term “refund” means refunding the actual pur chase price (less reasonable depreciation based on actual use where permitted by rules of the Commission). (13) The term "distributed in commerce" means sold in commerce, introduced or delivered for introduction into commerce, or held for sale or distribution after introduction into commerce. (14) The term "commerce" means trade, traffic, commerce, or transportation (A) between a place in a State and any place outside thereof, or (B) which affects trade, traffic, commerce, or transpor tation described in subparagraph (A). (15) The term "State" means a State, the District of Co lumbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands Guam, the Canal Zone, or American Samoa. The term "State law" includes a law of the United States applicable only to the District of Columbia or only to a territory or possession of the United States; and the term "Federal law" excludes any law. State ctua act 8 inte Com ace r tras WARRANTY PROVISIONS SEC. 102. [2302] (a) In order to improve the adequacy of information available to consumers, prevent deception, and improve competition in the marketing of consumer products, any warrantor warranting a consumer product to a consumer by means of a written warranty shall, to the extent required by rules of the Commission, fully and conspicuously disclose in simple and readily understood language the terms and conditions of such warranty. Such rules may require inclusion in the written warranty of any of the following items among others: (1) The clear identification of the names and addresses of the warrantors. (2) The identity of the party or parties to whom the warranty is extended. (3) The products or parts covered. (4) A statement of what the warrantor will do in the event of a defect, malfunction, or failure to conform with such written warranty-at whose expense and for what period of time. (5) A statement of what the consumer must do and expenses he must bear. (6) Exceptions and exclusions from the terms of the warranty. (7) The step-by-step procedure which the consumer should take in order to obtain performance of any obligation under the warranty, including the identification of any person or class of persons authorized to perform the obligations set forth in the warranty. (8) Information respecting the availability of any informal dispute settlement procedure offered by the warrantor and a recital, where the warranty so provides, that the purchaser may be required to resort to such procedure before pursuing any legal remedies in the courts. (9) A brief, general description of the legal remedies available to the consumer. (10) The time at which the warrantor will perform any obligations under the warranty. (11) The period of time within which, after notice of a defect, malfunction, or failure to conform with the warranty, the warantor will perform any obligations under the warranty. (12) The characteristics or properties of the products, or parts thereof, that are not covered by the warranty. (13) The elements of the warranty in words or phrases which would not mislead a reasonable, average consumer as to the nature or scope of the warranty. (b)(1)(A) The Commission shall prescribe rules requiring that rict the terms of any written warranty on a consumer product be made navailable to the consumer (or prospective consumer) prior to the sale of the product to him. erm only: (B) The Commission may prescribe rules for determining the sion manner and form in which information with respect to any written any warranty of a consumer product shall be clearly and conspicuously presented or displayed so as not to mislead the reasonable, average |