New York Cracks Down on Nissan Dealer Charging $2,563 for 8 Cents of Tape

The New York Attorney General’s office has found thousands of inflated Nissan lease buyouts, with junk fees disguised as repairs and recall work that are supposed to be free. An investigation revealed that some dealerships allegedly charged customers for unnecessary repairs and recall work, with one customer being charged $2,563 for electrical tape valued at just 8 cents. Another customer was charged for a repair that amounted to the dealer spraying the vehicle with a hose. Some consumers were also charged as much as $3,200 for recall repairs, despite federal law requiring safety recall work to be performed free of charge. The attorney general’s office found that dealerships would often combine legitimate items with hidden markups under a single line item, making it difficult for customers to spot the overcharge. As a result, Nissan Motor Acceptance Company will provide refunds to consumers who were overcharged during lease buyouts, with over $4.5 million already returned to over 3,100 customers. The refunds will be issued throughout 2026, including any additional loan interest paid by those who financed inflated buyout amounts.