(a) Except as provided in (b) of this section, if a new motor vehicle needs repairs that are covered under a manufacturer's warranty, and if the new motor vehicle is located in a remote location, the manufacturer shall make reasonable efforts to arrange for the new motor vehicle to be repaired in the remote location.

(b) If a manufacturer determines that repairs cannot reasonably be made in a remote location within the manufacturer's guidelines, the manufacturer may arrange, at no cost to the owner of the new motor vehicle, to ship the new motor vehicle to a repair facility outside of the remote location and to return the new motor vehicle to the remote location after the repairs are completed.

(c) A manufacturer may direct a new motor vehicle dealer of the manufacturer to refer customers of the new motor vehicle dealer to the manufacturer if the new motor vehicles of the customers are located in remote locations and need repairs.

(d) This section does not prohibit a manufacturer from allowing a new motor vehicle dealer to subcontract warranty work for a specific new motor vehicle that is located in a remote location. If the manufacturer allows the new motor vehicle dealer to subcontract the warranty work, the manufacturer shall compensate the new motor vehicle dealer for the subcontracted warranty work paid for by the new motor vehicle dealer.

(e) In this section, “remote location” means a location that is not accessible by road or that is more than 100 road miles from a new motor vehicle dealer that is authorized to perform warranty work on new motor vehicles.