California Lemon Law
If your new car is spending more time at the repair shop than it spends with you, you might have a lemon on your hands. Thankfully, the California lemon law is in place to protect consumers facing a sour deal.
Generally, the lemon law covers new vehicles with serious defects/malfunctions for a certain amount of time or mileage. If your vehicle can't be fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts by the manufacturer or its authorized dealer, you'll likely be entitled to a replacement vehicle of equal value or a total refund.
On this page you'll find a general overview of California's lemon law and what to do if you find yourself with a defective car.
When Is a California Vehicle a "Lemon"?
In California, a vehicle is presumed to be a “lemon" by the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act if, within 18 months of the vehicle's delivery to the buyer (or 18,000 miles on the odometer):
- 2 attempts or more have been made by the manufacturer to repair a warranty problem that could result in death or serious injury.
- The manufacturer has attempted to repair the same warranty problem at least 4 times.
- The car has been out of service for 30 days or more for repair to warranty problems.
- Problems to the vehicle are not the result of abuse by the owner.
If your car qualifies as a lemon, the manufacturer has the responsibility of either:
- Replacing your vehicle.
- Refunding you for the vehicle's purchase price.
If your manufacturer refuses or unreasonably delays doing either of the above, you can:
- Request arbitration to resolve the matter.
OR - Hire a lemon law attorney.
Hiring a CA Lemon Law Attorney
A lemon law attorney knows the ins and outs of the CA lemon law and can help you manage your case and receive the highest amount possible.
Other benefits of letting an attorney handle your case include:
- Your lawyer knows your consumer rights.
- You may end up getting a resolution much quicker than attempting to deal with the issue yourself.
- You will have more negotiating power with an attorney at your side that knows the law.
- Your attorney can handle correspondence with your manufacturer so you can avoid making statements that could damage your case.
