Rs Law Offices/Our blog/Understanding California’s Lemon Law

Understanding California’s Lemon Law

25/04/2022

Under California’s Lemon Law, you are protected as a consumer when a vehicle you have purchased is deemed defective and cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of repair attempts. This helps keeps dangerous vehicles off the road, leads you with legal recourse if you are sold a faulty vehicle, and helps get you back on the road safely. Here are a few main points to help you determine if the Lemon Law applies to your case.




What Vehicles Does California’s Lemon Law Cover?

Most new vehicles (whether leased or purchased), which are still covered under their manufacturer’s new-vehicle warranty, are covered under California’s Lemon Law.

  • Used vehicles which are still covered under their manufacturer’s new car warranty also are covered by California’s Lemon Law
  • Active-duty, full-time members of the Armed Forces, whether stationed or living in California at the time they lease or purchase the vehicle, are protected even if they bought their vehicle or registered it outside of California

When Should a Manufacturer Replace a Vehicle?

Replacement or buyback may be required if the vehicle’s problems cannot be fixed after what is considered a “reasonable” number of attempts to repair it. The problem with the vehicle must:

  • Be covered by the manufacturer’s new-vehicle warranty
  • Impair substantially the value, safety, or use of the vehicle and:
  • Not be caused by the unreasonable or unauthorized use of the vehicle after it has been sold

How Many Repair Attempts is Reasonable?

What qualifies as a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle is determined by several key considerations, among them being:

  • The car’s problems first happened within 18 months of the car’s delivery to you or 18,000 driven miles, whichever comes first
  • You notified the manufacturer of the vehicle about the problem (if required by owner’s manual) and:
  • The vehicle has been brought in for repair by the vehicle manufacturer or its agents:
    • Four times or more for the same problem and it remains unfixed or:
    • Two or more times for the same problem, but that problem could cause death or serious injury and remains unfixed or:
  • Your vehicle has been under repair for more than 30 days (not required to be in a row), and out of service to you

What is a Lemon Law Buyback Vehicle?

As it sounds, a Lemon Law Buyback vehicle is one that is being resold after having been bought back from an owner after the required repairs have failed. These are easily identified by a lemon sticker placed on their door. Any such vehicle must be disclosed as such to the consumer, sold as-is. If this does not happen, the buyer of such a vehicle could still be protected under the Lemon Law.

Summary

You are protected against purchasing a defective, potentially unsafe vehicle by California’s Lemon Law if you meet certain requirements. Consulting a law firm should be your first line of defense if the dealer and/or manufacturer do not meet the standards set by the Lemon Law itself.

blogs

You might like

Basic Bike Safety

Since 2014, in Los Angeles, more than 180 bicyclists lost their lives when colliding with motor vehicles in and around Los Angeles. More than 50,000 bicyclists suffer serious injuries in such collisions nationally. Understanding some basic bike safety might help you better avoid accidents in the future. As bicycles increase in daily use for Americans, […]

03/04/2022
Read more

Dealing with Dog Bites

Dog bites, dog attacks and maulings by dogs are a problem the world over. Sometimes these injuries can be fatal. They tend to affect children most (most children have been bitten by a dog they know by age 11), but can happen to anyone. It can be helpful to understand some techniques for avoiding dog […]

11/04/2022
Read more

Top 4 Personal Injury Myths

Personal injury cases are more rampant than you can ever imagine. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 31 million of the injuries that occur every year often call for medical care.  Considering their prevalence, it comes as no surprise that there are so many myths and misconceptions surrounding personal injury. Think you got […]

16/11/2020
Read more

Winter Bicycle Riding Tips

With cold winds in your face and slick surfaces to navigate, the winter is not the ideal to ride on your typical bicycle. Many of us use a bike as our regular transportation, and some of us have our bikes tricked out for winter riding, as well. In order to make the most of your […]

19/01/2023
Read more

Pedestrian Safety

For obvious reasons, there’s much more discussion out there about safe driving, or even safe bicycle riding, than there is about being a safe pedestrian. After all, it seems like we should just be able to walk safely down a street, and especially where pedestrians have right of way, walking seems like the safest option. […]

18/04/2022
Read more

Lemon Laws for Defective Hyundai Vehicles in California

If your newly acquired or leased Hyundai car has repeated problems that require repair, the vehicle manufacturer or its licensed representative owes you a refund, repair, or replacement.  If you wind up with a lemon car and the manufacturer is not willing to take care of the vehicle, you will need to seek the counsel […]

07/09/2020
Read more

Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents

Whether you’re driving in a place where the environment is a little more driver-friendly, or if you’re somewhere where the weather poses a driving hazard, you can’t go wrong having a working knowledge of how best to avoid accidents. In 2020 alone, there were nearly 36,000 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States. Those […]

09/03/2023
Read more

Workman’s Compensation — Beyond Physical Accidents

Every year in California, we see workman’s compensation claims that stem from traumatic injuries, accidents, and even accumulative physical strain. But what about the more subtle effects that can harm employees over time? Let’s take a look at toxic exposure in the workplace and what it means for you as an employee. If we are […]

22/06/2021
Read more

Staying Safe at Amusement Parks

Every family knows the joys of a day at the amusement park – the thrill of the rollercoasters, the taste of fried foods and sweets, and the splashy fun of a water ride. And while there can be downsides, like waiting in long lines, getting sunburned, or listening to screaming kids, most of these complaints […]

08/11/2021
Read more

Five Products for Increased Bicycle Safety

Bicycle accidents are unfortunately increasingly common in both California and Arizona, causing many to seek damages to compensate for their losses. Defensive driving and being aware of your surroundings are the best tools for safety, as is making sure your bicycle is properly maintained, making sure to wear a helmet, and obeying all street laws […]

07/08/2022
Read more

contact form

Get in touch

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from RS Law Offices. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. View our Privacy Policy.