Lemon Law

Do you have a brand new vehicle that you believe is already defective?

If your brand new vehicle has a defect that can “substantially impair the use, value, or safety of your vehicle,” California’s Lemon Law may provide you with relief. Under California’s Lemon Law (known officially as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, which can be found at California Civil Code sections 1790 et seq.), if the manufacturer is not able to service or repair your new vehicle to meet the express terms of the written warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the manufacturer must either pay you restitution or replace your new vehicle if your new vehicle is determined to be a lemon.  What constitutes a reasonable number of repair attempts depends on each individual circumstance.

As a guideline (and NOT an absolute rule), however, within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, a manufacturer has had a reasonable number of repair attempts if either: (a) the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven and the defect has been subject to repair two or more times by the manufacturer, who has been directly notified at least once of the need to repair; (b) the defect has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer, who has been directly notified at least once of the need to repair; or (c) any number of repairs has caused the vehicle to be in the manufacturer’s shop for a cumulative total of more than 30 days.

Only through aggressive legal representation will the major car manufacturers take you seriously. If you believe your new vehicle is a lemon, give our office a call today for a free evaluation of your case.