Reclaim control when your vehicle keeps failing, and no one is taking responsibility. California’s Lemon Law protects you from being stuck with a defective car. You don’t have to pay a dime when you work with us. And we never quit. Friends don’t let friends drive lemons.
What Is the Lemon Law?
California’s Lemon Law, officially known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, is a consumer protection law that holds manufacturers accountable when they sell or lease vehicles with serious defects that cannot be repaired. If your car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle has repeated repair attempts for the same problem or spends excessive time in the shop, you have rights. The Lemon Law holds manufacturers accountable when defects substantially affect your vehicle’s safety, use, or value. You shouldn’t be stuck paying for a problem you didn’t create.
Lemon Law recognizes a simple truth: Consumers should not be stuck with defective vehicles that manufacturers fail to fix. The law shifts the financial burden away from everyday people and places it where it belongs: on the companies that built and warranted the vehicle.
What Types of Vehicles Are Covered?
The Lemon Law is fairly broad. Protection is not limited to brand-new cars. If your vehicle is under a manufacturer-backed warranty and has serious defects, it may qualify.
How Your Vehicle Was Acquired
Lemon Law coverage extends to the following categories of vehicles:
- New vehicles
- Leased vehicles
- Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles under a manufacturer-backed warranty
Types of Vehicles and Brands
Lemon Law can apply to a wide range of vehicles and manufacturers, including:
- BMW®
- Chevrolet®
- Dodge®
- Ford®
- Honda®
- GMC®
- Hyundai®
- Jeep®
- Mercedes®
- Nissan®
- Polaris®
- RAM®
- Tesla®
- Toyota®
- Volkswagen®
- Motorcycles
- RVs, ATVs, UTVs
What Makes a Vehicle a “Lemon”?
Not every problematic vehicle automatically qualifies as a lemon. But when a warranty-covered defect keeps coming back, or your vehicle spends too much time in the shop, California Lemon Law may apply. These three factors are key.
1. Number of Repair Attempts
Lemon Law looks at whether the manufacturer has been given a fair chance to fix the same problem and failed.
This often includes:
- Two or more repair attempts for a serious safety defect
- Four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety issue
- Thirty or more total days out of service for repairs
2. Severity of the Defect
The problem must be more than an ordinary inconvenience.
It must substantially affect one or more of the following:
- Your safety or the safety of others
- Your ability to use the vehicle as intended
- The vehicle’s overall value
3. Timing
The defect must arise while the vehicle is still protected by the manufacturer’s warranty, which generally means:
- The problem began during the original warranty period
- Or while a certified pre-owned warranty was still active
- And within the timeframe allowed under California Lemon Law (a rolling 5-year window)
Examples of Common Lemon Law Defects:
- Engine failure or stalling
- Transmission slipping or hard shifting
- Electrical system malfunctions
- Battery or charging system failures
- Brake defects
- Steering problems
- Cooling system failures
- Repeated warning lights
- Infotainment system failures
- Hybrid or EV system faults
What Are the Available Lemon Law Remedies?
When a vehicle qualifies as a lemon, the California Lemon Law provides consumers with several options. The goal is simple: relieve you from being stuck with a defective vehicle and shift responsibility back to the manufacturer. Depending on the facts of your case, one or more of the following remedies may be available.
Buy Back
A buyback requires the manufacturer to repurchase your defective vehicle. This typically includes reimbursement for your down payment, monthly payments, registration, taxes, and other related costs. In many cases, the lien on your vehicle is also paid off.
Cash and Keep
In some situations, you may choose to keep your vehicle and receive cash compensation instead. This option can make sense when the defect is ongoing but manageable, and you prefer financial relief rather than giving up the car.
Replacement
A replacement remedy involves the manufacturer providing a comparable new vehicle in place of your defective one. The replacement must meet the same specifications as your original vehicle. This allows you to trade in your lemon for a new vehicle.
Who Pays the Attorney?
Under California Lemon Law, the manufacturer is responsible for paying your attorney’s fees and legal costs when a consumer prevails. That means you do not pay out of pocket to pursue your rights. This structure exists so that everyday people can stand up to large car companies without financial risk. If your case is accepted, we front the time and costs needed to move it forward. You focus on your life. We focus on holding the manufacturer accountable.
Are You Driving a 2022-2026 Lemon?
Free Case Evaluation in 5 Minutes!
If your vehicle keeps breaking down and the dealership can’t fix it, you’re not stuck. California Lemon Law gives you real leverage when manufacturers fail to honor their warranties. We fight back so you don’t have to. We front the time and expenses and pursue the strongest possible outcome for your situation. A quick review can tell you where you stand. Call or text us now for your free case evaluation.
