California Lemon Laws, Your Car and You

(LOS ANGELES, CA 8/17/09)

Do you live in California?

Has your new or used car has been in the shop over and over again?

If so, then you may be able to make a lemon law claim that will let you return your vehicle under the California Lemon Law Statue for a buyback and end those frustrating repair bills and hours of sitting around the car dealership.

You may also be able to get a refund of all monies paid for your vehicle purchase and auto shop repairs, as well as a payoff of loans or lease balances.

Coverage For New Motor Vehicles

Not a song about Beverly Hills, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act provides protection for consumers who lease or buy new motor vehicles. The law requires that if the manufacturer or its representative in California, such as an authorized dealer, is unable to service or repair a new motor vehicle to meet the terms of an express written warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the manufacturer is required promptly to replace the vehicle or return the purchase price to the lessee or buyer.

How do you know if you’ve bought a lemon?

A lemon law rule of thumb is a car that’s received service for the same defect four or more times within the warranty period. However, one or two repair attempts for serious safety defects such as brake failure (and others) may qualify you for a lemon law claim.

California Lemon Law requires the car manufacturer to pay for the consumer’s hourly attorney’s fees on a case that settles for a buyback, new replacement vehicle, or a cash settlement payment. In effect, there are no out-of-pocket costs in hiring a lemon law attorney.