The thrill of having a new vehicle can quickly be diminished when that car or truck ends up in the repair shop more often than normal. If this is happening to you, it is likely you bought a lemon! Fortunately, California’s lemon law provides protections and remedies for consumers of defective vehicles.
How do you know if your vehicle is a lemon?
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, also referred to as California’s lemon law and Consumer Protection Act, provides that a vehicle with a significant defect covered under the warranty occurring within 18 months or within 18,000 miles from the date the vehicle was purchased (whichever occurs first), may be a lemon. The law provides that the manufacturer of a lemon is liable for replacing the defective part, replacing your lemon entirely, or refunding the purchase price of the vehicle back to the consumer.
California law further provides that if your vehicle has not been properly repaired after a “reasonable number” of attempts by the manufacturer’s repair agent, the consumer has the right to have the manufacturer repurchase the lemon. The manufacturer must repurchase the lemon vehicle with an appropriate amount. Although there is no set number for what qualifies as a reasonable number of repair attempts, California law provides certain guidelines and one of our lemon law attorneys can help you determine if your vehicle qualifies.
What are my remedies?
If you have purchased a lemon vehicle and the manufacturer has not agreed to provide you with a replacement vehicle or a refund of your money, then you have the right to file a civil lawsuit. You may be entitled to recover just and fair compensation for your damages, as well as a civil penalty in combination with your damages suffered. You may also obtain a court order mandating that the manufacturer provides you with a refund or a replacement vehicle.
At the Law Office of Alex Cha & Associates, we strive to protect the rights of the consumers. If you would like to get more information on California’s Lemon Law, please call us and consult with us for free.
Law Offices of Alex Cha & Associates.
707 Wilshire Blvd. 46th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017
[email protected]
(213) 351-3513