Subaru vehicles are built for everyday driving, family trips, and all-weather adventures. But when recurring transmission, electrical, engine, or safety system problems keep sending your vehicle back to the dealership, you may have rights under California’s Subaru Lemon Law.
Whether you drive an Outback, Forester, Crosstrek, Ascent, Impreza, WRX, BRZ, or another Subaru model, Cha Cha Cha Law helps California drivers understand their rights when dealing with defective vehicles.
Cha Cha Cha Law reviews your repair history, handles communication with Subaru of America, and fights for the compensation you may be entitled to. We work on contingency and guide you through the process from your initial case review through resolution.
Not every Subaru that needs a repair is a lemon. California’s Subaru Lemon Law generally applies when a defect covered by the manufacturer’s warranty substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety and the manufacturer has been given a reasonable number of opportunities to repair the problem.
Whether a Subaru qualifies depends on the individual circumstances. Important factors can include:
Your complete repair history is important when evaluating a potential Subaru Lemon Law claim.
California’s Lemon Law protects qualifying consumers when a manufacturer cannot repair a substantial warranty-covered defect after a reasonable number of attempts.
For qualifying Subaru Lemon Law claims, our firm may pursue:
There is no single number of repair attempts that automatically makes a Subaru a lemon. The nature of the defect, number of repair attempts, time out of service, and overall repair history can all be important.
If your Subaru keeps returning to the dealership for the same problem, documentation is important.
Save every repair order, invoice, and warranty repair document—even if the dealership says it could not duplicate the problem. Make sure each repair order accurately describes the symptoms you reported.
You should also keep track of warning lights, unusual noises, electrical problems, EyeSight warnings, and other recurring symptoms. When safe to do so, photos or videos may help document intermittent problems that do not always appear during a dealership inspection.
These records can help establish your repair history when evaluating a potential Subaru Lemon Law claim.
A variety of warranty-covered defects may be involved in Subaru Lemon Law claims, including:
Having one of these problems does not automatically mean your Subaru qualifies as a lemon. Eligibility depends on the warranty coverage, repair history, severity of the defect, and circumstances of the individual case.
Yes. California’s Subaru Lemon Law generally applies to qualifying new Subaru vehicles purchased or leased in California and covered by the manufacturer’s new-vehicle warranty. Certain used vehicles may also be protected in limited circumstances.
If Subaru cannot repair a qualifying warranty-covered defect after a reasonable number of attempts, you may have rights under California’s Lemon Law.
California’s Subaru Lemon Law is not limited to specific models. Any qualifying Subaru with a warranty-covered defect may potentially be covered.
Common Subaru models include:
The model itself does not determine whether your Subaru qualifies. The defect, applicable warranty, repair opportunities, time out of service, and overall repair history are more important.
No. A Subaru recall by itself does not automatically mean your vehicle qualifies under California’s Subaru Lemon Law.
However, recall repairs can become part of your vehicle’s repair history. If you continue experiencing the same problem after recall work has been completed, keep the recall notice and all related repair orders.
You can also check your vehicle for open recalls through Subaru’s official recall lookup or the NHTSA VIN recall lookup.
Intermittent defects may not occur while a technician is inspecting your Subaru.
If the dealership cannot duplicate the problem:
A repair order stating “could not duplicate” does not automatically establish or defeat a Lemon Law claim, but it can document that you presented the vehicle for the concern.
California’s Subaru Lemon Law does not require one fixed number of repair attempts for every case. Instead, the manufacturer generally must be given a reasonable number of opportunities to repair a qualifying defect.
Factors can include:
California also has a rebuttable Lemon Law presumption that may apply when certain requirements are satisfied. Those requirements should not be confused with a universal rule for determining whether every Subaru qualifies.
The commonly referenced “30-day rule” does not mean every Subaru automatically becomes a lemon after spending 30 days at the dealership.
California has a rebuttable Lemon Law presumption that may apply under certain circumstances. One part of that presumption concerns vehicles that have been out of service because of repairs for more than 30 cumulative days during the applicable first 18 months or 18,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
Additional legal requirements apply. A Subaru may also potentially qualify under California’s Lemon Law even when the presumption does not apply.
Yes. California’s Subaru Lemon Law is not limited to gasoline-powered vehicles. Qualifying hybrid and electric Subaru vehicles may also be protected.
Recurring warranty-covered problems involving batteries, charging systems, electrical components, software, powertrain systems, or other vehicle systems may be relevant to a Lemon Law claim.
Potentially. Recurring warranty-covered problems involving Subaru EyeSight or other driver-assistance systems may be relevant to a Subaru Lemon Law claim.
Whether the problem qualifies depends on the individual circumstances, including whether the defect substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety and whether Subaru was given a reasonable opportunity to repair it.
California’s Lemon Law provides for the recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs when a consumer prevails in a qualifying action.
At Cha Cha Cha Law, we work on contingency. The specific terms of representation and attorney’s fees are explained in the retainer agreement before representation begins.
If your Subaru keeps returning to the dealership for the same problem, it may be time to find out whether California’s Lemon Law applies to your situation.
Cha Cha Cha Law represents Subaru owners throughout California and helps consumers pursue repurchase/buyback and cash-and-keep settlements for qualifying defective vehicles.
Call Cha Cha Cha Law at (213) 351‑3513 today, because adventure shouldn’t start at the service counter.
