What is the Lemon Law in California?
California’s Lemon Law, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, helps consumers who have purchased or leased a defective vehicle. Defects must be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty and must persist after a reasonable number of repair attempts. If your vehicle qualifies, you’ll be entitled to a refund, a replacement vehicle, or a cash settlement.
In some situations, you may recover Civil Penalties in addition to a refund or replacement vehicle. These remedies can be double the amount of your underlying recovery, making your total compensation as much as three times what you paid for your vehicle! Plus, when we prevail, the manufacturer must pay your attorney’s fees and compensate you for your defective vehicle.
Compensation
You could Be entitled to a refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement.
Civil Penalties
Civil penalties can triple your recovery amount.
Attorney's Fees
The manufacturer pays your attorney’s fees when we prevail.
Submit your free evaluation
Tell us what happened with your vehicle through our free, no-obligation evaluation - available online, by phone, or text.
What Does the Lemon Law in California Cover?
To qualify for compensation under the California Lemon Law, your vehicle must have a defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety. Additionally, this defect must be covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty. This defect must persist after you’ve provided the auto manufacturer with a reasonable number of attempts to repair it.
Typically, the law defines “a reasonable number of repair attempts” as two to four, depending on the severity of the defect. Additionally, if the vehicle is out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more business days, it’s presumed to be a lemon.
Understanding the California Lemon Law Time Limit
Under the California Lemon Law, your vehicle’s defect must have surfaced within 18 months or 18,000 miles of the original sale date. From this point, you have four years to file a claim.
That said, we can still file cases under the Federal Lemon Law after this window closes. However, the sooner you act, the greater your chance of a successful recovery. If you purchased or leased a vehicle that’s not working as it should, we recommend acting as soon as possible.
Understanding the California Lemon Law Time Limit
You're Hiring a 5-Star Rated Firm
With hundreds of successful lemon law cases and countless satisfied clients, we’ve earned our reputation as the firm manufacturers fear most. Your case deserves nothing less than excellence.
California Lemon Law FAQ
Lemon Law is a law that provides consumers with legal protection when they purchase or lease a defective vehicle. It allows them to seek compensation from the manufacturer for a refund, replacement, or cash settlement.
Lemon Law varies from state to state, but generally, it applies to new and used cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles that have been purchased or leased.
A vehicle is considered a lemon if it has a substantial defect that impairs its safety, use, or value, and the manufacturer has been unable to repair it after a reasonable number of repair attempts.
The number of repair attempts required before filing a Lemon Law claim varies from state to state, but generally, it is three to four attempts or 30 days out of service within a certain period.
Compensation can include a refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement that covers the cost of the vehicle, incidental expenses, and attorney fees.
If you suspect that your vehicle is a lemon, document the problems, repair attempts, and any other relevant information, and contact a Lemon Law attorney to discuss your options.
Areas we serve in California
How It Works
Submit your free evaluation
Tell us what happened with your vehicle through our free, no-obligation evaluation - available online, by phone, or text.
Get to know your legal team
Our experienced lemon law lawyers review your case details and develop a winning strategy.
Sit back while we fight for you
We aggressively pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.