After taking the time and effort to buy a new car, the last thing you want is to find out is that your new car is a lemon. Unfortunately, this is a common issue that happens to many car buyers. But if this has happened to you, you may be entitled to seek compensation under lemon law. Our Orange County lemon law attorneys explain what you should do if you bought a lemon car in California.
What Is Considered a Lemon Car?
A lemon is a vehicle that turns out to have various manufacturing defects that severely impact the quality, safety, and function of the vehicle. Cars are considered lemons when they are still defective, even after a reasonable number of repair attempts. Whether new or used, the vehicle must also be under a manufacturer’s new car warranty. Regardless if you purchased or leased the car, you may have a lemon car case if your vehicle isn’t working correctly after attempting to repair it multiple times.
Common Defects Associated with Lemon Cars
Some of the most common car defects that give rise to damages under California lemon law include:
- Airbag defects
- Antilock braking system failure
- Automatic transmission failures
- Brake pedal failure
- Electrical problems
- Engine fire and failure
- Fuel line defects that can cause fires
- Power steering loss
- Seat belt failure
- Uncontrolled acceleration
How Do California Lemon Laws Protect Me?
California lemon law, also known as the Song Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, protects consumers from covering the costs of vehicles with warranty defects. The law requires manufacturers to replace vehicles when repairs have been unsuccessful after a reasonable number of attempts. The defect must also occur during the warranty period and must be traced back to the manufacture and assembly of the vehicle. If your vehicle qualifies as a lemon car, the manufacturer will have the responsibility to replace the vehicle or refund you for the vehicle’s purchase price.
What You Should Do If You Bought a Lemon Car
The first thing you should do if you think you bought a lemon car is keep track of every issue and repair that you’ve had on the vehicle. You should try to identify the issue with your vehicle and check your warranty documents to ensure that it is covered. Then you should report the issues to the dealership and the manufacturer. It’s important to document the date that the dealer or the manufacturer made repairs.
If your new vehicle turned out to be a lemon, you might be entitled to receive compensation for the payments you’ve made on the vehicle, including taxes, title and registration fees, repairs, and towing costs. In some cases, they might also cover your court and attorney fees.
Dealing with dealerships and manufacturers about having a lemon car isn’t an easy process. It may also be difficult to understand which laws protect you and what manufacturers should be doing to provide you with the compensation you deserve for their negligence. Therefore, it is essential to get strong legal advice when you’ve purchased a lemon car.
Seek Legal Guidance Today: (949) 390-9695
The team at O’Connor Law Group, P.C. has years of experience advocating for customers who have purchased a lemon car. Our team has the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to help you obtain the compensation you deserve for the expenses and troubles you have faced after purchasing a lemon car. We hold auto dealerships accountable for their negligence. If you think you’ve purchased a lemon car or have experienced dealership fraud, our team is here to help.
Contact our Orange County lemon attorneys today at (949) 390-9695 today! Due to the current health crisis, our team is available to assist you via video chat, phone, or email.