Many consumers are unaware of their rights and legal options regarding faulty vehicles. There is no reason anyone should have to waste their hard-earned money on a car that doesn't meet quality standards and cannot be fixed. At San Diego Lemon Law, we take the time to answer all our lemon law clients' questions, provide education on the remedies available to them, and dispel any misconceptions they may have. Our firm is focused exclusively on lemon law claims and we have over 40 years of legal experience that we can leverage on your behalf.
You can expect a committed, compassionate, and highly communicative service experience when working with us. Additionally, you never have to worry about lemon law attorneys fees because California state law requires the car manufacturer to pay for legal expenses. Call today to take advantage of a free case evaluation with an experienced lemon law attorney, San Diego, DA residents can come to for legal aid: 619-434-0819.
San Diego Lemon Law serves clients in a wide range of situations, including:
New Car Lemon Law: Buying a new car should bring excitement, not disappointment. We can help you seek a replacement or cash settlement if your new car is a lemon.
Used Car Lemon Law: Some used cars are covered by California's lemon law. We can help you determine if you meet the criteria and file a lemon law claim on your behalf.
Electric Car Lemon Law: California has more electric cars on the road than any other state. As new technology advances, serious issues can sometimes arise, leading to lemon law claims.
RV Lemon Law: Some parts of an RV are eligible for lemon law cases. Our law firm can guide you through the often complex claims process.
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Type of Case We Do:20
Years Doing Lemon800
Lemon Law Clients$22 Million
What Car Companies Have Paid$0 Dollars
What Our Lemon Law Clients Have1
Type of Case We do:20
Years Doing Lemon Law800
Lemon Law Clients$22 Million
What Car Companies Have Paid Our Clients$0 Dollars
What Our Lemon Law Clients Have Paid Us To Go Get it For ThemPurchasing a vehicle is a significant financial commitment, and no one deserves to be stuck with a car, truck or RV that malfunctions or has serious defects. These faulty vehicles are referred to as "lemons." Every state has a lemon law that safeguards buyers if their purchase does not meet the expected quality standards. Lemon law protection ensures that car manufacturers uphold their warranties and provide suitable remedies to the consumer.
California itself has some of the strongest consumer protection laws in the country. Specifically, two acts address defective products:
Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act: Provides a legal mechanism for all buyers of warrantied consumer goods purchased for non-commercial use to seek damages for faulty items.
Tanner Consumer Protection Act: A provision within the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act that specifically addresses defective vehicles and sets out the guidelines for determining whether a vehicle is a lemon.
Under California Lemon Law, a new or used vehicle is a lemon if it meets these requirements:
As a native of San Diego, attorney Doug Sohn has been practicing law in California for more than four decades. For the past 20 years, he has focused solely on assisting clients in need of an experienced lemon law attorney.
The goal of his work is simple: To make car companies give your money back. Because the client never has to pay his fees, he truly gets to focus on supporting, advising, and assisting them towards resolution.
Read MoreThorough documentation is critical to the success of a lemon law claim. Your lemon lawyer must be able to prove that there is an unresolved defect in your vehicle that impacts its safety, usability, or value that the manufacturer has been unable to fix, despite being given multiple repair attempts. Your documents will also inform the amount and nature of your settlement with the dealer or manufacturer. For example, your lawyer can seek reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses relating to the defect if you can provide receipts.
Keeping a running log of your vehicle's issues and repairs as soon as they happen can significantly simplify the claims process. Read your receipts and ensure the mechanic's descriptions of repairs match your own. Other documents that are important to save include:
Schedule your free telephone consultation by calling 619-434-0819. Our law firm is located 8 minutes away from Rolling Hills Park, 6 minutes from Rancho Bernardo Dog Park, and approximately a 29-minute drive from San Diego International Airport (SAN). You don't have to travel to our office, we handle everything over the phone and with virtual meetings from the comfort of your home!
Many clients have anxiety about seeking legal counsel for their lemon law case because they fear the cost. They feel pressured to go through the arbitration process provided by the auto manufacturer, or they attempt to fight the case on their own because they worry about the possible financial implications. The critical thing to remember is that California's lemon law specifies that the manufacturer must pay for all reasonable legal costs as part of a settlement. No risk or expense is involved in hiring a lemon law lawyer from San Diego Lemon Law to handle your case. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of this feature of the law and seek out knowledgeable legal guidance to make the claims process easier.
If you unknowingly purchased a defective automobile and it can't be fixed, there are a few ways the manufacturer can resolve the situation. Your lemon law lawyer can help you decide the best solution for your case from these two choices:
As part of fair compensation, you may also receive reimbursement for other costs related to the lemon, including, but not limited to:
California has strict time limits on filing California lemon law claims. If you miss the deadline, you will likely have no legal options for recovering damages. Luckily, the filing window is relatively long. You have four years from when you noticed or should have become aware of the defect to file a lawsuit. However, it is strongly recommended that you begin your case much sooner to give yourself the best possible chance at a good outcome for your claim.
While some states exclude used or leased vehicles from their lemon laws, California does provide protection if the defective cars meet the eligibility criteria. Most importantly, the vehicle must be under an express written warranty from the manufacturer. Used cars purchased or leased from an authorized dealer generally come with a warranty and may be eligible for a buyback or replacement if you have serious car trouble.
Yes, an RV can be considered a lemon, but these cases are often much more complex than a typical lemon law case for a car. It is challenging because only portions of an RV, including the chassis, drive train, and chassis cab, are classified as a motor vehicle. However, the living area of an RV is considered a consumer good and falls under slightly different laws. The upside is that all types of RVs, even fifth-wheel trailers that do not have a motor vehicle component, are protected under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. How the legal matter will proceed depends on the type of defect, but a knowledgeable lemon law lawyer can help you through the process.
California's lemon laws apply to new, pre-owned, and leased vehicles with a written warranty purchased for personal, business, or family use. This includes cars, pick-up trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and vans. As noted above, the mechanical parts of the motorhome are also covered. However, vehicles that cannot be registered under the California Vehicle Code, such as ATVs and off-road vehicles, are not eligible. Some business vehicles may also be exempt, particularly if the company has more than five vehicles in its fleet. Vehicles over 10,000 pounds are excluded as well.
Unfortunately, a car must have a valid warranty in California for a consumer to be eligible for the protections provided by the lemon law. In nearly all cases where the sale does not involve a dealership, the lemon law will not apply. Contact our lemon law firm today if you have questions about whether your used vehicle is still under warranty.
It is strongly recommended to contact a lawyer before agreeing to arbitration on your defective vehicle. You can potentially harm your claim if you do not proceed carefully. Arbitration often favors the manufacturer and making a successful lemon law claim can be incredibly challenging after a failed arbitration. Some individuals may be worried about facing a lengthy court case if they do not go through arbitration. The truth is that the vast majority of claims are settled quickly out of court, especially with the help of a skilled lemon law lawyer.
California's lemon law presumption determines when a vehicle has undergone a "reasonable number" of repair attempts and can be considered a lemon. You cannot seek a lemon law settlement on the first repair attempt. There is not a set number of attempts specified in the law, but an issue is generally considered unfixable if the manufacturer has unsuccessfully tried to correct it on four or more occasions. The number of required repair attempts usually drops to two if the defect involved could cause death or severe injury. The other way a car might be presumed to be a lemon is if it has spent 30 or more days in the shop since its purchase. These days do not have to be consecutive.
Every case is unique, so it is difficult to estimate without knowing your situation's details. However, in our experience, many of our lemon law cases are completed within three months. Others may take up to a year to resolve. Certain cases may take longer than others, but the outcome is generally worth the wait. For a more accurate timeline estimate for your particular case, reach out for a free consultation.