In California, lemon motor home (RV) absolutely qualifies under the Song-Beverly Act, California's tough lemon law statutes.

Under the California Lemon Law, buyers who repair their motor home or RVs within a reasonable number of attempts are entitled to a replacement vehicle or a full refund.

WHAT IS A REASONABLE NUMBER OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS?

What is considered a reasonable number of repair attempts will depend on the circumstances including the seriousness of the motor home defect. For example, one or two repair attempts may be considered reasonable for serious safety defects such as brake failure, depending on the exact situation.

The "Lemon Law," helps to determine a reasonable number of repair attempts for problems that substantially impair the use, value, or safety of the RV. The "Lemon Law" applies to these problems if they arise during the first 18 months after the consumer received delivery of the RV or within the first 18,000 miles on the odometer, whichever occurs first. During the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, the "Lemon Law" presumes that a manufacturer has had a reasonable number of attempts to repair the vehicle if either (1) The same problem results in a condition that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven and the problem has been subject to repair two or more times by the manufacturer or its agents, and the buyer or lessee has at least once directly notified the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the problem as provided in the warranty or owner's manual or (2) The same problem has been subject to repair four or more times by the manufacturer or its agents and the buyer has at least once directly notified the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the problem as provided in the warranty or owner's manual or (3) The RV is out of service because of the repair of any number of problems by the manufacturer or its agents for a cumulative total of more than 30 days since delivery of the vehicle.

Here's a possible list of major components built and separately warranted by different manufacturers:

• Engine – Cummins Diesel
• Transmission – Allison/GM
• Chassis – Freightliner
• Coach – Fleetwood (and many others)

Various components of the finished product have their own warranties. Appliances are a good example. GE might make the refrigerator and Sears the stove. These manufacturers warrant their own products.

Many of the components, large and small, are in some way interconnected mechanically, electrically, even electronically. The transmission connects to the Engine. The engine is mounted on the chassis, the coach is mounted to the chassis and covers the engine and around and around we go. The hipbone is connected to the thighbone, the thighbone is connected to the leg bone, and the leg bone is connected to the anklebone, so goes the old song.

The following is a list of typical problems from Motor Home (RV) Owners

• Electrical outlets pop out of the wall
• Two entire panels pull away from their frames due to inferior thickness of the substrate and the necessary spacers to hold them together in the range of humidity that any trailer experiences.
• Panels bowed for the same reason
• The slideout shave pulled the paneling away from the face wall when the slideout is pulled in, because ragged sheet metal edges of the slideout have dug into the panel due to mismatched surfaces
• After extending the slide out, couldn't get it back in, had to pry it back in with a 2 X 4 plank
• Easy chair replaced because the upholstery separated from the frame and allowed the padding to slip down.
• The center slider section of the screen door will not stay in, due to poor quality control of the space in the center of the door.
• The water pump which comes standard on this 32 foot trailer puts out 20 lbs of pressure which isn't enough to get water out of a PUR faucet filter less than 20 feet away.
• Necessary to supplement the heat in the upper bedroom with a space heater because the blower and ductwork is inadequate to get enough heat to the room.
• The shower cracked, the roof leaked, the canopy broke
• The toilet lid has broken off
• Electrical problems

If you think you bought a RV lemon, you should address to an experienced law firm. The Law Offices of Mr. Margarian are committed to justice for those who have bought a lemon motor home or RV.