Lemon Law for California

Build Dates : April 30, 2007 - November 30, 2007

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V441000

Date Owner’s Notified: 20080912
Date Received by ODI: 20080828
Date Added to Databse: 20080828

Manufacturer’s Involved: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 08048

Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 857735

Summary: 

Gm is recalling 857,735 My 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac Dts; Hummer H2; My 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade Esv, Escalade Ext; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; Gmc Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon Xl, Saturn Outlook; And My 2008 Buick Enclave Vehicles Equipped With A Heated Wiper Washer Fluid System. A Short Circuit On The Printed Circuit Board For The Washer Fluid Heater May Overheat The Control-Circuit Ground Wire.

Consequence: 

This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 

Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2008. 

Your question relates to fraud. You should contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles, or report the matter to the police and/or the district attorney’s office. Of course, you can also bring a civil court action against the seller if you can adequately prove fraud.

Depending on the state you’re in, the decision may or may not be binding on the consumer while it’s binding on the manufacturer. On the surface, this may appear to be a good deal for the consumer. In reality, however, there is a major fly in this ointment: a manufacturer ordered to take corrective or replacement action because of an arbitration hearing is compelled to do so. But if the manufacturer prevails and the consumer loses, the manufacturer need do nothing more.

If your state laws give you a right to take legal action after an arbitration hearing because the arbitration isn’t binding on the consumer, the fact that the arbitration ruling went against the consumer may be admissible as evidence in any future legal proceeding. Should you later decide to sue the manufacturer, the results of this unfavorable decision will certainly be used against you, and may be highly damaging to your case.