Lemon Law for California

It is somehow difficult to answer the question what lemon law is, because the law varies from state to state. Lemon laws are designed to protect the right of those consumers who buy a car that is defective or fails to perform or be the quality it should be. There is a federal law adopted to protect all the US citizens, but there are also laws in each state. State laws are different, but mostly they are meant to protect consumers that have purchased a defective vehicle. In some states the law does not cover used vehicles, while in others it also applies to other types of vehicles and products, including RV’s, motorcycles, boats, wheel chairs, and computers.

Pursuant to CA Lemon Law the vehicle is considered to be a lemon when it has defects that do not allow the vehicle to be safe or perform properly. In most cases the car buyer cannot see these defects during the purchase. If the car has been repaired for the same defect three or four consecutive times during the warranty period then it is considered to be a lemon.

The car buyer can benefit from lemon laws in two ways. First, if the vehicle is purchased and is defective then the breach of warranty occurred. This may include manufacturer warranties, which is, typically, 3 years and/or 36,000 miles, and extended warranties. Certified manufacture warranties are normally one year, while extended warranty usually begins after the manufacturer warranty expires and lasts starting from five years. Any cases involving warranty breach are in the realm of federal lemon laws. In case there are no warranties then it is considered t be violations of the consumer protection laws.

Understanding the state and federal lemon laws can sometimes be complicated, it is better to consult with an attorney in your state specializing in lemon law cases. An experienced attorney will be able to help you determine if your vehicle is a lemon or not, as well as advice you on your rights and options available.

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