The California Lemon Law - What Is It And How Do I Qualify?
When discussing a vehicle that is a ‘lemon’, consumers wince and shake their heads. This slang term has now become part of the legal system when discussing the California Lemon Law which was put into place to protect consumers after purchasing a lemon vehicle.
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, which the lemon law is legally known as, is a great boon for vehicle consumers when dealing with the very powerful automobile manufacturers. This law states that if a vehicle is determined to be a lemon then the manufacturer must give the buyer a replacement vehicle of equal or greater value or purchase the vehicle back from them.
Of course, as with anything, there are qualifications that must be adhered to and met to be covered under this law. Besides the vehicle having to be still under warranty, it must have a condition that could cause injury or even death to those that occupy it. But that’s not the only way your car can qualify. There are many ways for you to qualify. And the best way to handle this is to go to an attorney who specializes in this law.
If your warranted vehicle (new or used, as long as it’s still under warranty) has tried to be repaired several times but you are still dealing with the problem, then you can qualify. Of course, you must have proof that you’ve tried to get the defect repaired.
Perhaps there are been so many attempts to repair your vehicle that it has been out of service for a long time. This law states that the warranted vehicle must have been in the repair shop for at least 30 days (not necessarily consecutive) since the date of purchase.
The vehicle is used for personal use only and not used for business. Business vehicles do not qualify under the California Lemon Law.
Lastly, the problem with the vehicle cannot be trivial, such as a broken cup holder or something similar that does not impair use of the vehicle or could cause harm to the driver and occupants of the vehicle.
If you feel that you have a lemon vehicle, your next step, as said previously, is to find an attorney that specializes in this law. Many attorneys will do a free evaluation in order to discover if your vehicle qualifies. If it does, make sure you go with someone who will take your case and negotiate on your behalf without any out of pocket expense to you whatsoever.
Allen Walters is an experienced consumer who has dealt with the California Lemon Law. Through interactions with the State of California, he has learned how to navigate through the sometime muddy waters when taking on the powerful Automobile Industry.