The California Lemon Law is a law that allows consumers to receive a refund or replacement of defective goods from businesses.
The lemon law was first introduced in the United States in 1965 and since that time, it has become one of the most common consumer protection laws in the country.
There are some factors that can trigger the applicability of the lemon law, including whether the product has been used or not, whether it has failed prematurely, and whether it’s still under warranty.
Consumers should keep records of all repairs and maintenance done on their vehicles’ potential lemon law claims. This is especially important for cars that are more than 6 years old and have over 100,000 miles on them.
Lemon law can be a useful tool if the consumer can prove that the car wasn’t in working order when they purchased it and that the problems continued after they’d taken it to a mechanic.
How Many Repair Attempts Must Be Made Before Your Vehicle Is Considered A Lemon
If your car experiences problems after only a few hundred miles or so, chances are you’re experiencing a lemon. But what’s a lemon, and how many repair attempts must be made before your vehicle is deemed one?
- In the U.S., a car is considered a lemon if it has experienced more than 12 repairs in the past 24 months.
- A repair is redone three or more times for the same substantial defect, at least two of the three attempts must be by the same repair person or organization, or the same manufacturer.
- Repair attempts for any serious defect or combination of defects result in the vehicle out of service for a cumulative total of 15 or more business days.
- If your vehicle is in and out of the authorized repair shop for repair of one or more different problems for 15 or more cumulative days, you may be entitled to a reimbursement from your insurance company.
The terms and conditions of the reimbursement vary from company to company, so it’s important to research your particular policy. In general, however, most policies will cover the cost of repairs that are necessitated by the breakdown in the mechanical systems of your car.
An experienced lemon law attorney like Julian McMillan at McMillan Law Group in California, will begin a formal claim process as defined by the California Lemon Law if you send a demand for reimbursement pursuant to the guidelines to the state’s manufacturer.
This letter informs the manufacturer that you’re initiating a legal process for breach of express or implied contract.
What If It’s Not Repaired Within A Reasonable Number of Attempts?
If your lemon car isn’t repaired within a reasonable number of attempts, there are certain steps you can take to get it fixed.
Consult your car’s owner’s manual to see if there are any specific procedures you need to follow to get the car serviced.
Make sure that you keep all your repair receipts in case the problem with your lemon car is resolved, and you’re entitled to a refund.
Sometimes, you may not be able to sue for damages. You may also be able to get your car fixed, but only if the lemon law is in effect in your state.
For assistance and referrals, call 530-759-9440, or you can visit Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS), which provides information about California’s Lemon Law on its website www.carconsumers.org
If you’ve a lemon car, it’s important to understand your rights and how lemon law works. To solve automobile problems or faulty items, clients often need a lemon law attorney. Contact an experienced lemon law attorney at McMillan Law Group in San Diego and book your free lemon law consultation today.
