One way to protect your investment in a motor vehicle as it ages is an extended car warranty plan. An extended warranty is a contract with a service provider to perform specific automotive maintenance and repairs for an additional term or mileage maximum. It continues all or part of the repair and routine maintenance coverage originally provided by the manufacturer’s original warranty. You may purchase an extended car warranty from a car dealership, an insurance company, or a third-party provider.
When considering an extended warranty, you need to understand the details of the plan you may purchase. There are significant differences in what various service plans cover, how long they last, and what they cost.
If you find that your vehicle’s problems cannot be repaired, even with the best warranty for cars in California, you may have a lemon on your hands. The California Lemon Law says a vehicle is a lemon if the manufacturer cannot resolve a substantial defect covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts. The law allows a car owner or lessee to demand that the manufacturer buy back a faulty vehicle and pay them for their related losses.
An extended warranty doesn’t change your rights under California’s Lemon Law. The Lemon Law attorneys at The Barry Law Firm can help you sort out the details of your manufacturer’s warranty or extended warranty and determine your ability to recover your losses through a Lemon Law claim. Contact us for a FAST & FREE consultation about your rights under California’s Lemon Law.
Understanding Extended Car Warranties in California
An extended car warranty (or vehicle service contract) is an optional, add-on product you may be offered for an additional fee when you buy a car. Service plans extend the availability of maintenance and repairs covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty. They expire after a certain length of time or number of miles, whichever comes first.
Different repair agreements provide different coverages. For example:
- Powertrain warranty coverage might only cover the major components of the vehicle, such as the engine, transmission, and drivetrain.
- A more expensive agreement with broader coverage, often called a “bumper to bumper” warranty, will cover the engine, transmission, drivetrain, and other major parts, such as the suspension, brakes, air conditioner, and steering.
- Some offer coverage for routine services, such as oil changes and tire rotation, or other services such as paintless dent removal, glass or key replacement, or tire and wheel repair.
- The broadest level of coverage, sometimes called an “exclusionary” contract, includes every mechanical part except the parts listed on the contract as “excluded.”
Before buying an extended car warranty, you should carefully review what is and isn’t covered.
When Should I Consider an Extended Car Warranty in San Diego?
If the manufacturer’s warranty on your car is about to run out and you plan to keep your car for several years, getting an extended warranty will ensure that your car remains protected. An extended warranty might be a good idea if you put a high amount of mileage on your car or own a model with known reliability issues.
However, you should research warranties well before your manufacturer’s warranty expires so you don’t feel rushed or pressured to make a purchase.
Does the California Lemon Law Apply to Extended Warranties?
Unfortunately, California’s Lemon Law does not apply to extended warranties. While an extended warranty can be helpful for getting repairs, it won’t allow you to file a San Diego Lemon Law claim.
A California Lemon Law claim must be based on an unrepairable problem with a vehicle that substantially impacts its usability, safety, or value. To file a claim, you must allow the manufacturer (typically through an authorized dealership or service center) a reasonable number of attempts to make repairs.
The issue must also be covered by the vehicle manufacturer’s original warranty. When you buy a new car in California, it comes with a warranty issued by the car’s manufacturer that guarantees specific repairs to the vehicle without charge if they are needed within a certain period of time or before a specified number of miles are put on the car. Only this original warranty from the manufacturer allows you to use the protections offered by California’s Lemon Law. If that warranty is no longer in force, it must have still been valid when you first tried to get the issue repaired.
How Can an Extended Car Warranty Impact My Lemon Law Claim?
An extended warranty is separate from a manufacturer’s original warranty and has no impact on whether you can file a California Lemon Law claim. However, an extended warranty can potentially help you in your efforts to document the defect and your repair attempts.
You can get certain repairs from the authorized dealership at no charge with an extended warranty. Sometimes those repairs are unsuccessful after several attempts, which may make your car a lemon. If the issue started while it was covered under the manufacturer’s original warranty, repair attempts performed under the extended warranty can document the manufacturer’s continued inability to correct your vehicle’s problem.
However, the manufacturer may try to use your extended warranty to convince you that you don’t have a valid Lemon Law claim. For instance, they may claim your repairs were done under your extended warranty and not the manufacturer’s original warranty, so you haven’t given them a reasonable number of repair attempts. Or they may tell you the extended warranty covers your issue, but your Lemon Law rights expired when the manufacturer’s warranty ran out – even though the problem started while it was still in force.
While these claims aren’t true, few consumers fully understand California’s Lemon Law or auto warranties, giving the manufacturer the perfect opportunity to take advantage. If your vehicle manufacturer uses any of these tactics, you should get legal representation as soon as possible to protect your rights.
How Can a Lemon Law Attorney Help Me?
If you suspect your vehicle’s problems qualify it as a lemon under California law, you should consult an experienced Lemon Law attorney from The Barry Law Firm. Our team can prepare and press your Lemon Law claim to pursue everything you are owed. We’ll help you assemble the relevant documents showing what you’ve been through and the full extent of your costs and losses to demand maximum compensation for you. And we’ll do it all at no cost to you. California law requires auto manufacturers to pay the consumer’s legal fees in successful Lemon Law claims – and we’ll never charge you anything, no matter the outcome of your case.
At The Barry Law Firm, we have focused our practice entirely on California Lemon Law claims since 2010 and have helped thousands of consumers recover what they’ve spent on faulty motor vehicles. Call or reach out online today for your FAST & FREE legal consultation to learn more.
