How Many Repair Attempts Trigger the Lemon Law in California?

California’s Lemon Law provides that if the manufacturer of a motor vehicle under warranty cannot repair the vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must either replace the vehicle or repay the owner’s costs associated with buying and attempting to repair the vehicle.

A reasonable number of repair attempts may vary from one case to another, depending on whether the car has serious safety defects.  If the vehicle defect poses a significant danger of serious bodily injury, two or more attempts to repair the problem are typically considered reasonable under the California Lemon Law. Manufacturers may be entitled to more than two attempts to repair defective vehicles if the problems are less severe.

If the dealership attempting to repair your vehicle in California has failed to correct the problem, contact a Lemon Law attorney at The Barry Law Firm in Los Angeles for specific guidance as to your rights under the California Lemon Law. We’ll be happy to assess your eligibility to make a Lemon Law claim and pursue it for you at no charge to you.

Qualifying for the Lemon Law Through Repair Attempts

The California Lemon Law states that a motor vehicle may qualify as a lemon if the car owner can demonstrate the following:

• The vehicle’s problem started while under the manufacturer’s warranty.
• The problem reduces the use, value, or safety of the vehicle and was not caused by abuse.
• The vehicle has been in the repair shop for more than 30 days (not necessarily in a row) to repair a problem covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.

The California Lemon Law applies to repair attempts for a car or other motor vehicle. It also covers the chassis, chassis cab, and drive train of an RV.

The California Lemon Law covers leased vehicles as well as purchased ones. While the Lemon Law is typically invoked for problems with a new car, it also protects owners of used cars if the vehicle has the original warranty and the problem is covered by the warranty.

What to Do If Your Repair Attempts Have Been Unsuccessful

If you have tried and failed to obtain repairs covered by your vehicle’s warranty and believe your car should be considered a lemon, we urge you to contact The Barry Law Firm in Los Angeles. We exclusively handle Lemon Law disputes. We can help you pursue Lemon Law protection and seek to recover your losses on a faulty motor vehicle.

Don’t despair if your experience with a faulty vehicle doesn’t meet the letter of California’s Lemon Law. What counts as a reasonable number of opportunities to repair your vehicle will vary depending on the specific circumstances of your vehicle’s problems. You know your vehicle, and you know what you’ve been through. Let us help you.

You should save all paperwork related to your vehicle and your attempts to repair it, including your lease or purchase agreement, all repair orders from the dealership or other mechanics, and receipts from all expenses incurred because of your faulty vehicle, such as towing or car rentals.

A California Lemon Law claim can be made based on excessive loss of use of the vehicle due to the time it spends under repair or the vehicle’s diminished value. In some cases, multiple repairs or major repairs diminish the value of a vehicle. The stigma of a vehicle known for problems that have led to recalls or lit up message boards with complaints can damage its resale value.

The recovery of compensation offsets your costs and losses while you keep the vehicle.

Through our work with faulty cars and Lemon Law claims throughout California, we know American and foreign-made cars and keep up with consumers’ experiences with them and their resale values. The chances are we are familiar with the problems you are having with your vehicle.

Get A Free Lemon Law Consultation with The Barry Law Firm

There are multiple paths to justice if you have been saddled with a faulty car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or other motor vehicle. An experienced California Lemon Law attorney with The Barry Law Firm can review your vehicle repair history and assess whether your efforts to repair your car trigger Lemon Law protections.

We’ll review your case for free. Our law firm represents all clients at zero cost, regardless of the outcome of the case. If our Lemon Law attorneys win your claim, the law requires the manufacturer to pay our legal fees — not you. Contact us now.