Lemon Law and Buyer Rights

For millions of Californians, purchasing a vehicle is a serious financial commitment and sometimes is the largest transaction they will ever make. So, when a vehicle turns out to be unreliable and defective – otherwise known as a “lemon” – it can devastate family budgets. What’s more, faulty vehicles put lemon owners (and other drivers sharing the road with them) at risk.

Until California’s “Lemon Law” (the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) was passed in 1970, auto manufacturers routinely refused to honor the terms of the warranties they sold to consumers. At the time, warranties were little more than sales gimmicks – empty promises from automakers to fix defective vehicles – and consumers wouldn’t realize, until it was too late, that manufacturers could simply refuse to honor warranty agreements without consequence.

Today, with the Lemon Law in place, California consumers enjoy considerable protections from getting stuck with a defective vehicle. State law requires automakers to either replace or buy back defective vehicles if they are not fixed within a reasonable number of repair attempts. However, in recent years, the number of Lemon Law complaints filed in California's courts has increased exponentially, especially in larger courts such as Los Angeles. This increase created delay in the judicial system and slowed down attempts to provide relief to consumers who need it the most. Although our Lemon Law is designed to protect vehicle purchasers and is a crucial consumer protection law, legislation was urgently needed to ensure the Lemon Law can operate as it should.

In 2024, CAOC joined with General Motors, supported by Ford Motor Company, Stellantis, and the California Judges Association, to enact reforms by expediting and clarifying both pre-litigation and post-litigation procedures, with the practical effect of getting consumers faster relief. AB 1755 (Kalra/Umberg) passed and was enacted into law to keep necessary protections in place while seeking to reach swifter resolutions to bring consumers remedies within months, rather than years. AB 1755 preserves California as a national leader for consumer auto rights, while ensuring swift resolution for consumers with defective vehicles.

“Shortly after I purchased a used car under warranty, I starting having problems with the battery. I repeatedly took the car to the dealer to get it repaired but the problem kept persisting. This was incredibly inconvenient and frankly, I was sick and tired of taking my car in for repairs. Thanks to the California Lemon Law, I finally feel safe driving again. I was able to return my car and get back what I paid for it with no out of pocket costs. I highly recommend to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation to fight for their rights.”
- Maria L., Los Angeles

Instead of simply complying with the law, auto manufacturers constantly seek to weaken consumer protections. Regardless, CAOC and our consumer allies will keep fighting to make sure California’s laws are strong, and to keep car buyers protected.