At Shainfeld Law, P.C., our Los Angeles, California lemon law attorney knows buying or leasing a new vehicle in California comes with certain risks. Typically, these risks are mitigated by an accompanying warranty that allows the vehicle owner or lessee to get covered vehicle issues fixed without any pocket costs.
Unfortunately, even new vehicles can fall short of manufacturer standards, and exhibit defects without notice. The average rate of a lemon vehicle being produced by a manufacturer is 1 in every 1 million vehicles. When they are, California residents who purchased their vehicles in the state may be entitled to pursue a California lemon law claim — and we can help.
We have a 99% success rate as lemon lawyers and often settle without a lawsuit in as little as 30-60 days.
Which Vehicles Exhibited the Most Defective Components in 2022-2023?
To follow is a list of vehicle brands that reported the most defects, which may have made their owners eligible to pursue a legal remedy in the form of cash, a refund, or a replacement vehicle under the California Lemon Law.
General Motors: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet & GMC Vehicle Manufacturers
General Motors (GM) is one of the leading vehicle manufacturers in the United States producing 18% of the vehicles purchased across the country. Under its brand, the company produces Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC vehicles.
Unfortunately, many of GM’s top-selling models have been plagued by engine trouble that caused violent shaking to the vehicle when driven over 35 mph.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 103,167 Cadillacs is a lemon.
- 1 in every 400,000 GMCs is a lemon.
- 1 in every 840,000 Chevrolets is a lemon.
Some of the GM models most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- Cadillac CTS
- Cadillac STS
- Chevrolet Cobalt
- Chevrolet Equinox
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Yukon
Land Rover
The British vehicle manufacturer, Land Rover, produces high-performance engines and luxurious interior stylings, attracting thousands of customers worldwide who are often surprised to find their vehicle quality does not live up to its price tag or overall expectations.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 328,000 Land Rover cars will have lemon issues within their warranty periods.
The Land Rover model most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- Land Rover LR4, with reported failure to start, steering misalignment, and malfunctioning electrical system issues.
Stellantis: Dodge, Fiat & Jeep Vehicle Manufacturers
Stellantis, previously known as Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, is no stranger to lemon law claims.
Fiat is the worst-performing vehicle manufactured by Stellantis, making Auto Guide’s first annual lemon list with common warranty problems involving transmission issues, gas leaks, and clutch failure.
The company’s major brands, Jeep, Dodge, and Fiat have also been subjected to criticism for manufacturing vehicles with defective electrical systems that result in malfunctions that may be life threatening.
Some publications stated Stellantis knowingly concealed these defects and failed to issue any relevant recalls.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 100,000 Jeep vehicles is a lemon.
- 1 in every 400,000 Dodge vehicles is a lemon — in addition to 1 in every 800,000 Ram trucks.
- 1 in every 76,808 Fiat vehicles is a lemon.
Some of the Stellantis models most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- Dodge Caravan
- Dodge Charger
- Dodge Dart
- Dodge Durango
- Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 & 3500
- Fiat 500, 500C, 500L, 500X, 500 Pop, 124 Spider, and 500e
- Jeep Cherokee
- Jeep Compass
- Jeep Renegade
- Jeep Wrangler 4xe, a Plug-in Hybrid
Subaru
The Japanese automaker, Subaru, is known for its extensive portfolio of reliable vehicles, namely the Forester and the Outback.
Unfortunately, their latest release, the Ascent, was featured on a list of the ten least reliable cars released by Consumer Reports with a reliability score of just 18/100.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 259,000 Subarus is a lemon.
Some of the Subaru models most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- The 2019 Subaru Ascent has been recalled for defective components that can cause engine failure, failure to start, malfunctioning fuel pumps, and transmission problems.
Volvo
Swedish vehicle maker, Volvo, is often touted as one of the top safety picks by consumer magazines. However, its all-star line-up of cars, wagons, and SUVs is not immune to being labeled as a lemon.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 409,000 Volvos is a lemon.
Some of the Volvo models most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- Volvo S60, XC40, XC60, and V90 for experiencing transmission system failure to overheating brakes.
Volkswagen AG: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Volkswagen Vehicle Manufacturers
Volkswagen Group has two specific vehicles manufactured under its umbrella that consistently appear in numerous lemon law claims: Porsche and Volkswagen.
It is estimated that:
- 1 in every 126,000 Porches is a lemon.
- 1 in every 202,000 Volkswagens is a lemon.
Some of the Volkswagen AG models most involved in California lemon law claims include the:
- Porsche 718 Boxster
- Porsche Cayenne
- Porsche Macan
- Porsche Panamera
- Volkswagen Atlas
- Volkswagen Beetle
- Volkswagen Jetta
- Volkswagen Passat
Contact Our Experienced California Lemon Law Attorney for a Free Consultation
If you have purchased or leased a vehicle on this list, or one that is not and is exhibiting signs of being a lemon, contact our experienced Los Angeles County lemon law attorney at Shainfeld Law, P.C., today by calling 310-295-1888 or request a free consultation online to pursue a legal remedy that fits your needs.