One of the most common misconceptions about California’s Lemon Law is that a vehicle must be entirely undrivable to qualify. Many car owners assume that if their vehicle still starts, moves, and gets them from point A to point B, they are stuck living with the problem. Under California law, that assumption is wrong.
A vehicle can be fully drivable and still qualify as a lemon if a defect substantially impairs its use, value, or safety, or the manufacturer cannot fix it within a reasonable number of attempts.
Drivable Does Not Mean Defect-Free
Manufacturers often rely on the word “drivable” to downplay recurring problems. Dealerships may tell owners that a defect is inconvenient but not severe enough to warrant further action. California’s Lemon Law does not use “drivability” as the legal standard.
Instead, the law focuses on whether the defect:
- Substantially impairs the vehicle’s use.
- Substantially impairs the vehicle’s value.
- Substantially impairs the vehicle’s safety.
If one or more of these standards are met, the vehicle may qualify as a lemon even if it can still be driven daily.
Common Examples of Drivable Vehicles That Still Qualify as Lemons
Many Lemon Law cases involve vehicles that are technically operable but functionally unreliable, unsafe, or worth far less than promised.
Common examples include:
- Repeated warning lights or safety system alerts that return after repairs.
- Intermittent loss of power, hesitation, or rough shifting.
- Infotainment or control system failures that affect navigation, climate controls, or driver assistance features.
- Electrical or software defects that cause system resets or malfunctions.
- Suspension or steering issues that compromise ride quality or handling.
In these cases, the vehicle may operate, but not in a manner a reasonable buyer would expect from a new or warrantied vehicle.
Substantial Impairment of Value Matters
California law recognizes that value is not just about whether a car moves. A vehicle with unresolved defects is often worth significantly less than one without them, even if it remains drivable.
Substantial impairment of value may exist when:
- The defect would cause a reasonable buyer to pay less for the vehicle.
- The vehicle’s resale or trade-in value is reduced.
- The defect undermines the premium features the buyer paid for.
- The problem affects confidence in long-term reliability.
This is especially important for luxury and high-end vehicles, where advanced systems and performance features are central to the purchase decision.
Safety Issues Are Not Limited to Complete Failures
Safety-related defects need not cause immediate breakdowns to qualify under the Lemon Law. A safety issue may exist even if the vehicle continues to operate.
Examples include:
- False or recurring safety warnings.
- Malfunctioning driver assistance systems.
- Brake, steering, or suspension irregularities.
- Electrical issues affecting lights, sensors, or alerts.
If a defect creates uncertainty about how the vehicle will behave, that uncertainty may itself constitute a safety concern under California law.
Repeated Repair Attempts Are Key
A drivable vehicle may still be a lemon when the manufacturer has been given a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect and fails to do so.
This often looks like:
- Multiple repair visits for the same problem.
- Temporary fixes that do not last.
- Software updates that do not resolve the underlying issue.
- “No fault found” repair records despite ongoing symptoms.
The focus is not on whether the vehicle is drivable today, but whether the defect has been properly corrected.
Why Manufacturers Push the “It Still Drives” Narrative
Manufacturers and dealerships frequently emphasize drivability to deflect attention from unresolved defects. By framing the issue as minor or tolerable, they discourage owners from pursuing their full legal rights.
California’s Lemon Law exists precisely because repeated, unresolved defects should not become the consumer’s problem to live with indefinitely.
When to Consider a California Lemon Law Claim
You may want to explore Lemon Law options if:
- The same defect keeps returning after repairs.
- The vehicle feels unreliable or unpredictable.
- The issue affects safety, performance, or value.
- You are told the problem is “normal” or “within specifications.”
- Repairs continue without a permanent solution.
Waiting for a vehicle to become undrivable is not required and often works against the consumer.
Speak With Our California Lemon Law Attorney
If your vehicle still drives but continues to have unresolved problems, you may have a strong Lemon Law claim under California law. Drivability does not cancel your rights.
Call 949-294-9153 today or contact us online for a free consultation with our Los Angeles lemon law attorney. You may be entitled to a buyback, replacement, or compensation even if the defect seems manageable on the surface.