At Shainfeld Law, P.C., our California lemon law attorney in Los Angeles only handles California Lemon Law cases. With a 99% success rate, we focus all our law firm’s resources on providing legal solutions for our California clients — so they are not stuck with a defective and/or potentially unsafe vehicle.
Part of our California lemon law firm’s success is also knowing what does not qualify as a lemon.
Here is what California residents need to know about their eligibility to file a lemon law claim in the Golden State.
What Defects Make My Vehicle Ineligible for Lemon Status?
Our California lemon law is designed to protect consumers from manufacturer defects. That means there is a list of defects, problems, and issues that do not qualify under its law.
That includes:
- Vehicle Defects Caused by Collisions
There is no doubt that crashing a vehicle, or having it crashed into, changes the vehicle’s integrity. That is why consumers are typically willing to pay for accident reports before buying a used vehicle.
Therefore, accident defects are not covered by California lemon law.
For instance, if your brake lights continue to flicker after a rear-end crash — even though you have taken it to the dealership several times for repairs — the manufacturer will certainly cite the crash as the cause.
However, if you can prove the brakes were defective and led to your vehicle getting rear-ended, that is a different story. If this is the case, talk to our skilled Los Angeles lemon law attorney right away to learn more about your legal rights and options to file a claim.
- Vehicle Defects Caused by Driver Abuse
Driver abuse refers to any consumer action that causes damage to the vehicle, which may include reckless driving, “hard” driving, taking the vehicle offroad, failing to keep the vehicle maintained, and/or overall neglect.
- Vehicle Defects Caused by Unauthorized Repairs
If your vehicle is under a manufacturer’s warranty, you must take it to an authorized mechanic or dealership for all repairs. Otherwise, any repairs made outside of an authorized provider can void your warranty, thereby negatively impacting your ability to file a successful lemon law claim.
- Vehicle Defects Caused by Aftermarket Installations
California’s lemon law only covers defects to factory parts.
Any parts, add-ons, or other installations that were not produced by the manufacturer are not covered by the warranty. While the California lemon law prohibits manufacturers from voiding warranties if the consumer adds aftermarket parts, it can void the warranty if the aftermarket part damages another part of the vehicle.
- Any Vehicle Defects Not Reported Under Warranty
A manufacturer defect MUST be reported within the terms of the warranty, or the claim will not be valid.
If the defect was reported to the manufacturer within the terms of the warranty, it may certainly be eligible for a legal remedy under the California lemon law. We can help you determine your eligibility, starting with a free consultation.
Contact our experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorney at Shainfeld Law, P.C., today by calling 949-294-9153 or request a free consultation online.
We typically produce results for our California lemon law clients in as little as 30-60 days, and all our legal fees will become the responsibility of the manufacturer, so you pay nothing when we win your claim.