In California, most residents rely on their cars for daily transportation. When a vehicle spends more time in the repair shop than on the road, it’s frustrating, especially when it’s for the same recurring defect or mechanical failure. When a car is still under warranty, the owner expects prompt, timely repairs that correct the problem. Unfortunately, sometimes a vehicle has a defect that recurs despite multiple repair attempts. If a dealership holds the car for more than thirty cumulative days, it may qualify as a lemon under California’s lemon law. A Los Angeles lemon lawyer is here to guide you. Contact Young & Young APC today.
Understanding California’s 30-Day Rule for Dealership Repairs
When a vehicle spends an excessive amount of time in for warranty repairs, it lowers its value, usefulness, and safety. Fortunately, the California Lemon Law protects consumers when a car has a recurring mechanical problem or defect. An important aspect of the lemon law is the guideline for how long a dealership repair shop can hold a car before it legally qualifies as a lemon under the law. While the 30 days is a general guideline, it’s important to understand the following:
- The 30 days do not have to be consecutive. Instead, if a car is at the dealership for repairs for a total of 30 non-consecutive days for the same problem, it could qualify for a lemon law buyback or replacement vehicle.
- The 30-day threshold is a guideline, not a set-in-stone law. For instance, the manufacturer may avoid liability if the delay was caused by things beyond its control.
If your car is at the dealership for an unreasonable amount of time, you have a right to answers, including whether or not the vehicle qualifies for a lemon law claim.
What to Do If the Dealership Has Your Car for More Than 30 Days
A dealership does more than repair a car. They are also intermediaries between the car’s owner and the manufacturer. When a car owner brings their vehicle to the dealership for repairs, they attempt to repair the problem under the warranty and report their findings and results to the manufacturer.
If your car has spent more than 30 days in the dealership’s repair shop, taking the following actions is beneficial:
- Document all repair attempts and save every dealership repair order document
- Examine your car’s warranty to ensure that it covers the repair
- Reach out to a California Lemon Law Lawyer to learn how to proceed with a claim if your vehicle accumulates more than 30 days at the dealership for failed repair attempts.
A car’s stay in the dealership repair shop is legally regarded as “downtime” when it isn’t available to you for use. A vehicle with more than 30 non-consecutive days spent undergoing repairs serves as the legal threshold for lemon law litigation, often triggering the owner’s right to a buyback or replacement vehicle through a lemon law claim against the manufacturer.
