It’s disheartening to buy a new car with the reasonable expectation that you’ll enjoy trouble-free driving for years ahead, only to find a problem that persists despite repeated repair attempts. Among the most common serious mechanical problems in California Lemon Law claims are faulty transmissions. Although it’s frustrating to face a legal process holding a vehicle manufacturer accountable, a successful California Lemon Law claim results in a refund of the vehicle’s purchase price or a cash settlement.
Recognizing the signs of the five most common transmission problems named in California Lemon Law claims helps a lemon vehicle owner to more quickly recognize and address the problem with help from a California Lemon Law lawyer.
1. Transmission Slips and Shifts
Ideally, a car’s transmission shifting should be smooth, timely, and barely noticeable to the driver. If the transmission fails to engage, slips, delays, misses gear changes, or causes engine revs, it’s a sign of a significant problem with the transmission.
If a vehicle owner returns the car to the dealership and the problem is successfully repaired within a reasonable amount of time, then there is likely no cause for a lemon law claim; however, if the vehicle undergoes more than one repair attempt and the transmission problem persists, you may be entitled to a buy-back refund or cash settlement from the manufacturer through a California Lemon Law claim.
2. Strong Vibrations and Loud Noises
A common sign of a transmission problem is loud noises from the transmission, ranging from roaring to clicking, grinding, buzzing, or humming. The noises may be paired with strong vibrations. These signs often indicate bad bearings, low transmission fluid, internal sealant problems, or problems with the planetary gears.
If the problem isn’t repairable despite repeated attempts, or your vehicle spends more than 30 (non-consecutive) days in repair shops, you may have the right to file a lemon law claim.
3. Fluid Leaks, Smoke, or Burning
If you notice a puddle of reddish fluid under your vehicle where it was parked, it’s likely a transmission fluid leak. When enough transmission fluid leaks from the vehicle, it often causes a burning smell, sometimes with visible smoke if the leaking fluid drips onto hot pipes. Leaked fluid leads to noises, vibration, and a burning odor.
4. Power Loss and Acceleration Lagging
When a vehicle’s engine seems to work correctly, but the vehicle cannot accelerate in response to pressing the accelerator pedal or shift into higher gear, or it jerks when changing gears, it indicates a faulty transmission.
5. Slipping Into Neutral
When a vehicle slips into neutral either from park or while driving, it’s a strong indicator of a transmission problem. A transmission slipping into neutral while the driver is in traffic is a significant safety risk. Under the California Lemon Law, a vehicle with a defect that impacts driving safety is eligible for a lemon law refund or replacement vehicle after only two or more failed repair attempts. If a repair attempt for a transmission problem occurs within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles of use, the vehicle may qualify if the repair takes more than 30 days.
What to Do If Your Car’s Unrepairable Transmission Problem Makes It a Lemon?
No one who buys a vehicle in good faith should be stuck driving a lemon or with a dangerous vehicle that spends more time in repair shops than on the road. Instead, the owner of a lemon car in California may reach out for a free consultation with a lemon law lawyer in California to learn more about their legal rights.
