If you have purchased a vehicle in Sacramento that is defective and has not been able to be repaired appropriately, you may be covered under the California lemon law. At Young & Young APC, our knowledgeable and experienced team is dedicated to helping those who have been sold or leased defective and potentially dangerous vehicles. Let our Sacramento lemon law attorneys work to secure the compensation you deserve. We serve residents throughout Sacramento County, the surrounding areas, and throughout California.
The Sacramento lemon law attorneys at Young & Young APC exclusively handle California lemon law cases. If you think you leased or purchased a lemon vehicle from a dealership, you need a dedicated and experienced team of lawyers on your side. Our attorneys have successfully resolved lemon law cases against every major auto manufacturer. Unlike other lemon law firms, we do not charge our clients retainer fees or contingency fees. When you hire our firm, you pay nothing out of pocket for experienced lemon law attorneys in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and throughout California.
If you are tired of taking your vehicle to the dealership for warranty repairs, contact our California lemon law attorneys in Sacramento today. We offer free lemon law consultations, thoroughly evaluate your case and provide valuable information so that you may confidently pursue your legal rights.
Why Choose Us?
Our lawyers can help you with any legal issue, from allegations that you are to blame for the vehicle defect to a settlement offer that undervalues what you’ve paid. Our years of experience exclusively handling Lemon Law cases gives us in-depth knowledge of this practice area.
We are skilled attorneys. Arbitration is one possible way to resolve warranty cases. It allows both parties to avoid going to trial by taking the case to an arbitrator. Our lawyers can represent you during arbitration in Sacramento to fight for a fair outcome.
We have a track record of success. Our attorneys have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. While we never promise positive results, you can rest assured that your case will be managed by a successful and reputable attorney.
Do I Need to Hire a Lemon Law Attorney to Pursue My Claim?
Auto manufacturers and car dealers and have “customer assistance” personnel and attorneys that specialize in California lemon law claims. Our Sacramento lemon law attorneys have the experience and resources that you need to level the playing field and obtain the results you deserve. Our team of lemon law attorneys will aggressively fight to protect your rights and get the compensation you deserve.
Do not let the manufacturer or dealer give you the runaround or take advantage of you. When you hire our firm, you get a team of experienced and dedicated lemon law attorneys that will fight for you. We will fully explain the process each step of the way so that you understand your options. Manufacturers and dealerships may mislead you regarding your California lemon law rights. Unlike in other states, California does not require consumers to participate in the arbitration to resolve their Lemon Law claims. You are also entitled to specific statutory damages.
We are dedicated to protecting our clients’ lemon law rights in Sacramento and throughout California. Our lawyers have large national law firm litigation experience. We use this experience to effectively and aggressively prosecute lemon law claims on behalf of our clients.
How a Lemon Law Attorney Can Help
When you hire an attorney from Young & Young APC, you will have a trusted source of advice and information about California’s Lemon Law. Since your lawyer won’t get paid unless you do, he or she will be committed to securing financial compensation on your behalf. Your lawyer will understand the nuances of the Lemon Law and how to file this type of case in Sacramento. You can trust your lawyer to take care of all the legal legwork of your claim, such as:
Communicating with auto shops and authorized dealerships about your vehicle
Determining if your vehicle qualifies as a lemon under California law
Obtaining copies of repair orders and other documents that are relevant to your case
Negotiating a satisfactory resolution with the automobile manufacturer
Ensuring the manufacturer offers fair financial compensation for the full extent of your losses
Proving your Sacramento Lemon Law case in court, if necessary
Most Lemon Law cases in California are resolved outside of court, with settlements or through arbitration. However, it can benefit you to hire an attorney with trial capabilities in Sacramento in case a motor vehicle manufacturer refuses to offer a fair settlement or tries to blame you for the vehicle defect. A trial attorney from our law firm can go up against any defendant, including a powerful auto manufacturer, before a judge and jury on your behalf.
The Basics of California’s Lemon Law
The California lemon law protects Sacramento residents that have purchased or leased a new or certified pre-owned used vehicle within the manufacturer’s original warranty period. In California, the lemon law requires a manufacturer to promptly repurchase or replace a vehicle when the dealership is unable to repair it after a “reasonable” number of repair attempts or within a reasonable amount of time. The full text of the Lemon Law is found in Section 1790-1795.8 of the California Civil Code. It is also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.
Use these frequently asked questions to learn more about the California Lemon Law:
What is a lemon? In California, a vehicle may be considered a lemon if it has one or more defects that are covered by the auto manufacturer’s warranty and substantially impair the use, value, or safety of the vehicle.
What types of vehicles qualify under the Lemon Law? The Lemon Law covers passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles, vans, and SUVs.
What are common vehicle defects? Common defects involved in Lemon Law cases are brake failure, defective seatbelts and airbags, electrical malfunctions, engine problems and failures, fuel line defects, loss of power steering, transmission problems, and uncontrolled acceleration.
Which vehicle manufacturers have the most complaints? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford had the highest number of complaints from 2020 to 2022, with 12,376. In second place was Chevrolet, with 7,303 complaints, followed by Jeep with 4,760. The most problematic vehicle was the Ford Fusion, with 1,858 complaints.
What if the vehicle is used? The Lemon Law can apply to a used vehicle if it was sold as a certified pre-owned vehicle, and if the repair attempts were made within the warranty period.
What if I lease the vehicle? You can still qualify for a refund or vehicle replacement with a leased vehicle if it is a lemon in California.
What if I’ve had the vehicle for more than 18 months or driven it over 18,000 miles? This does not matter in California; many successful Lemon Law cases involve vehicles that are outside of these parameters.
What is the deadline to file a Lemon Law claim in California? Four years. California’s statute of limitations on filing a Lemon Law case is four years from the date that the consumer discovered or reasonably should have discovered the vehicle qualified as a lemon.
Do I have to pay for my Lemon Law attorney? No. Part of the California Lemon Law is that the auto manufacturer is obligated to pay for the consumer’s reasonably incurred attorney’s fees and legal costs.
Our lawyers can answer any further questions and provide legal counsel after listening to your story during a free case consultation in Sacramento, California. We will explain California’s Lemon Law and discuss whether you are eligible for a remedy under this statute. If so, we can help you with the claims process. At Young & Young APC, Lemon Law is all we do. We are highly knowledgeable and experienced attorneys who can help you get through this type of case.
What Counts as a Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts Under the California Lemon Law?
The California lemon law does not state a required number of repair attempts. A “reasonable” number of repair attempts is determined on a case-by-case basis in relation to the type of the vehicle’s defect. For safety-related defects, this could mean as few as two repair opportunities at the manufacturer’s authorized repair facility. This requirement may also be satisfied if the vehicle is in the repair facility for a cumulative total of over 30 days for repair (not necessarily all at one time).
What Is the Lemon Law Presumption?
Under California Civil Code, Section 1793.22, called the Tanner Consumer Protection Act, some vehicles are automatically presumed to be lemons, meaning no further evidence or proof is necessary. Under this specific provision of the Lemon Law, if one of the following occurs in the first 18 months of the delivery of the vehicle or the first 18,000 miles driven (whichever comes first), it is presumed to be a lemon:
Four or more attempts at repairs have been made for a defect that impacts the use, market value, or safety of the motor vehicle.
Two or more attempts at repairs have been made for a defect that puts the consumer (or others) at risk of serious bodily injury or death.
The vehicle has been out of commission for a total of more than 30 days (not necessarily in a row) while undergoing repairs.
The Tanner Consumer Protection Act offers another layer of protection to consumers in California. However, it is not necessary to have the elements of this act for your vehicle to be deemed a lemon. Even if the presumption period has ended, you may qualify for a refund or vehicle replacement in Sacramento if the defect and repairs occurred within the manufacturer’s warranty period.
What if My Car Qualifies as a Lemon?
If you have been sold a lemon vehicle, you could be entitled to compensation through the California lemon law. At Young & Young APC, our practice is exclusively dedicated to prosecuting California lemon law claims and we provide free lemon law attorney consultations in Sacramento and throughout the state. Under the California lemon law, you may be entitled to the following:
A refund of all amounts paid or payable for the purchase or lease of your vehicle (less a statutory mileage offset or “good use” credit for miles driven before the first repair attempt); or
A replacement vehicle that is substantially identical to the subject vehicle; or
A cash settlement.
GET A FREE CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW CASE EVALUATION
For a free initial case evaluation and consultation with one of our California Lemon Law lawyers, call (833) 536-6600 (toll-free), fax (844) 572-7150, or fill out our free California Lemon Law case evaluation.
