The owner of a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, purchased in November 2013, returned to her GM dealership in April 2016 when she first started having trouble with her car. She subsequently provided her dealer six (6) more repair opportunities before she called us for help.

When she contacted the Law Offices of Delsack & Associates, P.C., she told us her vehicle was experiencing a phenomenon called “Tire Hop”, a problem caused by imperfect steering geometry and sticky tires. She told us it caused a chattering noise from the rear of the car and the tires would slip when turning at low speed and tight steering angles. In addition, the drivers window, radio, cooling system, and fueling system were defective and the instrument panel would black out under normal operating conditions.

After trying unsuccessfully to have these defects repaired until December 10, 2015, our client retained us to represent her in her demand for repurchase of the vehicle under the California lemon laws. Within a short time our firm was able to negotiate a repurchase of the defective vehicle. GM also paid off her lien holder and paid for her attorney’s fees. Our client was delighted with the outcome and happy to be rid of her dangerous car.

Don’t let problems affect the safety of your vehicle. If you have had three (3) or more repair attempts for the same or similar substantial problem, two (2) repair attempts for a safety related problem, or your vehicle has been out of service in the hands of an authorized dealer for more than 30 days during the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, it could be a lemon.

The owner of a leased 2014 Cadillac CTS gave his GM dealer more than twelve (12) repair opportunities before he decided to call the Law Offices Of Delsack & Associates, P.C. for advice. He told us the engine, transmission and suspension were defective and there had been numerous repairs on the rear differential and axle. The CTS had also been recalled for a defective fuel flow control module, a problem common to many GM models.

Within a few short weeks of retaining our services, we were able to negotiate a repurchase of the defective vehicle and recover his down payment, monthly payments, and registration; less the mileage deduction fee allowed under the California Lemon Law. GM also paid the lease balance in full and our attorney’s fees. Needless to say our client was thrilled to be rid of his defective 2014 Cadillac CTS and get his money back. Continue reading

A brief description of the California Lemon Law

As a leader in consumer protection, California was one of the firsts states to enforce lemon laws. The California Lemon Law requires that a manufacturer who is unable to repair a vehicle to conform to the express warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts, must replace or repurchase the vehicle. In many cases, the manufacturer will try to show that the criteria has not been met, and therefore, the buyer or lessee is not entitled to a replacement vehicle or refund. Continue reading

Jaguar Land Rover will be asking the owners of certain 2013-2015 Jaguar XF sports cars to return to their dealership to repair a problem that could affect the steering system. According to the defect report filed with the NHTSA, a bolt on the Front End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD) could fail leading to the loss of the FEAD. As a result, the driver may experience a battery charge warning lamp illumination, air conditioning failure, engine overheat warnings and a Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) followed by a reduction in steering assist. A sudden increase in steering effort could increase the risk of a vehicle accident. Continue reading

Nissan will be contacting the owners of certain 2013-2015 Nissan Leaf vehicles about a problem that could result in extended braking distances. According to the defect report, the relay inside the electronic brake booster could freeze in cold temperatures. If this occurs, the vehicle will illuminate the brake warning lamp and the system will set to “assist mode”. More pedal effort and increased braking distances could increase the risk of an accident. Continue reading

Honda will be notifying owners of certain 2016 Honda Pilot 2WD vehicles to return to their dealerships for a problem affecting the instrument cluster warning lights. During a safety system malfunction, the corresponding system warning light will not illuminate until the ignition has been turned of and then back on. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, “Electronic stability control systems”, number 135, “Light vehicle brake systems” and number 138, “Tire pressure monitoring systems”. Continue reading

After fourteen (14) unsuccessful repair attempts, the owner of a 2013 Dodge Dart contacted the Law Offices of Delsack & Associated, P.C. for advice. She told us she complained to her Chrysler dealership many times about the trouble she was having. These problems included a defective transmission and engine which resulted in loss of power under normal operating conditions, and a check engine and service transmission warning light that remains on. The vehicles Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Transmission Control Module (TCM) had been replaced, but the problems still persisted. Continue reading

Chrysler has announced that certain 2014-2015 RAM 1500 Quad Cab trucks may not comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for airbag safety. According to reports, the affected vehicles are equipped with side air bag inflatable curtains (SABIC) that may not fully overlap the C-pillars. In the event of an accident, the SABIC may not inflate as intended, increasing the risk of injury to the rear seat occupant.