Tag Archives: California Lemon Law

How To Get Rid Of A Lemon In California

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The first step to getting rid of your “lemon” vehicle is to determine if your vehicle is actually a “lemon”. Here is a few criteria to go by to determine if you have a “lemon”.

  • If you start having problems with your automobile during the new car warranty period and you have taken it in four times or more, and the problem still has not been fixed, you could have a “lemon”.
  • If the problem is safety related, and is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, and your have taken it in two times or more and the problem still exists, you could have a “lemon”.
  • If your vehicle was out of service for a total of more than 30 days during the first 18 months or 18,000 miles and the problem is still not fixed, you could have a “lemon”.

The above paragraphs are only guidelines, but as long as your vehicle has substantial manufacturing defects which relate to safety, value, or use, and so long as they initially occurred within the new car warranty period (typically 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first) your vehicle may qualify as a meritorious lemon law claim.

If you have had repeated substantial problems, and if your vehicle is still not repaired, you should call 1-888-EX-LEMON or fill out the form at the top of the page for a free consultation with one of our experts to learn whether your vehicle qualifies or, if not, whether there are other legal alternatives.

If you are in California call our Lemon Law Offices:

Anywhere in California (free call): 1.888.ExLemon (395.3666)

  • California Lemon Law in Los Angeles: 310-475-1700
  • California Lemon Law in San Francisco: 415-285-5366
  • California Lemon Law in San Diego: 619-229-6900
  • California Lemon Law in Orange County: 949-856-4333
  • California Lemon Law in Palm Springs: 760-395-1000
  • California Lemon Law in San Fernando Valley: 818-837-0500

Automobile Safety And Recalls

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Automobile accidents are the number one killer of Americans under the age of 34, with approximately 42,000 people killed every year. In addition to this, there is an estimated cost of $150 billion for medical costs, insurance and worker productivity, not to mention the emotional costs of being injured. By getting defective and unsafe vehicles off the road, these numbers should be greatly reduced.

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act now called 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 gives the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the authority to set vehicle safety standards and to issue recalls for vehicles that have safety issues.

Since 1966,when the safety act first came into effect, more than 390 million cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds, as well as 46 million tires, 66 million pieces of motor vehicle equipment, and 42 million child safety seats have been recalled to correct safety defects.

In order to find safety problem, the NHTSA relies on auto manufactures, dealers, distributors, and consumers to notify them when there is a problem. The NHTSA is responsible for monitoring the manufacturer’s corrective action to ensure the recall is successfully completed.

Some examples of defects considered safety-related are:

  • Steering components that break suddenly causing partial or complete loss of vehicle control.
  • Problems with fuel system components, particularly in their susceptibility to crash damage, that result in leakage of fuel and possibly cause vehicle fires.
  • Accelerator controls that may break or stick.
  • Wheels that crack or break, resulting in loss of vehicle control.
  • Engine cooling fan blades that break unexpectedly causing injury to persons working on a vehicle.
  • Windshield wiper assemblies that fail to operate properly.
  • Seats and/or seat backs that fail unexpectedly during normal use.
  • Critical vehicle components that break, fall apart, or separate from the vehicle, causing potential loss of vehicle control or injury to persons inside or outside the vehicle.
  • Wiring system problems that result in a fire or loss of lighting.
  • Car ramps or jacks that may collapse and cause injury to someone working on a vehicle.
  • Air bags that deploy under conditions for which they are not intended to deploy.
  • Child safety seats that contain defective safety belts, buckles, or components that create a risk of injury, not only in a vehicle crash but also in non-operational safety of a motor vehicle.

If you think your vehicle or equipment may have a safety defect, you should report it to the NHTSA. If the agency receives similar reports from a number of people about the same product, an investigation will be started. In order to make it convenient for consumers to report any suspected safety defects to NHTSA, the agency offers three ways to file such complaints.

Vehicle Safety Hotline
NHTSA operates the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Vehicle Safety Hotline telephone service to collect information from consumers on vehicle safety problems. You can call 1-888-327-4236 or 1-800-424-9393 toll free from anywhere in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to register complaints or receive recall information about a vehicle. The Hotline also has Spanish-speaking representatives and offers a dedicated number, 1-800-424-9153, for use by persons with hearing impairments.

When you call the Hotline to report a vehicle-related safety issue, you will be asked to provide certain critical information that agency technical staff needs to evaluate the problem. The information you provide is filed on a Vehicle Owner’s Questionnaire (VOQ), entered into the agency’s consumer-complaint database, and forwarded to NHTSA technical staff for evaluation.

VOQs filed through the Hotline will be mailed to you for verification of data. In addition, you will receive an explanation of how your report will be used, as well as a request for written authorization allowing NHTSA to provide your personal identifiers (e.g., name, address and telephone number) to the manufacturer of the alleged defective product you own. Note that you are not required to provide such authorization. However, sometimes sharing this information with the manufacturer can help facilitate the recall process.

Safercar.gov
You can also report a vehicle safety issue to NHTSA online at our vehicle safety Web site: www.safercar.gov. Select “File a Complaint” within the Defects and Recalls section of the home page. The information you submit via the Web site is recorded in VOQ format, entered into our consumer complaint database, and provided to our technical staff for evaluation.

When you fill out a VOQ online, you will be given the option of checking a box to authorize or not authorize the release of your personal identifiers to the manufacturer of the alleged defective product you own. Again, while you are not required to provide such authorization, doing so can sometimes help facilitate the recall process.

U.S. Mail
To report a safety complaint to NHTSA by mail, send your letter to:
U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Defects Investigation (NVS-210)
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590

Problems With Jeep Liberty Window Regulators

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If you ask a Jeep Liberty owner if they ever had to replace a window regulator on their SUV you may be surprised that almost every owner will say yes. Some say the regulator has been changed many times. Chrysler knows about the problem, but it is suspected they do not want to issue a recall as it would be very expensive.

The problem is a plastic window bracket that rides inside of a metal track in the door. As you use the window, the part of the plastic bracket that rides inside the metal guide rail tends to wear away until it becomes too thin to support the weight of the window. The plastic piece brakes and down comes the glass. The problem is not only limited to well worn windows as complaints also come from people who say they rarely use the window.

When the vehicle is still under warranty, the problem is more of an inconvenience, though there have been complaints of interior damage due to rain. When warranty is up, however, the fix can be very expensive. Some Liberty owners say that when they complained about the problem to dealerships, it was recommended to replace the entire window regulator, guide rail, bracket and motor at the expense of the consumer.

CLICK HERE to view the technical service bulletin, NHTSA #620952, related to this problem.

If you have experienced repeated repairs on your Jeep Liberty you may be able to get help under the California Lemon Laws. For a Free CA Lemon Law consultation fill and submit the consultation form above or call the California Lemon Law Firm of Delsack and Associates at 888-Ex-Lemon. They have been helping consumers since 1987. Call and speak with an attorney now.

Distracted Driving When Saving Lives

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It has happened to everyone, you become distracted while driving and miss your turn off, almost cause an accident or even worse got into an accident. Distractions during driving has always been a problem and with todays computers on dashboards, sophisticated radios, navigation systems and cell phones it has become even worse. Many states have made it illegal to use these devices while driving in an attempt to keep people safe on the roads.

There are a few people who have no choice. This technology on police cruisers and ambulances helps the police and paramedics get instant access to essential information. Police can check license plate data, find information about a suspect and exchange messages with dispatchers. Ambulances receive directions to accident scenes and can use the computers to send information about the patient before they arrive at the hospital. Usually this is done before they start driving or by the drivers partner but often the partner is dealing with other issues and the driver ends up using these devices at high speeds in traffic.

Researchers are working to reduce the risks. At the University of New Hampshire they have been developing hands-free technology for police cars. The systems let officers use voice commands to operate the radio, lights and sirens and even speak a license-plate numbers into the on-board computer which comes back with basic information about the car. This voice command can be easily activated by a button on the steering wheel.

The solutions are not cheap though, especially for struggling states and local governments. “We can barely get patrol cars and motorcycles,” said Shawn Chase of the California Highway Patrol. “We would love to get this technology, but there are trade-offs.”

Data does not exist about crashes caused by police officers or medics distracted by their devices, but the combination of distraction and high speeds is almost certain to eventually lead to an accident.

GM Power Steering Recall

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General Motors announced Monday that they will be recalling 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac Compact cars for power steering problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began an investigation into the problem on Jan. 27 after getting 1,100 complaints of cars loosing power steering assist. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.

The auto maker said the vehicles are still safe to drive and never totally lose their steering, but consumers will notice harder steering when traveling under 15 mph. Shutting the vehicle off and then restarting will usually restore the power steering. The auto maker will start with older models first because the problem usually takes 20,000 to 30,000 miles of driving for the condition to develop.

The recall covers:

  • 2005 to 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts
  • 2007 to 2010 Pontiac G5s
  • 2005 and 2006 Pontiac Pursuits
  • 2005 and 2006 Pontiac G4s

It’s Important To Get Your Recalls Done

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), we are not very good at following up on recalls. Recall completion rates are about 30% for child seats, less than 50% for tires and more than 70% for vehicles. What about all the recalls that were not done? Is the product no longer used, has it been sold and the recall hasn’t made it to the new owner, or is it just the neglect of the consumer?

It is in your best interest for the safety of yourself and those around you to seek out any recall information for the products you own, especialy if safety could be a concern. Get your RECALLS and TSB’S at the click of a button with the California Lemon Law Specialist.

Used Car Buyer’s Guide Due for a Face Lift

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The Consumer Buyer’s Guide which hasn’t been updated since 1985, requires all used car dealers to disclose warranty information in writing before the sale of any vehicle. The Buyers Guide should be displayed on the vehicle so customers can see the front and back as they look at the vehicle. Any car dealer or person selling 6 or more motor vehicles in a 12 month period is required to follow the FTC Buyers Guide Rule. This includes posting a Buyers Guide on every car, truck, trailer, ATV, jet ski, RV, semi truck, or any vehicle with a loaded gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8,500 pounds, a curb weight of less than 6,000 pounds, and frontal area of less than 46 square feet. The only exemptions to the FTC Buyers Guide rule are motorcycles, some agricultural equipment, and any State Certified Salvage dealer selling a car for junk, salvage, or parts. All States, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands require dealers to abide by the FTC Buyers Guide rule. Maine and Wisconsin have there own state laws and warranty disclosure documents that protect buyers during a vehicle transaction. Special Agents of the Federal Trade Commission conduct what are called “Buyers Guide Audits”. They will come to a city without notice and inspect every dealer in the area. These agents operate all over the country to make sure all dealers are complying buy the Federal Trade Commission’s Buyers Guide Rule.

The National Association of Attorneys General says it is time to protect buyers from rebuilt wrecks. The changes involve adding additional information on whether a vehicle was badly damaged in a crash or flood or bought back by the automaker as a lemon. The current emphasis on warranty information needs to be changed as well.

The National Automobile Dealers Association, however, opposes adding such information, which it said constitutes “far-reaching changes” that would “impose significant, costly, and in some cases, impossible burdens on used car dealers.” The attorneys general association said that requiring more information, included from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System system, would cost little “and would result in an effective and efficient federal double-faceted assault on used-car fraud.” This information system requires all states, as well as insurance companies and junk yards, to report vehicles so badly damaged they were considered totaled and not worth repairing. Consumers can check vehicle identification numbers at a government Web site, but many people don’t know that such valuable information is available therefore, adding a vehicle’s history to the Buyer’s Guide would be a great help to buyers.

calemonlaw.com – Check vehicles recall and technical service bulletin history, quickly, and completely free!

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California Lemon Lawwww.Lemonlawspecialists.com announces its new web based service to help California residents who purchased vehicles that turned out to be ‘lemons’.

People with these defective cars, trucks, motorcycles,RV’s, and motor homes are protected by the California lemon laws. These laws provide remedies if a consumer has repeated, substantial problems relating to the safety, value, or use of her or his vehicle.

Finding these recalls and technical service bulletins can be difficult. At *calemonlaw.com* we bring all this information and so much more, to you! We have a complete list from every auto manufacturer, updated daily, and 100% free. You can get all the recalls and bulletins for your specific car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or motor home at the click of your mouse.

The ‘Vehicle Recalls’ section is an exhaustive list of over 80,000 recalls from every vehicle manufacturer doing business in the US. The most popular manufacturers are separated into a convenient top box so navigating to the correct vehicle make, model, and year is easy and intuitive.

The Technical Service Bulletins (or TSB) section is just as easy to use. Once you have found your vehicle’s make, model, and year, you are only a click away from finding all the Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins relevant to you.

This searchable, sortable, up to date, and complete recall database allows you to subscribe to the latest Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins. Add the feed to your email, blog, Yahoo, or Google home page, and even to your computer desktop!

If you think you have a ‘lemon’, stop throwing your money away on costly repeat auto repairs. Contact The California Lemon Law Specialists, to arrange a free consultation and get rid of your CA lemon today!