California Lemon Law News + Info

Can the manufacturer force me to accept a repair instead of a buyback or replacement?

If you bought or leased a vehicle that turns out to be a lemon, you might wonder what your options are regarding lemon law compensation. Your vehicle may be a lemon if it has a recurring defect that affects its use, value or safety and the auto manufacturer did not fix it within a reasonable number of attempts.

Generally speaking, owners or lessees of lemon vehicles may be entitled to cash compensation, a vehicle replacement or a lemon law buyback. However, an owner or lessee may ask “Can an auto manufacturer force me to accept an additional repair instead?”

The short answer is: no. If your vehicle is found to be a lemon, the auto manufacturer cannot force you to accept another repair to your vehicle. If your vehicle is considered a lemon, that means the auto manufacturer was found to not have been able to repair it after being given a reasonable number of chances.

The California Lemon Law requires that auto manufacturers have an affirmative duty to offer restitution to owners and lessees of defective vehicles. Those forms of restitution are typically either a vehicle replacement or a repurchase of the vehicle.

If an auto manufacturer attempts to force you to accept an additional repair in this situation, the auto manufacturer is skirting its responsibilities under the California Lemon Law.

Consult a Lemon Law Attorney

Are you unsure if the auto manufacturer’s responses to your complaint are legitimate? Get a free consultation to discuss your situation. Our lemon law consultations will cost you nothing out of pocket. Learn the advantages of hiring a lemon law attorney and how lemon law attorneys get paid. Then, take the first step and call our lemon law firm at (877) 222-2222.


Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2019–Present vehicle models only.

However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.

To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.

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