In our lemon law case against Kia Motors America, our client Deivi Cifuentes was awarded $135,799.56 – three times the amount that his vehicle initially cost. In other words, he won the maximum amount allowed under the California Lemon Law.
This highly important consumer law allows people who are sold defective vehicles to get a reimbursement of their vehicle’s purchase price, plus some extra expenses. However, if an auto manufacturer was found to have willfully violated the lemon law, they can be on the hook for civil penalties. These civil penalties can be up to twice the amount of actual damages, which are based on the cost of the vehicle, associated fees and expenses that come with buying the vehicle, and expenses that someone incurs when the vehicle suffers a defect.
Cifuentes reported engine and exhaust problems in his 2021 Kia Seltos shortly after purchasing it for $29,881. He requested that Kia Motors America repurchase the vehicle. When Kia Motors America provided an offer, it had deducted the costs of his service contract and GAP insurance from the offer and neglected to mention reimbursement for his then-current registration. Registration fees are normally covered as part of a repurchase offer under the California Lemon Law.
We see this all the time. A customer may request a repurchase of a defective vehicle, only to be provided a lowball offer by the manufacturer. In Cifuentes’ case against Kia Motors, the auto manufacturer deducted or ignored certain items to lower the buyback amount owed to him – a common tactic deployed when auto manufacturers cannot deny that their vehicles are lemons. When Cifuentes requested a copy of the release agreement, Kia Motors refused to send it to him.
Consumers should have full transparency regarding the conditions of the vehicle repurchases owed to them under the law. Our lemon law firm can tell you what you’re owed, help you acquire it, and fight for your consumer rights in court.
Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is the leading lemon law firm. When auto manufacturers try to skirt their financial obligations to consumers, we even the playing field through our vigorous defense of your consumer rights.
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: 2017–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 guides on the California Lemon Law and Used Car Lemon Law for more information.
