California Lemon Law Process and Timeline

1. Identifying the Problem and Seeking Repairs

California’s Lemon Law allows consumers to seek a replacement or refund after making a “reasonable number of attempts” to fix an issue with a vehicle under warranty. Your car may qualify as a lemon if you meet one or more of these conditions:

• You’ve had to take your car in for repairs at least four times to fix a recurring problem, or two times to fix a potentially serious safety issue
• Your car has been unavailable for more than 30 total days because of your repair attempts

Depending on how many repair attempts you need to make and how much time passes between them, establishing the basis for a California Lemon Law claim can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

2. Gathering Documentation

Once you’ve noticed a potentially lemon-worthy defect in your vehicle, make sure to save any repair orders or receipts relating to the issue. Gather all your purchase or lease documents for the vehicle, and keep your warranty information on hand to determine whether you’re eligible.

Gathering evidence and documentation for a California Lemon Law claim can be an ongoing process, but ideally, you should finish before you take official legal action.

3. Initial Consultation With a Lemon Law Attorney

Contact an experienced firm like Lemon Law Help for your initial case evaluation. A helpful attorney will provide a free 15 to 30-minute consultation to discuss your situation and explain your legal options.

After your consultation, your lawyer will take one to three days to go over your documents and determine whether you have a viable California Lemon Law claim.

4. Litigation

While other law firms focus on settling cases as fast as possible, Lemon Law Help won’t roll over and accept the bare minimum. We’re not afraid to roll up our sleeves and fight to ensure you receive the best possible results, even if it means taking the manufacturer to court.

If necessary, your lawyer will file a lawsuit on your behalf. If your case reaches trial, it may take over half a year to resolve.

However, most claims don’t make it that far. Settlement negotiations continue throughout the legal process, and the parties will usually strike a deal before going to trial. The case may also enter arbitration proceedings, where a neutral third party will attempt to reach a quicker resolution.

5. Resolution and Compensation

Your claim will resolve once the manufacturer agrees to repurchase the vehicle, provide a replacement, or pay for repairs to fix the issue. The timeline for receiving your compensation will depend on the complexity of your case and how far into the California Lemon Law process you are before reaching an agreement.