California lemon law protects consumers from covering the costs of vehicles with severe warranty defects. The California lemon law covers both new and used cars, either purchased or leased, so long as the new vehicle warranty period has not yet ended. Under this law, manufacturers must replace or repurchase vehicles after a reasonable number of unsuccessful repair attempts.
It is common for the consumer and the vehicle manufacturer to dispute about what is considered a “reasonable number of unsuccessful repair attempts.” For such reasons, many manufacturers offer a California state-certified arbitration program.
If you purchased a lemon car, you have a right to take legal action against the manufacturer. Our Southern California lemon law attorneys can help you. Call us today at (949) 390-9695.
The California State-Certified Arbitration Process
In the California state-certified arbitration process, a third party (an arbitrator) will decide whether a reasonable number of repair attempts have been made and what decision should be granted to the consumer. The manufacturer will then have to comply with the arbitrator’s decision if the consumer accepts this process.
The California state-certified arbitration programs train arbitrators in the fair and expeditious resolution of consumer disputes to hear and make decisions about consumers’ vehicle warranty problems.
Is the California Arbitration Process Free?
The California arbitration process is a free and simple process to resolve warranty disputes for your lemon law case. California has made it completely free to begin the arbitration process because the program is funded by the participating manufacturers. Nonetheless, the California state-certified arbitration program is designed to ensure that the manufacturer’s funding doesn’t affect the decision-making process.
What Do I Need to Request the Arbitration Process?
Some manufacturers provide an arbitration application in the information packet that comes with the vehicle at the time of purchase or lease. You can also obtain or complete an application by calling the manufacturer’s arbitration program listed on the enclosed California Certified Arbitration Programs insert or by visiting the ACP’s website.
To file a claim for arbitration, there are various requirements you must meet. Our Southern California lemon law attorneys have put together the requirements to file a claim for arbitration:
- Your vehicle must be purchased or leased in California from a retail seller.
- Your vehicle must be covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty or within
- six months of expiration.
- The vehicle must be purchased or leased primarily for personal, family,
- or household purposes.
- If it is a new vehicle, it must have a gross weight of under 10,000 pounds.
- It can be a dealer-owned vehicle, a “demonstrator,” or other motor vehicle sold with a manufacturer’s new car warranty (such as a used vehicle).
- Members of the armed forces who are stationed in or are residents of California may exercise their rights under California lemon law, regardless of where their vehicles were purchased or registered.
Call Our California Lemon Law Attorneys: (949) 390-9695
If you think you’ve purchased a lemon car, our team at O’Connor Law Group, P.C. is here to help you. We work tirelessly to secure the best possible result for your case. Our team takes the time to inform you of what you can expect, whether we negotiate out of court or take your case to trial. We have years of experience litigating lemon law cases, however, and we are not afraid of advocating for your rights in a court of law if negotiation fails to secure the result you deserve.
Let our team help you get the best possible results for your case. Contact our California lemon law attorneys today at (949) 390-9695 to schedule a case review!