The lemon law in California is a blessing for consumers who invest in cars sitting in the repair shop or dealership for days. With the lemon law in place, instead of being stuck with the defective car, often called a lemon, you can file a lemon law claim with the help of experts from Lemon Laws by Prestige Legal Solutions and seek a refund or replacement. While the lemon law in California can be significantly helpful, it is nuanced.

There are eligibility criteria and specific rules to ensure the law is not misused. Therefore, there are also misconceptions and myths associated with the Lemon law. If you want to ensure you have no misconceptions about this law, here’s debunking some of the most common ones.

● Lemon Law is Applicable Only to New Cars

One of the most common myths about the lemon law is that it can only be utilized by consumers who invest in a brand-new car. This is a huge misconception that needs debunking. When consumers are under such an impression, they may end up not filing a lemon law claim for their used car and take a financial hit for their car manufacturer’s car. Therefore, to clarify, used cars qualify for protection under Lemon law.

● Lemon Law is Not Applicable to Leased Cars

Much like used cars, the Lemon law in California also covers leased cars. If your leased car encounters persistent issues or defects and has been in the repair shop several times, you can consider filing a lemon law claim. All you need to ensure is that the car manufacturer’s warranty covers the defect that arises when the car is still under warranty.

● The Vehicle Must Not be Too Damaged

As opposed to this popular myth that a car cannot be considered a lemon if it very defective, a lemon is a car that has a significant defect. These defects may pertain to the engine and transmission, brakes, car seat belts, steering wheel, and other parts. There is a 30-day rule in California, which states that the car should have been in the repair shop for 30 days for the consumer to file a lemon law claim. However, for primary or severe defects that bring safety into question, you do not have to wait 30 days to file a claim.

● Lemon Law Does Not Cover Vehicles with Expired Warranty

There are countless instances when an issue arises in a car during the warranty period. However, the repair may happen only after the warranty has expired. Therefore, the Lemon law in California makes this distinction. Per lemon law, for a car to qualify as a lemon, the defect must arise when the manufacturer’s warranty still covers the car. To understand how to do this, you can consider working with a new, used, or leased car lemon law attorney.

● If Your Vehicle is Fixed, You Cannot File a Lemon Law Claim

Lemon law applies to cars that witness a defect that keeps recurring. This means you may have taken your car to the repair shop for the same issue and had it fixed several times. Therefore, per lemon laws in California, a car that has been fixed may also be eligible for filing a lemon law claim. The distinction made here is that the defect, despite repairs, may have a high chance of returning. This is, again, something that a lemon law attorney can help consumers with by simplifying the nuances associated with the nature of the defect and what lemon law says.

● The Vehicle Must be Purchased in California

There is no such rule under the lemon law in California that your vehicle must be purchased in California to qualify as a lemon in the state. However, the vehicle must be registered in California for you to be able to file a lemon law claim in the state.

● You Have to go to the Court to Resolve Lemon Law Disputes

Yes, some cases might be taken to court. However, not all lemon law cases are handled in the court. It all depends on how the lemon law case for your car proceeds. You can hire a lemon law attorney and contact your manufacturer. If the manufacturer agrees to provide you with a refund or replacement for your defective car, you can settle out of court. Such cases may take anywhere between 90 to 120 days to finalize. However, if the manufacturer lowballs or refuses to compensate the consumer for selling a lemon, the consumer can take the case to court.

When dealing with a lemon, it is crucial to clarify its law and its other nuances. You can visit LemonLaws.com for more information. Debunking these myths about the lemon law in California helps you move in the right direction, and the case can be resolved with an outcome in your favor. Hire a lemon law attorney to represent you and negotiate with the manufacturer more confidently to make the process less overwhelming and more convenient.