PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
What are the lemon laws in California?
I just bought a car from the dealer and I've had nothing but problems—I've taken it back in for repairs three times! Does this qualify as a lemon? I live in California.
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Sorry to hear about your car troubles! Thankfully,
California lemon laws
can protect you in this situation.The way that California’s lemon laws are phrased, you are entitled to some sort of compensation or refund if you purchase a vehicle
under warranty
that requires more than a reasonable number of repairs or cannot be repaired at all. This is known as the Lemon Law Presumption. A car can also qualify for this presumption if it has multiple failed repair attempts within 18 months or 18,000 miles of purchase.The other criteria include:
- Taking the car in for repairs four or more times for the same problem without it being fixed.
- Taking the car in for repairs two or more times for a problem that may cause death or serious bodily injury and it’s still not fixed.
- Taking the car in for repair in 30 non-consecutive days of any problem covered by the warranty and it’s not fixed.
If your car falls under the lemon laws for California, your next step is to gather any and all paperwork and consult an attorney. Make sure you keep all service records and receipts. Otherwise, you may not be able to prove you tried to repair the vehicle.
Hopefully, you never have to deal with this problem in the future, but peace of mind goes a long way in other aspects of driving. One of the easiest ways to get peace of mind for driving is to shop around for full coverage car insurance policies for your vehicle.
To easily get the best deal on the coverage you need, check out the
Jerry
app. We’ll get you personalized quotes from top insurers, so that all you need to do is pick the plan that works best for you. And once you pick one, we’ll even help you switch!Best of luck with your car!
View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies