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Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act
California lemon law.
If your car keeps going back to the dealer for the same problem, California's Song-Beverly Act may entitle you to your money back — and the manufacturer pays your attorney's fees.
How it works
The strongest lemon law in the country.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires a manufacturer that cannot repair a warranted defect in a reasonable number of attempts to buy the vehicle back or replace it. Not a trade-in credit. A repurchase: down payment, monthly payments, loan payoff, registration, towing and rentals, less only an offset for the miles you drove before the first repair attempt.
And the law's teeth are in its fee provision: a prevailing consumer's attorney's fees are paid by the manufacturer. That is why a lemon law case here costs you nothing — not up front, and not out of your recovery.
What we handle
- Repurchase (buyback) and replacement demands under Song-Beverly
- New, used, certified pre-owned and leased vehicles sold with a warranty
- Engine, transmission, electrical, brake, battery and software defects — including EV and hybrid drivetrain issues
- Civil penalties of up to twice your damages for willful violations
- Dealer fraud and warranty games that hide repeat repairs
Bring your repair orders
The whole case lives in the repair history. Gather every repair order and invoice, your purchase or lease contract, and the warranty booklet. A free review of those documents will usually tell you whether you have a case.
Common questions
Lemon law questions.
Does my car qualify as a lemon?
If it has a defect covered by the warranty that the manufacturer or its dealers have not fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, it may. California presumes a vehicle is a lemon if, within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, there were four or more attempts at the same problem, two or more attempts at a defect that could cause death or serious injury, or the car spent more than 30 days in the shop. Cases outside the presumption can still win.
What does a lemon law case cost me?
Usually nothing at any point. The Song-Beverly Act makes the manufacturer pay the consumer's attorney's fees and costs when the consumer prevails, which is why these cases can be taken with no fee to you.
Does the lemon law cover used cars?
Yes, if the vehicle was sold with a written warranty — including certified pre-owned vehicles and used cars still under the original manufacturer warranty. Leased vehicles are covered too.
What can I actually get?
A repurchase (your money back, including down payment, payments and loan payoff, minus a mileage offset), or a replacement vehicle, plus incidental costs like rentals and towing. If the manufacturer willfully violated the law, a civil penalty of up to twice your damages can be added.
Do I have to stop driving the car?
No. You may keep driving it while the claim proceeds. Keep every repair order and keep servicing it at authorized dealers.
Free lemon law review
Think you bought a lemon?
The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. If there is no claim worth bringing, you will be told that plainly, and if another firm is a better fit for your matter, you will be told that too.
- No fee unless you recover on injury and lemon law matters.
- Direct attorney access from the first call to the last signature.
- Se habla español. Consultations available in Spanish.
- If a deadline is close, call (310) 598-9614 rather than emailing. Some California deadlines are as short as six months.