Home to six interstate highways, San Bernardino provides easy access to anything your heart desires. As the largest county in California, San Bernadino spans more than 20,000 square miles. The county offers unparalleled natural beauty from the barren Mojave Desert to the oasis of Big Bear Lake.
But with a lackluster public transit system, you need a reliable vehicle to live here. So, when your car needs repeated repairs, you’re right to be frustrated, even if the repairs are covered by warranty. Thankfully, the Lemon Law in San Bernardino allows consumers like you to stand up for their rights.
If you have a Lemon, our Lemon Law attorneys in San Bernardino can help you collect the compensation you deserve. We offer free consultations to ensure that anyone with a Lemon gets the help they need. Plus, we only get paid if you do. And thanks to a fee-shifting provision in the local Lemon Law, the car company will pay your attorneys’ fees if you win your case.
Thus, you can retain a San Bernardino Lemon Law lawyer from a seasoned law firm, like Krohn & Moss, Ltd., for no cost out-of-pocket. When you win your case, the car company will be required to provide you with your choice of a refund or a replacement vehicle for your Lemon.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s discuss the details of the Lemon Law in San Bernardino and what it takes to secure compensation.
What Qualifies as a Lemon in San Bernardino?
Vehicles
The Lemon Law in San Bernardino is among the most consumer-friendly in the nation. It applies to both new and used vehicles still covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and even the vehicle portion of RVs all fall under the law’s protection. However, vehicles must meet a few basic requirements to qualify for protection:
- Vehicles must have a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs.
- Vehicles must be purchased or leased in a retail transaction in California (exceptions for military).
- Vehicles must NOT belong to a business or individual with MORE than five vehicles registered within California.
Vehicles that meet these requirements fall under the protection of the Lemon Law. However, the vehicle must also be defective before it can be considered a Lemon.
FAQs about the California Lemon Law
Defects
When auto manufacturers fail to repair defective vehicles under warranty, those vehicles can be classified as Lemons. However, the law only applies to defects that substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety. And In San Bernardino, the Lemon Law requires those defects to persist after you’ve provided the manufacturer with a “reasonable number” of repair attempts.
The law provides three different definitions for what constitutes a “reasonable number” of repairs:
- Four repair attempts for any one defect
- Two repair attempts for serious safety defects
- 30 days out of service for repairs, regardless of the number of repair attempts or defects
Vehicles that satisfy any one of these requirements within the first 18 months and 18,000 miles of ownership are presumed to be Lemons. That said, you can still pursue compensation if the repair attempts for your vehicle took place outside of this brief window. The Federal Lemon Law allows you to file claims for up to four years after the first failed repair attempt.
The Lemon Law Process in San Bernardino, CA
Every Lemon Law claim in San Bernardino starts with a consumer noticing that their warranted vehicle is defective. If you’ve noticed such a defect, bring the vehicle to an authorized repair shop to fix it. And keep track of any paperwork you receive for the repair work.
If the defect persists after that first repair attempt, it’s time to start thinking about your vehicle as a Lemon. Granted, the vehicle won’t qualify as a Lemon after a single failed repair. But it might after a second failed repair if the defect in question poses a significant safety risk. So bring the vehicle back to give the manufacturer another chance to repair it.
After a second failed repair, it may be time to hire a Lemon Law Firm, such as Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®. We offer free case reviews and only collect payment when we win or settle your case. So, you have nothing to lose by reaching out for help.
Once you’ve discussed your case with one of our experienced San Bernardino Lemon Law attorneys, we can provide a clear road map for your specific case. But once you’ve provided the manufacturer with a reasonable number of repair attempts, the process will be similar for most cases.
We’ll help you gather evidence to support the claim, then notify the manufacturer of our intention to pursue a Lemon Law case. But before we can file a claim with the courts, we must first try to settle the matter via arbitration. To do so, we present the case to a third-party arbitration panel that will review the details of your case and issue a ruling.
Only you, the consumer, can decide whether to accept the panel’s ruling. If you’re dissatisfied, we can appeal the decision by filing a claim with the courts. However, with a 99% success rate, fewer than 1% of our Lemon Law cases ever make it to trial. The vast majority of our clients accept settlements before we even file a claim.
Is your car a Lemon? Find out with our 60-Second Lemon Test
Lemon Law Compensation in San Bernardino
In San Bernardino, California, Lemon Law claims are tried under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. This state law forces car companies to accept the return of any vehicles determined to be Lemons. In exchange for the Lemon, the law provides consumers with their choice of a refund or a replacement vehicle.
The Lemon Law also includes a fee-shifting provision that holds manufacturers responsible for consumers’ attorneys’ fees. Thus, when we win your case, the manufacturer covers our fees instead of you. As a result, we can provide exceptional representation to all consumers, regardless of their means.
Why Choose Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center®?
- 25+ Years of Experience Turning “Lemons” into “Lemon-Aid”
- Over 50,000 Success Stories Nationwide
- Over 10,000 Success Stories in California
- Accomplished, Trustworthy Attorneys
- Responds to All Inquiries within 24 Hours
- No Fees Unless We Win Your Case
- We Always Seek Maximum Compensation for Clients
Touch Base with a San Bernardino Lemon Law Lawyer Today
If you think you might have a Lemon, touch base with us today for a FREE CASE REVIEW. Or, for an immediate assessment of your case, try our 60-Second Lemon Test. And for those looking to learn more about the law, feel free to visit our other pages on the topic:
We know how frustrating it can be to drive a Lemon. But we also know how to hold car companies accountable for the defective vehicles they’ve sold. Let us help you stand up for your rights and collect the compensation you deserve. Reach out to us today so we can get started.