California Jeep Lemon Law Attorney

California Jeep Lemon Law Lawyer

Originally created as a military vehicle, Jeep is known for its rugged durability and outdoor adventure capabilities. However, if you have recently purchased a defective Jeep or a “lemon,” the financial cost of upkeep and daily maintenance can be extraordinary. Fortunately, there are laws in place to protect your consumer rights.

A California Jeep Lemon Law attorney can help you understand these rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.

If you own or lease a Jeep vehicle that has gone through several repairs due to warranty defects and no real resolution has been reached, a California Lemon Law attorney can assist you in navigating the complex legal process involved in these types of claims. If you find that you’ve wasted precious time and money on a vehicle that is still suffering from a multitude of issues, it is time to seek the relief you are entitled to.

Founder Kimberli Zazzi has been admitted to the State Bar of California since 2007 and built Lemon Law Pro around a single focus: representing California drivers, not manufacturers, in Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act claims. That focus is what a California Jeep Lemon Law attorney at our firm brings to every Jeep repair file, from a persistent water leak to a transmission that keeps coming back from the shop.

Meet the California Jeep Lemon Law Attorneys at Lemon Law Pro

With decades of combined experience, the team at Lemon Law Pro is passionate about fighting for the justice our statewide clients deserve in their lemon law claims. We have handled thousands of cases and strive to provide excellence in our care and legal counsel.

Kimberli Zazzi holds an active California Bar license. She began her career defending insurance companies before shifting to represent consumers instead. According to her firm biography, she has served as lead counsel on more than 1,500 lemon law matters over her career.

Vincent Onorio, also an active member of the California Bar since 1985, brings nearly four decades of civil litigation experience on both the plaintiff and defense sides. He also has a personal interest in how vehicles and their systems work, which he applies to Jeep suspension, steering, and electrical defect cases.

LaDawna Fleckenstein, admitted to the California Bar and also licensed in North Dakota, previously served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Florida Department of Corrections and as an attorney for lenders. She then turned her focus to consumer warranty claims. That background gives her direct insight into how institutional defendants like auto manufacturers approach litigation.

How We Can Help

We understand that owning an unsafe, unreliable vehicle can be a major disruption in an individual’s life, not to mention a waste of time and finances. At Lemon Law Pro, we can offer the following services, free of charge, to work toward a positive outcome:

• Explain your consumer rights and determine the correct course of action to take in order to secure proper compensation.
• Assist in gathering and organizing the necessary documentation.
• Negotiate with the car company and their legal counsel to reach your desired settlement.
• Represent you in trial if necessary.

Because Song-Beverly shifts attorney fees onto the manufacturer when a buyer prevails, our attorneys can take on a Jeep claim without asking you to pay out of pocket as the case moves forward.

Jeep Lemon Law Cases Our Attorneys Have Filed Against FCA US LLC

Kimberli Zazzi and the firm’s attorneys have direct experience litigating against Jeep’s manufacturer, FCA US LLC (now part of Stellantis), in California state and federal court.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

The Basics of California Lemon Law

Under the California Lemon Law, there is no exact test to determine if your Jeep is a lemon. However, there are several elements to consider in deciding whether it qualifies. First, the vehicle must suffer a defect that is deemed significant, meaning that it reduces the Jeep’s value, use, or safety.

Following this, the defect, or defects, must persist even after the dealership has had a reasonable number of opportunities to address the problem. There is no set number that is considered “reasonable” under the California Lemon Law.

However, there are guidelines established that may help determine when you’ve reached a “reasonable” number of repair attempts and when it might be time to seek compensation. According to the California Lemon Law, these guidelines are as follows:

• The car manufacturer or dealership has not been able to repair the issue after several attempts.
• The flaws of the vehicle could result in death or serious bodily injury if the Jeep is driven, and the problem remains after two repair attempts.
• The vehicle has been in the shop for repairs lasting longer than thirty days for issues covered by the warranty.

These guidelines come directly from California’s Tanner Consumer Protection Act, found at Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. That section creates a legal presumption in your favor if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery (whichever comes first), your Jeep has been through four repair attempts for the same problem, two attempts for a defect that could cause death or serious injury, or more than 30 days out of service for warranty repairs.

A presumption does not mean an automatic win, but it does shift real pressure onto the manufacturer to explain why your Jeep should not be bought back or replaced.

Common Jeep Defects California Owners Report

Unfortunately, Jeeps have their own fair share of defects. The main two that affect Jeep vehicles are:

• Water Leaks: The leak issues in many Jeep models have become a significant concern for many drivers over recent years. These leaks can occur in nearly every location where water can reach the main cab. These leaks can add to allergens that bother the driver or passengers of the vehicle. Leaks are also linked to issues with the electrical system and other mechanical problems.
• The “Death Wobble”: Common enough that it has earned its own title, the infamous Jeep “death wobble” refers to a mechanical issue that can arise in Jeeps caused by misaligned, loose, or damaged parts in the suspension or steering system. When navigating difficult terrain and trying to get your Jeep up to speed, you can experience a shaking or wobbling effect. There have even been instances where drivers lose control of their vehicles due to this defect. An issue in any of the following parts, or a combination thereof, can result in the death wobble:
  • Spark plugs
  • Tie rods
  • Control arms
  • Ball joints
  • Tire pressure sensors
  • Wheel bearings
  • Steering stabilizers

Other common issues include:

• Fire risk in Jeep Cherokees
• Exploding airbags
• Problems with steering software
• Transmission malfunctions
• Exhaust leaks
• Fuel overflow
• Window motor failure
• Accidental acceleration when using cruise control

Whether your Jeep is showing one of these defects or something not listed here, what matters under California law is whether the problem substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety after a reasonable number of repair attempts.

What Type of Relief You May Be Entitled to Under the Song-Beverly Act

In most cases, if you discover that you bought a lemon in California, you are entitled to seek relief and/or compensation under the California Lemon Law. This relief or compensation can come in three forms:

• A Cash Settlement: In these instances, the car manufacturer agrees to pay a cash settlement in order to reimburse you for all costs incurred while dealing with the lemon. Under these circumstances, you have the choice to keep the vehicle and drive it, trade it in, or sell it.
• A Replacement of Your Vehicle: When offered relief in the form of a replacement, the car company will take the vehicle back and grant you another that is similar enough to the one originally bought.
• Vehicle Buyback: A buyback happens when the car company purchases the Jeep back from you, along with refunding your down payment and any monthly payments you’ve already made. They will also pay the remaining amount on the loan or lease and all collateral expenses that came out of your personal pocket.

Your attorney can help you determine which course of action correctly fits your needs and situation.

However, there are some cases in which relief or compensation cannot be sought. These situations usually include vehicles that are not registered with the California DMV, vehicles that have been abused by their driver, collision-damaged vehicles, or vehicles modified with aftermarket parts.

If you lease your Jeep rather than own it, the Song-Beverly Act still applies to you. Lessees can recover lease payments, down payments, and registration fees, less a mileage offset, and can pursue the same replacement or buyback remedies as a buyer.

The Song-Beverly Act’s Civil Penalty and Why a Jeep Claim Can Cost You Nothing

Beyond a straightforward buyback or replacement, California law adds real teeth to a Jeep lemon law claim through Cal. Civ. Code § 1794.

If a manufacturer’s failure to repair, replace, or refund your Jeep was willful, meaning the company knew about its obligations and disregarded them anyway, “the judgment may include a civil penalty which shall not exceed two times the amount of actual damages.” In plain terms, a manufacturer that stonewalls a legitimate Jeep claim can end up owing you up to three times what it would have cost to simply fix or buy back the vehicle in the first place.

That same section is also why a free consultation is realistic for Jeep owners. Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d) provides that a prevailing buyer in a Song-Beverly Act case is entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.

Because the manufacturer, not the consumer, generally pays those fees when the buyer wins, our attorneys can represent you without asking you to pay by the hour.

What Happens After You File a Jeep Lemon Law Claim in California

A Jeep lemon law claim that goes to court generally moves through a California Superior Court civil division or, for some multi-state manufacturer disputes, a federal district court. Before you can ask a court for civil penalties, you must send the manufacturer a written notice. The notice lays out the repair history and demands a buyback or replacement. FCA then has 30 days to respond.

If the manufacturer will not offer a fair buyback, replacement, or cash settlement, the next step is filing a civil complaint, followed by an exchange of records and, if needed, pretrial motions before trial.

Cases filed in Sacramento County, for example, are handled out of the civil division of the Sacramento County Superior Court, which processes Song-Beverly claims alongside other civil disputes.

Many lemon law cases resolve before trial once a manufacturer sees documented repair orders and a clear presumption under Civil Code § 1793.22, but every Jeep’s repair history is different, and the right next step depends on what your records show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Long Does It Take to Settle a Lemon Law Case in California?

A: There is no set timeline for a lemon law settlement in California. Many factors affect how long a case takes. These factors include the complexity of your case, any disputes about the cause or nature of the issues, and the number of issues in the claim.

Q: How Do I Know If I Qualify for Lemon Law in California?

A: Under the California Lemon Law, there are several requirements you must meet in order to qualify to claim compensation. Your Jeep must have been bought new, with the manufacturer’s new-car warranty. A used Jeep that only has leftover factory warranty usually does not qualify for a buyback or replacement. You must have bought the Jeep from a manufacturer or dealership, not a private party. It must have undergone a reasonable number of repairs that did not fix the issue, and it must suffer from a material defect.

Q: What Documentation Do I Need to Support My Lemon Law Claim?

A: While you do not need each of these documents to file a successful lemon law claim, the following can prove helpful when seeking compensation. It is a good idea to collect the original lease or purchase agreement, the manufacturer’s warranty, the repair paperwork, any correspondence among you, the dealership, and the manufacturer, and things like vehicle registration, maintenance records, and accident history.

Q: How Do I File a Lemon Law Claim in California?

A: To file a lemon law claim in California, you will want to take several steps. First, take your Jeep to a dealership for repairs, collect repair orders each time you bring it in, and allow the dealership a reasonable number of attempts at fixing the issue before gathering all the necessary paperwork and consulting an attorney. Your lemon law lawyer will be able to assist you from there.

Q: Do I Have to Pay Anything Upfront to Hire a Jeep Lemon Law Attorney?

A: No. Because California’s Song-Beverly Act generally requires the manufacturer to pay a prevailing buyer’s attorney’s fees, our firm represents Jeep owners free of charge and only gets paid if your case succeeds.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Jeep Lemon Law Claim in California?

A: FCA, the maker of Jeep, has opted in to California’s newer lemon law rules. Under those rules, you generally must file within one year after your Jeep’s warranty ends. You must also file no later than six years after the Jeep was first delivered. Some time may not count, such as the days your Jeep is in the shop. Have your repair history reviewed as soon as you can.

Q: My Jeep Claim Would Be Filed in Sacramento County. Does That Change Anything?

A: Not the substance of your rights, but it does affect where your case is heard. Song-Beverly claims filed in Sacramento County go through the civil division of the Sacramento County Superior Court, and our firm’s Roseville office is positioned to handle filings and hearings in that court along with cases throughout Northern California.

Q: Does California Lemon Law Cover a Leased Jeep?

A: Yes. The Song-Beverly Act treats lessees the same as buyers for most purposes, so you can pursue a replacement or buyback and recover your lease payments, down payment, and registration fees, reduced by a mileage offset, if your leased Jeep qualifies as a lemon.

Get Free Help From a California Jeep Lemon Law Attorney Today

You do not have to keep absorbing repair bills, rental car costs, and lost time on a Jeep that the dealership cannot fix. A California Jeep Lemon Law attorney at Lemon Law Pro can review your repair orders, explain what the Song-Beverly Act entitles you to, and handle communication with the manufacturer on your behalf at no cost to you.

Schedule a free consultation to find out what your Jeep case may be worth.