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Last Modified
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Sep 09, 2026
When you purchase a new car, you expect that the vehicle will run efficiently for a long time. Unfortunately for some consumers, a fraction of new cars each year come with defects that affect their safety, functionality, and value. California consumers can benefit from knowing the manufacturers with the most lemons in California so they can make informed vehicle-buying decisions.
What Is California’s Lemon Law
If a consumer purchases a new vehicle that proves to be defective, that can create significant financial strain for the consumer and their family. This is especially true if the car is financed, as some unfortunate drivers find themselves making payments on vehicles that simply sit in the repair shop.
California’s lemon law, which is formally called the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, exists to protect consumers from financial setbacks that can come with defective vehicles. Under this law, if a new vehicle has a recurring problem caused by a defect, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle or refund the consumer for the vehicle if reasonable attempts to repair the problem are unsuccessful.
This legislation is an important safety net for California consumers. In 2023, more than 1.78 million new cars were sold in our state, and a portion of those likely turned out to be lemons.
Manufacturers With the Most Lemons in California
In 2022, CALPIRG Education Fund, Frontier Group, and the Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety Foundation released a joint report regarding car manufacturers that were subject to civil claims under California’s lemon law. According to that 2022 report, there were 34,397 civil claims filed under the lemon law from 2018 to 2021. The manufacturers that faced the most lemon law claims in California during that time were as follows:
- GMC
- Jaguar
- Fiat Chrysler
- Nissan
- Ford
- Kia
Consumers should probably do extra research before purchasing a car from any of these manufacturers. Based on the data in that report, Toyota was the manufacturer with the fewest lemon law claims during the study period, with only one claim for every 2,029 sales.
What to Do if You Have a Lemon?
If you find yourself with a lemon, you can pursue a resolution through the following steps:Â
- Attempt repairs. Manufacturers are allowed to attempt to repair the defect a reasonable number of times before further action is taken.
- File a formal request. Contact your car’s manufacturer and formally request a refund or a replacement if repairs have not been successful.
- File a civil claim. If the manufacturer refuses to make the situation right, you can file a civil claim against them in the Superior Court of California.
Need Representation? Hire a Lemon Law Attorney
If you need help pursuing a replacement or a refund for a recently purchased lemon, you should hire a lemon law attorney in California with extensive knowledge of California’s lemon law and procedures surrounding lemon law cases. At Lemon Law Pro, we focus on lemon law cases. Our attorneys have several decades of combined experience helping clients in California, and we are prepared to support you, too. Contact us today to discuss your needs.
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