Santa Ana Lemon Law Attorney

Representing Santa Ana Residents with Lemon Law Claims

When residents of Santa Ana need help filing a lemon law claim, Neale & Fhima are happy to help them in every step of the process, from preparing a claim to repayment or replacement. An experienced lemon law attorney knows what is required for a successful claim and can make a daunting experience more manageable. Get more information today about making a lemon law claim at (888) 708-7013.

Vehicle manufacturers receive countless numbers of complaints and claims, and they are well-equipped to take advantage of consumers who lack experience in lemon law-related disputes. Manufacturers have the funding, legal teams and institutional advantages they leverage over consumers to minimize the payments they offer in resolving a claim. This is why hiring a lemon law attorney helps level the playing field; by hiring an attorney familiar with these claims, a car buyer can be sure they are represented by someone who has a track record of standing up to manufacturers and getting results for clients.

California’s lemon law is noted for being one of the strongest in the United States. It applies to new and used vehicles. It also applies to defects that impair the safety, functionality or value of a vehicle. Even if a vehicle’s warranty has run its course, the owner might still find success with a claim if repair attempts were made while the vehicle was still under warranty.

How Do I Know Whether I Have a Lemon?

The lemon law, known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, gives you the right to a refund or replacement car if you have a lemon. But note that these remedies are not available to you for most types of mechanical problems. The manufacturer and dealership are allowed a ‘reasonable’ number of repair attempts before you can file a lemon law claim.

But determining what ‘reasonable’ is can be quite tricky. It depends upon the type of defect and whether the problem poses a serious risk to safety or vehicle value. It also will depend upon how long you have owned the car. Below are general rules of thumb, but you should review your situation with a Santa Ana lemon law attorney. He will be able to tell you if you have a possible lemon on your hands.

If your vehicle still has the factory warranty in effect and you have owned it for less than 18 months or 18,000 miles:

• If the problem affects the use, value or safety, the dealer has at least four repair attempts.
• If the problem affects the use, value or safety and poses a risk of injury or death, the dealer has at least two repair attempts.
• If the problem affects use, value or safety and the vehicle has been in the shop for 30 days or more since you owned it, the dealership has no additional repair attempts.

More Details About Defects Covered Under the Lemon Law

The California Lemon Law states that dealerships and manufacturers must buy back or replace your vehicle if it cannot repair a problem that has a substantial effect on use, value or safety of the vehicle. What does this mean?

For a defect to have an effect on vehicle safety, it must be something that a reasonable person would surmise is unsafe. A reasonable person also would have to think that the use or value of the car is affected by the defect. Thus, some defects, such as squeaks and rattles, annoying as they may be, do not qualify for lemon law coverage. But some of the defects that can affect use, value or safety include:

• Brake problems that reduce stopping ability
• Steering problems
• Multiple check-engine lights
• Bad windshield wipers
• Problems with dashboard gauges, such as speedometer and fuel gauge
• Faulty door locks
• Difficulty starting
• AC is non-functional
• Transmission gear changes are rough
• Battery fails regularly
• Erratic and/or poor acceleration.

If you think you have a lemon in California, talk to one of our Santa Ana lemon law attorneys today.

Tips to Ensure Your Lemon Law Claim Is Valid

• The basis for a strong claim under the California lemon law is to be able to show several repair attempts for the same problem or issue. Sometimes, consumers will fail to take the car in for needed repair work because the problem does not always happen or because they are too busy. Remember: The manufacturer is not required under the law to fix problems it is unaware of. By taking your car in for repairs, you give the company the chance to fix it, and you are getting on record that you have given the dealer a fair number of repair attempts.
• Report all concerns to your service writer. Make sure that everything that is problematic about the car is clearly described in the service order. Before you sign it, make sure that it reflects all of your concerns about the condition of your vehicle. This paperwork will be critical later if you need to make a lemon law claim. You want to show a clear paper trail on the major repair problems with your vehicle.
• Keep all documentation. Never rely on the dealership to keep a good record of repairs done under warranty. It is your job to keep invoices, receipts and repair orders. It is possible a dealership could go out of business and valuable paperwork about your vehicle repairs could be lost.
• Make your lemon law claim sooner rather than later. Start your lemon law claim once you have taken it in for several repairs of the same major problem without success. The sooner you begin the process after the repairs have been unsuccessful, the higher the chances of getting a good lemon law result.

Five Centuries of Remarkable History in Santa Ana

Santa Ana is a large, ethnically diverse city located in the heart of Orange County. It serves as county seat and covers an area of 27 square miles. With more than 330,000 people, it is the fourth most densely populated major U.S. city. Santa Ana also comes in fourth place on a recent Forbes list of America’s safest cities. The downtown area just underwent a massive revitalization, and the city is now seeing an influx of young professionals and other new residents.

With so much going for Santa Ana at present, it is easy to forget that the city also has a long and intriguing past. Perhaps that is why many people here – including the newcomers – like to spend time reading and learning about the city’s history. We sure do. Below you will find what we consider to be some of the city’s most memorable events, going back nearly 500 years.

We hope you enjoy these glimpses into Santa Ana’s past; and if you find yourself in need of a local attorney with experience handling lemon law cases, we are here to help.

Do You Have a Lemon Vehicle in California? Call a Santa Ana Attorney Now.

If you’d like to file a claim or if you would like to discuss whether your vehicle might be eligible for lemon law claim, we encourage you to contact Neale & Fhima to speak to our lemon law attorneys. We are proud to offer Santa Ana residents our skill and experience to get them maximum results. Contact us for advice on filing a lemon law claim in California today.