Ford Lemon Law

Ford pickups and sedans have a reputation for being rugged and reliable, but what happens if you buy a Ford that has chronic mechanical or electrical problems? An experienced Ford lemon law attorney has your back. Under California’s lemon law, you may have a legal remedy that includes repurchase or replacement by Ford Motor Company.

A surprising number of new cars, trucks and SUVs roll off the assembly line with significant defects. Whether this is because of poor design or poor workmanship is anybody’s guess. Some of the vehicle flaws can pose serious safety risks, leading many to consult with a truck injury lawyer. Regardless of the reason, all these defects cause major frustration for owners.

It’s just plain no fun when your Ford Escape, Edge, Explorer, Mustang, Taurus, Ranger or F-150 turns out to be a clunker. You were so excited when you went to the dealership to pick out your vehicle, and now it’s just one big headache. Fortunately, there is a solution.

Why Choose Us as Your Ford Defect Lawyer

We are Ford defect or lemon law lawyers. The Neale & Fhima legal team bring more than 40 years of experience to fighting for lemon law clients throughout California. Our law firm has countless satisfied clients, and our entire law firm exemplifies professionalism and compassion. Attorney Aaron Fhima is a skilled and experienced attorney , and he is committed to fighting hard for every client. California’s lemon law empowers consumers, and a Ford lemon lawyer can interpret the statute, which is powerful but sometimes vague, and make the law work in your favor. A handful of manufacturers control the vehicle market in the U.S., and our lawyers repeatedly go up against the same companies. We anticipate their legal strategies and outmaneuver them.

How We Can Help

At Neale & Fhima, we have handled hundreds of lemon law claims filed by frustrated clients. Following are the ways we can help you with your lemon law claim. We will:

Explain your legal rights and your options for a remedy
Gather evidence that supports your claim
Build a case based on California statutes and case law that puts you in the driver’s seat
Draft and file all necessary forms and legal documents
Aggressively litigate your case if necessary
Negotiate with manufacturers to rectify your situation

To get your claim started, whether it’s due to a vehicle defect or an accident, contact a Ford lemon law attorney or accident claim lawyers at Neale & Fhima now. We offer free consultations, so call us at 888-407-2955.

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Is Your Ford a Lemon?

A “lemon” is a car, SUV, truck, boat, motorcycle, travel trailer or other vehicle that has problems that require constant repairs by a mechanic. Whether it’s because of braking problems, a defective transmission or engine, electrical problems or a wide variety of other flaws, these vehicles never function correctly even after repeated repairs. Especially in cases involving boats, seeking advice from a
boat accident lawyer can be essential to understanding your rights and potential remedies. Check to see if your vehicle is still under the original Ford Motor Company warranty. If it is, you likely have a claim. If you own a used vehicle, you will need one of three specific warranties to have a lemon law claim. These warranties are listed in a section below along with detailed descriptions. To increase your chances of success, choose a winning Ford lemon law attorney to stand beside you. Our law firm knows how to win.

Neale & Fhima has achieved a 99% success rate in lemon law claims.

What Defects DO and DO NOT Qualify for Lemon Law Protection?

The lemon law in California stipulates that to qualify your vehicle must have “nonconformities,” which are defined as any defect or malfunction that is covered by Ford Motor Company’s original warranty. Nonconformities impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle.

To prevail in a Ford lemon law claim, you must also show that you made “reasonable attempts” to have the problem repaired. Save all receipts, work orders and used parts from each one of your repair appointments so you can prove that you attempted to get the problem fixed. California law does not define “reasonable attempts” with precision, but there are guidelines that a Ford lemon law attorney can explain to you. Repair attempts must be made by a Ford authorized agent, not a local mechanic or the vehicle owner.

Here’s a general list of defects that do and do not qualify for lemon law protection:

Exhaust problems
Electrical malfunctions
Defective brakes
Poor steering
Faulty transmission
Mechanical difficulties

DO NOT

Problems arising from repair attempts by unauthorized agents or owner
Defects caused by motor vehicle accidents
After-market installations
Owner abuse and neglect
Damage caused by weather

If you’re unsure whether your vehicle’s defect qualifies, our experienced professionals can assess your situation. Additionally, if you’ve been involved in a pedestrian incident, our pedestrian accident lawyer can give you a legal opinion.

Ford Lemon Law Buyback

If it turns out that you have a Ford lemon, you can choose either the “buyback” or the “replacement” option. In some circumstances, our law firm can also negotiate a “cash and keep” option in which Ford pays an owner a lump sum compensation and the owner keeps the vehicle they have. Many consumers prefer the Ford lemon law buyback option because the owner promptly gets their money back through a repurchase by Ford. Whichever remedy you choose, this is a way the law can “make the consumer whole again” after an unsatisfactory buying experience.

Ford F-150 and F-Series Lemon Law Buyback

The rugged Ford F-150 and F-Series trucks are also subject to the lemon law buyback provisions in California law. Buyers of the F-150 are often focused on reliability, performance, and dependability — as opposed to solely luxury – so these cost consumers that often times have high pride of ownership feel particularly disappointed when their new truck is defective. The Ford F-150 lemon law buyback option can be a lifeline for these consumers. By requiring the manufacturer to repurchase or replace their Ford F-150 or F-Series truck, buyers get a second chance to get a reliable, dependable, and workhorse of a truck.. This is a way that Ford can “make right” its mistake of allowing a defective car to roll off the assembly line.

How Does the Ford Buyback Program Work?

Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (lemon law), if you purchase a defective vehicle, one of your remedy options is to get your money back from Ford Motor Company and relinquish the defective vehicle. This refund is referred to as a “buyback.” The process starts by filing a legal claim against the manufacturer, which our attorneys can do for you. Auto manufacturers work hard to limit payouts in lemon law claims, but we are aggressive and know how to frame your claim in the best possible light. The Ford buyback program works this way:

Your attorney shows that the defect compromises the use, value or safety of your vehicle.
You make “reasonable attempts” to have a Ford authorized agent repair the defect.
You substantiate this effort by showing repair receipts and work orders.
Your attorney initiates a lemon law claim and notified the manufacturer.

If your claim is successful, you will receive financial compensation from the manufacturer. Ford will take possession of your car or truck and issue you a refund of the purchase price (minus the depreciation/mileage of your use before the first repair attempt). If you financed the vehicle, Ford will refund the payments and down payment, and it will pay off the loan at your lending institution. You will also receive a refund of the registration fee, taxes, and other costs. That’s how the Ford buyback program works.

Ford Lemon Law Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations for filing a California lemon law claim is four (4) years from the date a consumer knew or should have known that the vehicle was a lemon. This does not mean, however, that if you have owned your vehicle for more than 4 years, you cannot bring a lemon law claim. Quite the contrary. Our attorneys have successfully “lemoned” vehicles that are more than 10 years old. That’s where our years of experience comes into play. But you’ll want to initiate your lemon law claim sooner rather than later. Don’t spend months or even years fiddling with repeated repairs. After the statute of limitations expires, a judge can dismiss your case, barring you from achieving a legal remedy.

What About Ford Lemon Law and Used Cars?

Some used cars are covered under California’s Lemon Law depending on whether you have one of three specific warranties. These include:

TRANSFERRED NEW CAR WARRANTY

As a buyer of a recent model used car, you very likely have a copy of the Ford new car warranty. When a titled Ford is sold to a new owner and the Ford is still under its original warranty period, the warranty protections transfer to you for the duration of that period.

CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED (CPO) WARRANTY

A “Certified Pre-Owned” Ford has more protections than typical used cars. Only authorized dealerships can sell CPOs, so if you bought your Ford elsewhere you likely do not have this type of warranty. Certified Pre-Owned means that these Ford used vehicles have been repaired, inspected, and resold by Ford, and therefore they come with a CPO Ford Motor Company warranty.

LEMON LAW BUYBACK WARRANTY

If you buy a used Ford that was once a lemon (but the Ford Motor Company repaired it and resold it), then you should have received a “lemon law buyback warranty.” Ford and other manufacturers are required by law to provide new owners of these buyback lemons with a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty covering the lemon’s defect. Our attorneys will be able to assist in determining if your vehicle is covered under any of these warranties.

Reasons Why You Should Trust Our Ford Lemon Law Lawyers

Years of Experience. Our Ford defect lawyers have more than 40 years of combined experience representing clients throughout California.
We Value Client Relationships. High-volume law firms tend to think of clients as nothing more than a number on a case file. The file gets passed around until it ends up with a paralegal or junior associate who just wants to finish it and move on. Neale & Fhima is different. We enjoy getting to know our clients. This also helps us craft settlement agreements that meet a client’s individual needs.
Our Lawyers Win Cases. Neale & Fhima enjoys a 99% success rate. We think this says a lot about the skill of our Ford lemon law attorneys. While we cannot guarantee the outcome of any individual case, you can take comfort in knowing your claim is being handled by lemon law lawyers who have a track record of success.

Call a Ford Lemon Law Attorney Today

Our Ford lemon law attorneys are some of the best and the brightest out there. We’ve taken many of these cases to court and won. Neale & Fhima has a 99% success rate on behalf of its clients. We are committed to client service and satisfaction. Our lemon law attorneys are exactly what you need if you’ve bought a lemon. Call us today at 888-407-2955 for a free initial consultation about your claim. We’re ready to get started, and you can rely on us.

Attorney Aaron Fhima

Aaron Fhima is a trial attorney who has secured numerous settlements and verdicts against large corporations and some of the largest auto manufacturers in the world. Representing consumers and injury victims throughout the state of California, Aaron’s practice areas include personal injury, and lemon law litigation. Aaron has a long record of success taking on large defense firms; and he doesn’t hesitate to take cases to trial when necessary to enforce his clients’ rights. [ Attorney Bio ]