Checking California Lemon Law Buyback Eligibility
Unlike Korea's automobile trade-association arbitration standard, the United States lemon law tradition actually originated here, and California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act is one of the most frequently cited versions. It creates a rebuttable presumption that a vehicle is a "lemon" if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery (whichever comes first), the same defect has been repaired 4 or more times without success, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs a cumulative 30 or more days.
This checker takes the months since delivery, current mileage, number of repair attempts for the same defect, and cumulative days out of service, then tells you whether you're likely inside that presumption window. Being inside the window and meeting either the repeat-repair or days-out-of-service threshold suggests a stronger case for a manufacturer buyback or replacement claim.
Keep in mind that lemon laws vary significantly by state — some use different mileage caps, some cover used vehicles, and some apply different rules to leased vehicles. California's statute is used here as a well-known representative example, not a national standard, so confirm your own state's specific thresholds and procedures, and keep every repair order and invoice as documentation before filing a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, if the same defect is repaired 4 or more times without success, or the vehicle is out of service for repairs a cumulative 30+ days, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the law presumes it qualifies as a lemon.
No, lemon laws exist in every state but the specific thresholds, timeframes, and procedures vary. California's Song-Beverly Act is used here as a representative example, so always check your own state's statute.