Getting Lemon Justice — Relief Under California Lemon Law

California Lemon Law provides several options for a successful Lemon Law claimant. First, you may be awarded a replacement vehicle of the same year, make, and model. You may also qualify for a monetary award, which can include:

• The full contract price
• Sales tax
• Registration fees
• Finance charges paid on your loan
• Towing and vehicle rental costs
• Incidental costs
• Attorney's fees

The amount of the monetary reward may be reduced by a deduction for the total mileage on the vehicle. This amount is calculated by dividing the miles drive at the time of the first repair attempt by 120,000, and multiplying by the purchase price.

Under California Lemon Law, if the manufacturer of your vehicle participates in a state-certified arbitration program, you must request arbitration in order to seek relief (although you can accept or reject the arbitrator's decision). If the manufacturer doesn't participate in a state-certified arbitration program, you must still notify the manufacturer of the problem if your owner's manual states that notification is required. Although it's not required by law, the demand letter should be sent by certified mail, with a return receipt requested.