The same problem, again
The dealer keeps working on the same defect and it keeps coming back. Four repairs for one problem within 18 months or 18,000 miles creates a legal presumption in your favor.
Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney
Stuckwith alemon?
Back at the dealer for the same problem again?
California's lemon law can require the manufacturer to buy back or replace your new or leased vehicle. Talk with attorney Sam Setyan about yours.
- Free case review
- If you win, the manufacturer pays your attorney fees
- Español · Հայերեն
Get a free lemon law case review
Tell us what keeps going wrong, how many times the dealer has tried to fix it, and how you got the vehicle. An attorney reads every request and calls you back to talk it through. The review costs nothing and you are under no obligation.
(213) 555-0142Free case review
California lemon law representation for drivers
Lemon Law Lawyers California is the lemon law practice of Setyan Law APC, a Los Angeles firm that has spent its whole existence on one side of the courtroom, representing individual people against large companies. Now we bring that approach to car manufacturers. Our clients bought or leased a new vehicle in good faith and then watched it go back to the dealer for the same problem, visit after visit.
California's lemon law, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, gives those drivers real leverage. If a manufacturer can't fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of tries, it has to buy the vehicle back or replace it, and you choose which. If you win, the manufacturer also pays your reasonable attorney fees and costs. Our job is to build the record that proves your case: every repair order, every date, every mile.
Lemon law at a glance
- Who we represent
Drivers who bought or leased a vehicle in California, plus some small businesses and active-duty service members who bought out of state.
- Vehicles
New and leased cars, trucks, SUVs, and EVs, demonstrators sold with a new-car warranty, and the drivetrain of a motorhome. Used cars are harder after 2024.
- What qualifies
A warranty defect that substantially affects use, value, or safety, which the manufacturer couldn't fix in a reasonable number of tries.
- What you can get
Your choice of a refund or a replacement, plus taxes, fees, and certain out-of-pocket costs, minus a usage deduction. How buybacks work.
- Attorney fees
If you win, the manufacturer pays your reasonable attorney fees and costs under Civil Code section 1794(d).
- Deadlines
They depend on your manufacturer and warranty, and can be shorter than you expect. Lemon law time limits.
- Languages
Attorney Sam Setyan speaks English, Spanish, and Armenian.
- Where
Based in Los Angeles. Representing drivers across California.
Signs your vehicle may be a lemon
No single rule decides every case, but these are the patterns California law looks for. Most of them are already sitting in your repair orders.
A safety defect, twice
Brakes, steering, stalling, sudden acceleration, airbags, or a fire risk. Two repair attempts for a problem like this can be enough for the presumption.
More than 30 days in the shop
Add up every day the vehicle sat at the dealer for warranty repairs. More than 30 days in total within 18 months or 18,000 miles also triggers the presumption.
"Could not duplicate"
The service department says it can't find the problem, but you keep living with it. Those visits can still count, so keep every repair order.
What California lemon law can get you
If the manufacturer has to act, the law spells out what it owes. You choose between a refund and a replacement.
Refund
Repurchase or buyback
The price you paid or still owe, plus sales tax, registration, and official fees, minus a deduction for the miles driven before the first repair.
Learn moreReplacement
Substantially identical vehicle
A new vehicle substantially identical to yours with full warranties, with the manufacturer covering the related taxes and fees.
Learn moreYour costs
Incidental damages
Reasonable repair, towing, and rental car costs you actually paid because of the defect.
Learn moreAttorney fees
Paid by the manufacturer
If you win, Civil Code section 1794(d) requires the manufacturer to pay your reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Learn moreEvery case depends on its facts, and no outcome is guaranteed. A court can add a civil penalty of up to twice your actual damages when a manufacturer willfully breaks the law, but that is not a typical result.
Vehicles we help with
Our practice focuses on vehicles still under the manufacturer's warranty: cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, and electric vehicles from the manufacturers that sell in California.
Lemon law by manufacturer
Don't see your make? We review claims for every manufacturer that sells vehicles in California.
How a lemon law case works with us
- 1
Free case review
Tell us about the vehicle by phone or with the form. An attorney looks at the repair history and tells you plainly whether it looks like a claim.
- 2
We gather the records
We collect every repair order, your purchase or lease contract, and payment records, and confirm which rules apply to your manufacturer.
- 3
Demand to the manufacturer
We send the manufacturer a written demand. For manufacturers under the newer procedures, that notice opens a 30-day window for an offer.
- 4
Buyback, replacement, or court
Claims can resolve through negotiation or mediation. If the manufacturer won't do what the law requires, we can file suit.
Meet attorney Sam Setyan
Sam Setyan is the principal attorney at Setyan Law APC. He earned his law degree at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he was selected for the Hobbs/Poels District Attorney Practicum and for a fellowship with the American Board of Trial Advocates. Before founding his firm in 2021, he worked at one of California's largest employment litigation firms.
His career has been spent representing individuals against large companies. When you call about your car, you can talk with him in English, Spanish, or Armenian, and he reviews your repair records himself.
Lemon law questions we hear most
How do I know if my car is a lemon?
Start with your repair orders. If the dealer has tried to fix the same warranty problem several times, the vehicle has spent a long stretch in the shop, or a safety defect keeps coming back, you may have a claim. The lemon checker asks the questions a lawyer would ask first.
How much does a lemon law attorney cost?
The case review is free. If you win, California law requires the manufacturer to pay your reasonable attorney fees and costs. Before you sign, we go through our written fee agreement with you, including how costs are handled in every outcome. More on lemon law attorney fees.
Does the dealer have to buy back my car?
No, the manufacturer does. The dealer performs warranty repairs, but the duty to buy back or replace the vehicle belongs to the company that issued the warranty.
How long will my lemon law case take?
It depends on the manufacturer and on whether it makes a fair offer early. For manufacturers under the newer procedures, the law sets early milestones, such as a 30-day window to respond to a pre-suit notice. Other cases take longer. We tell you what to expect for your vehicle at the start.
Can I talk to you in Spanish or Armenian?
Yes. Attorney Sam Setyan speaks English, Spanish, and Armenian. Información en español.
Has your car been back to the dealer again?
Send us the details for a free case review. If you win, California law requires the manufacturer to pay your reasonable attorney fees and costs.