Chevrolet and GM lemon law in California

Four badges, one warrantor. Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac vehicles sold in California are all warranted by General Motors LLC, and that matters more than the nameplate when something keeps failing. If a Silverado, Sierra, Equinox, Enclave, or Lyriq has a warranty defect that GM's dealers can't fix after a reasonable number of attempts, California's lemon law can require GM to repurchase or replace it. The claim runs against GM, not against the dealership that sold or serviced the vehicle.

Most owners find this page after the third or fourth visit for the same complaint. It sets out GM's 2026 warranty terms by brand, the California language printed in GM's own warranty booklets, GM's arbitration program and opt-in status, and recalls that touch popular GM trucks, SUVs, and EVs. If the basics are new to you, our overview of California lemon law covers them in a few minutes.

GM warranty coverage by brand

GM prints a separate booklet for each brand and model year. The 2026 booklets list these terms, and each coverage ends at whichever limit you reach first:

Sources: the 2026 Chevrolet Limited Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet and GM's 2026 GMC, GMC EV, Buick, and Cadillac booklets. Earlier model years may list different terms, so read the booklet for your year.

The booklets say coverage belongs to the original owner and to any later owner during the warranty period, with two exceptions: Corvette ZR1 coverage is voided if ownership changes in the first year, and Hummer EV coverage is voided if it changes in the first 6 months. Lemon law protection lasts as long as the warranty does. A Tahoe with a transmission complaint at 52,300 miles is past bumper-to-bumper coverage but still inside the powertrain warranty.

How GM handles lemon law claims in California

Each 2026 GM booklet has a section titled "California Warranty Information" that summarizes the Song-Beverly Act and the 18-month/18,000-mile presumption. Two parts of it are specific to GM.

The first is where your notice goes. The booklet says the two-repair and four-repair parts of the presumption require that you notified GM directly at least once "by mailing such notification to the address listed below." It then says notices about warranty issues must go by email to californiawarrantynotice@gm.com or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to California Repurchase Notice, P.O. Box 33173, Detroit, MI 48232-5173. A repurchase request must include your name, the accurate VIN, and a brief summary of the repair history and problems.

The second is a choice of routes. GM's booklet says you can submit a claim to the BBB AUTO LINE program or ask GM in writing to repurchase or replace the vehicle. BBB AUTO LINE is the program the Department of Consumer Affairs lists as state-certified for GM's four brands. According to the booklet, it is free, cases are generally heard within 40 days, eligibility depends on vehicle age and mileage, and you may reject the decision and pursue other remedies. You don't need to arbitrate before hiring a lawyer or suing, although skipping a certified program you were told about in writing can keep you from relying on the repair presumption.

As of October 2026, General Motors LLC appears on the DCA list of manufacturers that opted in to the AB 1755 procedures, with an opt-in date of April 23, 2025. The P.O. box and email in GM's booklet match the contacts GM gave the DCA for pre-suit notices. For a GM vehicle, that usually means a written demand must reach GM at least 30 days before suit if you want to keep a civil penalty in play, and GM gets that window to offer a repurchase or replacement. Pre-litigation disputes over attorney's fees go to binding arbitration, and filing limits can be shorter than under the older rules. Our pages on the AB 1755 opt-in rules and the lemon law process show how those steps fit together.

Problem categories behind GM questions

GM's California sales lean on full-size pickups and SUVs, compact crossovers, and a growing list of EVs. The repair complaints that prompt lemon law questions tend to fall into five groups:

1. engine knocking, oil consumption, or loss of power
2. transmission shudder, slipping, or hard shifts
3. brake warnings, stability-control messages, and other module faults
4. screens, cameras, and driver-assist features that drop out
5. EV charging failures, reduced range, or loss of drive power

A category settles nothing by itself. The defect has to be covered by the warranty and substantially impair use, value, or safety, and GM's dealers must have had a reasonable chance to fix it.

Recent recalls

NHTSA publishes every safety recall with a campaign number. The three below cover popular GM models. A recall is not a finding about any individual vehicle, and a recall repair may or may not count toward a lemon law claim depending on what was fixed and whether the problem came back.

• NHTSA recall 25V-274 covers certain 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, and Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV vehicles with the 6.2L V8 (597,571 vehicles). NHTSA's summary says connecting rod or crankshaft components may have manufacturing issues that can lead to engine damage and failure. Dealers inspect the engine and repair or replace it as needed. Engines that pass get higher-viscosity oil, a new oil fill cap, and a new filter.
• NHTSA recall 24V-674 covers certain 2023 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 and 2023-2024 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Escalade, and Escalade ESV vehicles (449,671 vehicles). Brake control software may not show a warning light when brake fluid is lost. The fix is a free software update, over the air or at a dealer.
• NHTSA recall 25V-433 covers certain 2024-2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV vehicles. The rear parking brake wiring harness may be damaged or corroded, so the parking brake could engage unexpectedly or fail to hold. Dealers inspect, reroute, or replace the harness. A follow-up campaign, 26V-031, covers vehicles that may have been repaired incorrectly under 25V-433.

Look up your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Practical tips for GM owners

GM's booklets describe a Courtesy Transportation Program that may provide a loaner or reimburse some transportation costs during warranty repairs. Ask about it at every visit and keep receipts for anything you pay, because reasonable rental and towing costs you actually incur are part of what a buyback can repay.

Over-the-air updates are routine on newer GM vehicles, and the booklet says damage caused by one is covered for the applicable warranty period. An update installed in your driveway won't appear on a repair order, so note the date and what changed. When you call a brand's customer assistance line (Chevrolet's is 1-800-222-1020), write down the case number and the name of the person you spoke with.

Next step for Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac owners

Count the repair visits for the same problem and add up the days the vehicle sat at the dealer. Then try the eligibility checker, or request a free case review and attach whatever repair orders you have. An attorney will look at how GM's notice and arbitration rules apply before anything goes to GM.