California Lemon Law: Top Five Defects Revealed

Aug. 6, 2010 - PRLog -- (Glendale, CA) Leading California lemon law firm, Norman Taylor & Associates released their mid year figures for the top five lemon law defects. At the heart of every lemon law case are the defects. In a survey of recent lemon law cases the report shows the following defects to be most often associated with lemon law cases:

1. Engine defects- 34%
2. Transmission defects- 20%
3. Fuel systems defects- 14%
4. Fuel systems defects- 9%
5. Safety systems- 6%

"If there was a sample size of a thousand, the percentages would be strikingly similar with engine defects topping the list, " asserted Norman F. Taylor, who has been practicing lemon law in California since 1987.

"A more interesting observation is that once a change of defects gets started, it seems to continue rather than being completely repaired the first time a consumer takes the vehicle in," stated Norman Taylor. Very seldom is it seen where the vehicle was taken in for a first attempt to repair the engine and never taken back for the same thing."

With over two decades of experience practicing California lemon law, Norman Taylor & Associates has found that a very real issue that connects directly to lemon law cases is the number of poorly done or incorrectly done repairs that subsequently lead to lemon law cases. Many complaints that required repeated visits were due to the inability to duplicate the defect at the dealership. As a result dealerships were not authorized to complete any repairs without properly diagnosing the problem. In turn, consumers were left no choice but to relentlessly take the vehicle in several times thereafter to diagnose the defect.

Once a reasonable opportunity to repair has been provided to the manufacturer or dealership acting on its behalf, consumers may be able to pursue a claim if the defect substantially impairs the use, value, and safety of the vehicle and the first repair attempt was addressed during the warranty period. The California lemon law, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act was enacted to protect consumers with repetitive defects that are never properly repaired. For more information visit http://www.normantaylor.com.

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Norman Taylor & Associates has been assisting consumers since 1987. We provide individuals who have the misfortune of purchasing a defective vehicle and who have recourse under the California Lemon Law, with the highest quality legal representation.