Without a doubt, many people assume that expensive cars undergo extensive quality control superior to “lower end” makes and models. Because luxury vehicles often come with advanced features and complex systems, they can also come with unique issues.

Mercedes-Benz: recurring problems present in these vehicles include transmission failure, electrical system malfunctions, and faulty steering components. Owners have reported issues with the infotainment systems freezing or malfunctioning.

BMW: recurring problems include engine cooling issues, oil leaks, and fuel system malfunctions. Models with their turbocharged engines have been known to have mechanical failures.

Audi: recurring problems associated with the make include defective infotainment systems, faulty transmissions, and electronic glitches. Some SUVs are associated with braking issues and suspension issues.

The lemon law refers to the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. This law protects all consumers, including those who purchased or leased a luxury vehicle. However, to benefit from this law, the vehicle must meet the definition of a lemon.

To qualify as a “lemon,” the following must be true:

• The defect affects the vehicle’s use, safety, or value
• The defect cannot be repaired even after a reasonable number of repair attempts
• The vehicle must still be under an active manufacturer warranty

How many repair attempts are required? This can be a difficult question to answer. In general, the number of required repair attempts can vary from 2 to 4. In general, more severe issues that affect safety (like brake failure, engine failure, and more) can require just 2 repair attempts, while more minor issues may require 4 or more repair attempts.

To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the lemon law and how it applies to your specific situation, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team as soon as possible.

Consider the following recommended steps:

• Keep detailed service records. This will show the total time that your vehicle spent in the shop undergoing repairs, the specific issues present, and the total costs associated with service/repairs.
• Keep records of all communications with the dealership (try to keep all communication written to ensure that you can keep appropriate records)
• Review your warranty information to confirm that your vehicle is still covered
• Reach out to an experienced lemon law attorney

If your vehicle meets the definition of a lemon, you could be entitled to certain remedies. You could be entitled to a replacement vehicle (which is a vehicle of equal or similar value) or a vehicle buyback (which is essentially a full refund). In addition, you could be entitled for compensation for any out-of-pocket costs you incurred, including towing costs, rental vehicle costs, and more. In lemon law cases, manufacturers are required to cover all legal costs and sometimes even additional damages if they acted in bad faith in any way.

To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the remedies available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team as soon as possible.

Owning a luxury vehicle should be an enjoyable experience not a source of stress. Your luxury vehicle should be safe, reliable, and free of any defects. If your Mercedes-Benz, BMW, or Audi vehicles are lemons, it is important that you explore the possibility of pursuing a lemon law claim under the California lemon law. You could be entitled to certain remedies. If you are ready to pursue your lemon law claim and seek justice, contact our lemon lawyers today!