Lemon Law for California

Build Dates : 20051201 - 20070731 
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 07V334000 

Date Owner’s Notified: 20070914 
Date Received by ODI: 20070801 
Date Added to Databse: 20070801 

Manufacturer’s Involved: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC 
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC 
Manufacturer Campaign Number: JV 

Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID 
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 23898 

Summary:
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the automatic rear lid includes an electric motor and clutch that work in conjunction with two gas struts to open and close the rear lid, including  manual close function. If one of the struts has a total loss of pressure, the resultant slow movement of the rear lid is interpreted by the software as an intended manual close and the motor clutch releases to close the rear lid immediately. 

Consequence:
This can result in an unintended rapid closing of the rear lid with a risk of personal injury. 

Remedy:
Dealers will install new software free of charge. The recall began on September 14, 2007. 

Report Initiator: MFR 

Build Dates : January 05, 2007 - February 20, 2007 
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 08V064000 

Date Owner’s Notified: 20080307 
Date Received by ODI: 20080207 
Date Added to Databse: 20080207 

Manufacturer’s Involved: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC 
Manufacturer’s Responsible for the Recall: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC 
Manufacturer Campaign Number: 70D1/JX 

Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS 
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 720 

Summary:
Volkswagen is recalling 720 MY 2008 Audi TT Coupe vehicles. These vehicles were produced with c-pillar trim cover clips that do not provide adequate retention. In the event of a deployment of the rear pyrotechnic safety belt, the c-pillar trim cover may become detached from the sheet metal due to low retention force of the trim clip. 

Consequence:
The detached trim cover could pose a risk of a personal injury for vehicle front seat occupants.  

Remedy:
Dealers will install an improved clip on the affected vehicles. The recall began on March 7, 2008.

Report Initiator: MFR 

What constitutes a Lemon Law varies somewhat from state to state.

Generally a defect covered by the Lemon Law must be a defect which substantially impairs the use, value or safety of your vehicle. Lemon laws generally place time or mileage limitations on when the defect must be presented to the manufacturer or authoirzed dealer in order to be covered under the Lemon Law. The manufacturer must repair the defect within a reasonable number of repair attempts. If the manufacturer fails to repair the defect or defects in the vehicle within a reasonable number of repair attempts, the consumer is entitled to a repurchase or replacement of the vehicle.

What constitutes a reasonable number of repair attempts varies from state-to-state. The number of repair attempts also varies depending on the nature of the defect. In some states if the defect is of such a character that there is a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven, the vehicle is presumed to be a lemon if the defect continues to exist after one repair attempt. If the defect does not fall into this catagory, then additional repair attempts are required.

In many states (as for example, Ohio), three repair attempts at the same defect which continues to exist is sufficient for a buy back or replacement. Other states, such as California, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, Vermont, Wisconsin, require four repair attempts to repair the same defect before a consumer is entitled to a buy back or repurchase.

Additionally, many state lemon laws, such as Ohio, provide that a vehicle is a lemon if the vehicle has been out of service by reason of repair for a total number of days such as thirty days. Other states (e.g., Kentucky, Indiana) require a longer period, such as 45 days.
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Absolutely. All states in the United States now have “Lemon Laws” that protect new vehicle buyers against defective vehicles, commonly referred to as “lemons”…

The laws typically cover any new car, truck, motorcycle or motor home you buy or lease, even if you register the vehicle in another state. They typically also cover a “demonstrator” or “executive” vehicle that is no more than a year old and still under warranty. The laws rarely cover mopeds or trailers.

The Lemon Laws entitle you to a replacement vehicle, or a full refund, if your vehicle meets certain qualifications set by your state.
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If it is drivable, you may drive the car during the determination, but if it does turn out to be a lemon, the seller is often allowed to deduct a certain amount from your refund, based on the number of miles the car has been driven. (This applies to both new and used cars.)

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