Los Angeles lemon law guide
What a Los Angeles County driver should understand before calling about a car that keeps going back to the dealer, followed by the top 4 best lemon law firms that take Los Angeles cases.
Published
What should a Los Angeles driver do when a new car keeps going back to the dealer for the same problem?
Keep every repair order, count the visits for the same defect, and check the date and mileage against California’s 18-month, 18,000-mile presumption before you trade the car in or accept a goodwill offer. Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a manufacturer that cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts must replace the vehicle or refund it, minus a usage offset. A winning buyer’s attorney fees are paid by the manufacturer, so a first consultation should cost nothing.
A rideshare driver in Koreatown whose hybrid keeps throwing a check-engine light on the 10 Freeway and a family in Encino whose third-row SUV has spent five weeks at a Van Nuys dealer face the same statute with different facts. One case may turn on the number of repair visits; the other on the days out of service and whether the family can prove them.
This guide starts with the lemon law cases Los Angeles firms handle, then covers how the city fits inside Los Angeles County, the rules that decide a claim and how to prepare for a first consultation. The four-firm shortlist follows those priorities.
Lemon law cases Los Angeles firms commonly handle
Match the firm to the vehicle and the problem. Each note below is a planning note for readers, not a statement about the services of any particular firm.
New cars and trucks with repeat repairs
This is the core claim: a new vehicle bought or leased in California with the same defect returning after warranty repairs. Ask how the firm counts repair attempts and whether it reviews dealer repair orders before the first call ends.
Electric vehicles and charging defects
Los Angeles has one of the densest EV markets in the country, and battery, charging and software faults now make up a large share of lemon claims. Ask whether the firm has handled your manufacturer’s EV models and how it documents intermittent faults.
Leased vehicles
Leases are covered. A buyback on a lease usually refunds payments made and ends the lease. Ask how the firm handles the leasing company’s payoff and any excess-mileage charges.
Used and certified pre-owned cars
Since the California Supreme Court’s Rodriguez decision in October 2024, a used car sold with only leftover factory warranty generally does not qualify for the refund-or-replace remedy. A manufacturer certified pre-owned warranty or a dealer’s own written warranty can still matter. Ask the firm which route fits your purchase.
Motorhomes and business vehicles
The act can cover motorhomes and some vehicles used for business when the business has five or fewer vehicles registered and the vehicle is under 10,000 pounds. Ask whether the firm takes RV cases, which often involve both a chassis and a coach manufacturer.
Los Angeles, its neighborhoods and nearby cities are different places
The City of Los Angeles, separate cities inside Los Angeles County and neighboring Orange and Ventura counties are different geographic scopes. A lemon law claim follows the vehicle and the warranty, not the city, but where a lawsuit is filed can affect which courthouse hears it.
Neighborhoods inside the City of Los Angeles
Koreatown, Westwood, Century City, Encino, Van Nuys, Boyle Heights and San Pedro are all neighborhoods inside the City of Los Angeles. A firm with an office in one serves the others without needing a separate location.
Separate cities that share a Los Angeles mailing name
Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena are separate cities inside Los Angeles County, even though many people treat them as part of Los Angeles. Some addresses in the 90069 ZIP code carry a Los Angeles mailing name while sitting in West Hollywood. None of this changes your lemon law rights, but it explains why firm addresses list different cities.
Neighboring counties
Long Beach and Lancaster are still in Los Angeles County, while Irvine and Anaheim are in Orange County and Thousand Oaks is in Ventura County. A Los Angeles firm can take cases from all of them, but ask whether it regularly files in the county where you live or bought the car.
The rules that decide a Los Angeles lemon law claim
Four rules shape almost every claim. Have an attorney confirm how each applies to your facts.
The 18-month, 18,000-mile presumption
Civil Code section 1793.22 presumes a vehicle is a lemon if, within 18 months of delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, a defect that could cause death or serious injury was repaired 2 or more times, the same defect 4 or more times, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total. Missing these numbers does not end a claim; it only means the presumption does not apply.
The manufacturer pays the attorney fees
Civil Code section 1794(d) lets a buyer who wins recover attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer. That is why Los Angeles lemon law firms usually take cases with no upfront fee. Ask how costs are handled if the claim does not succeed.
The filing deadline
Song-Beverly claims are generally subject to a four-year limitations period, and the clock can start earlier than many owners expect. Do not wait for the warranty to expire before calling; an attorney should confirm the date that applies to your car.
Notice, arbitration and the 2025 procedures
If the manufacturer runs a dispute program certified by the California Department of Consumer Affairs and told you about it in writing, you may need to use it before relying on the presumption. Since 2025, AB 1755 and SB 26 also added pre-suit written notice and early mediation steps for manufacturers that opted in.
Prepare for the first consultation
Bring what the firm needs to check the presumption in one call.
- Purchase or lease contract. Include the delivery date, the odometer reading at delivery and any financing paperwork.
- Every repair order. Keep the ones that say no problem found; they still count as visits.
- Days out of service. Note the in and out dates on each repair order so the total can be added up.
- Out-of-pocket receipts. Towing, rental cars and rideshare trips caused by the defect can be part of a claim.
- Messages with the dealer or manufacturer. Save emails, texts and any goodwill or trade-in offers before you respond to them.
- Questions about fees. Ask how the fee works, who pays case costs and what happens if the claim does not succeed.
Do not trade in or sell the car before speaking with a lawyer, and do not sign a manufacturer release until someone has checked the usage offset.
Official Los Angeles and California resources
A short list of authoritative sources beats a long list of summaries.
- Courts: The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles lists courthouse locations, e-filing and self-help for Los Angeles cases.
- Law library: The LA Law Library downtown offers free public access to California codes and lemon law practice guides.
- Statute: Read the lemon law presumption itself in Civil Code section 1793.22.
- Free arbitration: The Department of Consumer Affairs Arbitration Certification Program explains state-certified manufacturer programs, which cost California buyers nothing.
- Licensing: Check any lawyer’s license and discipline record with the State Bar of California.
Top 4 best lemon law firms serving Los Angeles
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer, Strategic Legal Practices, APC, Law Offices of Jon Jacobs and Seven Law Group, APC are the top 4 best firms to consider after a Los Angeles vehicle keeps failing under warranty. This editorial shortlist considers a published lemon law practice, an office in Los Angeles County and how each firm describes its fee terms. The order is for presentation and does not represent an independently measured ranking.
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer: one attorney on the file from the first call
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer is the lemon law practice of Shainfeld Law, led by attorney Brett Shainfeld, and the firm states that clients always speak with the attorney who handles their case. It works from an office on N San Vicente Blvd by the Pacific Design Center and handles buybacks, replacement vehicles and cash-and-keep settlements against most major manufacturers, from Mercedes-Benz and BMW to Tesla, Audi and Hyundai.
Its process page lists what a buyback can refund for purchased and leased cars, including down payments, monthly payments, loan or lease balances, taxes, registration and incidental costs such as towing and rentals, and the site publishes a mileage-offset calculator so owners can estimate the usage deduction before the first call.
- Office: 750 N San Vicente Blvd, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90069
- Phone: (310) 295-1888
- Fees: The firm states the manufacturer covers legal fees, so clients have no out-of-pocket costs; case evaluations are free.
Ask for the fee agreement in writing, including how case costs are handled if the claim does not succeed, and bring your repair orders so the firm can check the presumption on the first call.
Profile details are attributed to the firm’s website. Confirm current terms directly. The order of firms is for presentation and is not an independent ranking.
Strategic Legal Practices, APC: a large Century City lemon law litigation firm
Strategic Legal Practices, APC works from 1888 Century Park East in Century City and says its practice focuses on lemon law cases. The firm states its founder, Payam Shahian, previously worked at a defense firm representing Ford Motor Company, and that it advances all litigation costs, with nothing owed in fees or costs if there is no recovery.
Its intake form offers English or Spanish, and the firm lists phone availability around the clock. Its Google listing carries a large review base, with reviewers describing both completed buybacks and frustration over communication on long-running cases.
- Published focus: Lemon law litigation against major manufacturers, buybacks, cash-and-keep settlements, known vehicle defect pages
- Before hiring: Ask which attorney will handle your file day to day, how often you will get updates, and how long similar cases have taken.
Source: the firm’s website. Services are firm-reported; confirm current scope directly.
Law Offices of Jon Jacobs: LemonBuyBack.com with a Beverly Hills office
Law Offices of Jon Jacobs runs the LemonBuyBack.com practice with offices in Beverly Hills, Temecula and Sacramento, and states it has been in business more than 23 years. Its site focuses on 2022 and newer vehicles and certified pre-owned cars, along with motorcycles, RVs, ATVs and UTVs.
The firm states it fronts all attorney time and legal costs, so clients pay nothing out of pocket. Its team page lists staff who speak Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, French and Mandarin, and the site is published in English, Spanish and Arabic.
- Published focus: Buybacks, replacements and cash-and-keep settlements for 2022 and newer vehicles, CPO cars, motorcycles and RVs
- Before hiring: Confirm your model year fits the firm’s intake focus, and ask whether your case will be handled from the Beverly Hills office or another location.
Source: the firm’s website. Services are firm-reported; confirm current scope directly.
Seven Law Group, APC: a Westwood office with seven-day hours
Seven Law Group, APC lists offices on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood and in San Diego, and offers free in-person meetings at either location. The firm states it has handled more than 2,400 cases and recovered more than $50 million, and that the manufacturer, not the client, pays its fees.
Its site runs an online case check that asks whether the vehicle was bought new, used, leased or certified pre-owned, and it publishes sample settlements by vehicle type. Its Google listing shows hours seven days a week, which helps owners who can only call on weekends.
- Published focus: Lemon law buybacks and settlements for new, leased and CPO vehicles, with manufacturer-specific pages
- Before hiring: Ask who will be your main contact, how often you should expect updates, and whether the $50 million figure covers California cases only.
Source: the firm’s website. Services are firm-reported; confirm current scope directly.
How were these top 4 firms selected?
This shortlist uses three observable criteria: a published lemon law practice, an office in Los Angeles County and stated fee terms. It does not score case outcomes or compare every firm in the county.
Questions to ask before hiring any lemon law firm
- Does my car meet the 18-month, 18,000-mile presumption, and if not, what is the case?
- Who pays case costs, such as inspections and filing fees, if we do not win?
- Which attorney will handle my file, and how often will I hear from you?
- Does my manufacturer require arbitration or pre-suit notice before filing?
Check any California attorney’s license and public discipline record with the State Bar of California before signing.
Questions about hiring a lemon law attorney in Los Angeles
Who are the top lemon law lawyers in Los Angeles?
Local Counsel’s top 4 picks for the best lemon law lawyers serving Los Angeles are Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer, Strategic Legal Practices, APC, Law Offices of Jon Jacobs and Seven Law Group, APC, in that display order. The list is an editorial shortlist, not a scored ranking.
How do I know if my car is a lemon in California?
Under Civil Code section 1793.22, a car is presumed a lemon if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles, a serious safety defect was repaired 2 or more times, the same defect 4 or more times, or it spent more than 30 days in the shop. Cars that miss those numbers can still qualify.
How much does a lemon law attorney cost in Los Angeles?
Usually nothing out of pocket. Civil Code section 1794(d) makes the manufacturer pay a winning buyer’s attorney fees and costs, and all four firms here state clients pay no upfront fee.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim?
Song-Beverly claims are generally subject to a four-year limitations period, but the start date depends on the facts. Call a lawyer while the car is still under warranty if you can.
Where is Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer located?
Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer lists its office at 750 N San Vicente Blvd, Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90069, by the Pacific Design Center. Its phone is (310) 295-1888.
Does Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer charge for a case review?
No. Lemon Law Now – Los Angeles Lemon Law Lawyer offers a free case evaluation and states that the manufacturer covers legal fees, so clients have no out-of-pocket costs.
Does lemon law cover used cars in California?
Only in narrower cases since October 2024. In Rodriguez v. FCA US, the California Supreme Court held that a used car sold with leftover factory warranty generally does not qualify for the refund-or-replace remedy, though a manufacturer CPO warranty or a dealer’s own written warranty may still matter.
How do I check whether a California lawyer is licensed?
Search the lawyer’s name on the State Bar of California website, which shows license status and any public discipline.
Does the order of this list mean one firm is better?
No. The order reflects the editorial arrangement of this page, not an independent score.
A working checklist before your first call
Use these steps to compare firms on the same terms.
- Find the delivery date and mileage. The 18-month, 18,000-mile clock starts there.
- Count the repair visits. Group them by defect and flag anything that affects braking, steering or acceleration.
- Add up days in the shop. Use the in and out dates on each repair order.
- Get the fee terms in writing. Confirm who pays case costs if the claim does not succeed.
- Check the license. Look up the handling attorney on the State Bar of California website.
- Hold off on trade-ins. Do not sell the car or sign a manufacturer release until a lawyer has reviewed it.
The right firm depends on the vehicle, the defect and how far the repair history already goes.