General Motors (GM) is one of California’s most commonly sued vehicle manufacturers under the state’s Lemon Law, according to a report from the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG). The study, which was conducted in collaboration with the Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) Foundation and Frontier Group, analyzed over 34,000 lemon law lawsuits filed in California state courts between 2018 and 2021. The findings revealed that some vehicle manufacturers were more likely to face a higher number of lemon law cases per vehicle sold than others.
Out of the five vehicle manufacturers who saw the most number of lemon law cases per vehicle sold, GM had the highest number, with one case per every 78 vehicles sold. Jaguar Land Rover North America followed closely with one case per 83 vehicles sold, while Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) saw one case per 107 vehicles sold. Nissan North America and Ford Motor Company had one case per 115 and 148 vehicles sold, respectively. On the other hand, Toyota Motor Sales saw the fewest number of lemon law lawsuits, with only one case per 2,029 vehicles sold. This means GM vehicles were 26 times more likely to be the subject of a lemon law lawsuit than Toyota vehicles.
Despite these numbers, fewer than 0.5 percent of the seven million new vehicles registered in California between 2018 and 2021 appeared in lemon law claims filed in state courts during that time. It’s worth noting that this percentage doesn’t consider lemon law claims that were settled outside of court or resolved through arbitration – a popular alternative among automakers but one that can result in less favorable outcomes for vehicle owners.
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Rosemary Shahan, President of the CARS Foundation, commented on the report’s findings, stating that instead of challenging California’s auto lemon law, vehicle manufacturers like GM, FCA, Nissan, Ford, and Kia should focus on improving the quality of their vehicles and customer service. She added that vehicle owners who suspect they have a lemon on their hands could benefit from the guidance of a California lemon law attorney.
In conclusion, the report from CALPIRG highlights the importance of understanding the California Lemon Law and the steps that vehicle owners can take if they suspect they have a lemon. The findings also highlight the need for vehicle manufacturers to improve the quality of their vehicles and customer service to minimize the number of lemon law cases and provide a better experience for their customers.
REFERENCES:
GM Tops List for Commonly-Sued Vehicle Manufacturers in California Lemon Law Claims
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