Lemon law in Sacramento, California
This page is for people in the Sacramento area with a new vehicle that keeps failing under warranty. It explains California's lemon law and links to licensed lawyers with products liability on record.
Refund or replacement[1]
If a manufacturer cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, it must replace the vehicle or refund the price, at the buyer's choice. The manufacturer may reduce a refund by an amount for the miles driven before the first repair visit.
The presumption[2]
A vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles, the same problem was not fixed after a set number of repair attempts or the vehicle was out of service for more than 30 days.
Arbitration programs[3]
The state's Arbitration Certification Program certifies and monitors arbitration programs that help consumers and manufacturers resolve warranty disputes. Not every manufacturer has one.
Steps to take[2]
- Keep every repair order.
- Notify the manufacturer in writing.
- Keep track of days out of service.
Lawyers in Sacramento, California
The directory lists 2,604 lawyers with an active California license and an office of record in Sacramento, California; 35 of them have Products Liability as a practice area on record (listed in the directory's source file; origin not confirmed, not a certification).
A license record shows a lawyer may practice. It does not show experience with a specific kind of case.
You can check any lawyer's license yourself with the State Bar of California lookup.
State Bar of California license lookup · Browse these lawyers in the directory
Questions
What records should I keep?[2]
Every repair order, with dates and mileage, because the presumption depends on the number of repair attempts and days out of service.
Do I have to use arbitration?[3]
Not always; the rules depend on the manufacturer's program.
You choose which lawyer to contact and what to share. Nothing you type is sent to a lawyer without your say-so.
Sources
- California Civil Code section 1793.2 (repair or replace), California Legislature (official). Checked 2026-10-30.
- California Civil Code section 1793.22 (lemon law presumption), California Legislature (official). Checked 2026-10-30.
- Arbitration Certification Program, California Department of Consumer Affairs (official). Checked 2026-10-30.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Laws change and every situation is different. Check the official sources linked here and talk to a licensed lawyer about your facts.
Reviewed and last updated 2026-10-31. To report an error, write to notices@esqcopilot.com.