Are you starting the new year with a vehicle that you think is a lemon? According to the consumer advocate group, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS), automobile manufacturers repurchase approximately 50,000 vehicles a year under the lemon law. Continue reading
Category Archives: California Lemon Law
California Automobile Consumer Recovery Fund
In 2008, as hundreds of California auto dealerships closed down, consumers trading in their old vehicles were often left with two car payments as a result of the dealer not absolving the trade in loan before they went out of business. Continue reading
No Lemon Law Protection For Flood Vehicles
It has been about a month since Hurricane Sandy devastated the eastern shores of the United States killing hundreds of people and leaving a path of destruction believed to cost billions. It is estimated that high waters and heavy rains resulted in approximately 250,00 flooded vehicles. Continue reading
Auto Financing Scam
In 2011, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a series of discussions to explore corrupt practices in the automobile lending market. One abuse that seemed to be particularly prevalent was the “yo-yo scam”. Reports showed that consumer’s dealing with auto finance problems experienced a yo-yo scam approximately 30 percent of the time. Continue reading
Ford Fiesta Side Airbag Deployment Problem
Ford will be contacting owners of certain 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles because their cars may fail to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for occupant crash protection. According to Ford, an incorrect software installation may prevent the side impact airbags from deploying when there is no occupant in the front passenger seat. Ford will reprogram the vehicle’s software to make it consistent with the description on the owner’s manual. Owners wanting more information about the problem can contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
NHTSA Warns Of Dangerous Lemon Airbags
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning car owners to get their vehicle inspected for potential lemon airbags. This includes any airbags bought online, used vehicles where the owner is unsure if the airbags have been replaced, and any owner who has had their airbags replaced by an independent repair shop not connected to a new car dealership. It is estimated that only 1% of U.S. vehicles may be affected by the problem, but that equals to tens of thousands units. Continue reading
Honda Accord Sub Frame Rusting
The Center for Auto Safety is urging Honda to issue a recall on certain 1999-2002 Honda Accords after an exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation exposed a potential safety issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there have been 11 complaints since 2009 of sub frame rust that have left owners with vehicles that are unsafe to drive. The complaints allege that water from the air conditioning drain hose dips down onto the passenger side sub frame rusting it so badly that the frame can separate from the vehicle. The above video shows that while the passenger side disintegrated from rust, the driver side is often rust free.
A spokesperson for Honda confirmed that the company has also received similar complaints, but said they do not believe the defect warrants a safety bulletin or recall. In 2003 Honda changed the location of the drain hose, but said that the design change is unrelated to the problem. If the investigation should lead to a recall, approximately 1.5 million vehicles could be affected.
Dodge Truck Rear Axle Could Seize
Chrysler will be contacting owners of certain 2009-2010 Dodge Ram 1500 and 2009-2010 Dodge Dakota trucks about a problem with the rear axle pinion nut. Because of a lack of adhesive, the nut could loosen resulting in the rear axle locking up. If this happens while the vehicle is being driven the driver will experience a loss of control, increasing the chance of an accident. Chrysler will be contacting owners starting in November and dealers will secure the nut by installing a pinion nut retainer. For more information about the problem, owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
