If you have received a recall to check the steering shafts on your new 2011 Chevy Cruze, you may want to get the transmission shift linkages inspected while you are there. The automobile maker announced that within the group of vehicles to be checked for steering, they plan to inspect over 120,000 vehicles with automatic transmissions to make sure the shift linkages are installed properly. Improperly installed linkages may lead the driver to think they are in a certain gear when they are not. Owners wanting more information on the recall can contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or go to the Chevy owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
Category Archives: California Lemon Law
California Lemon Law Buybacks
Here at the Law Offices of Delsack & Associates, we represent our clients to the highest legal standards. In over 23 years of helping California consumers, we have successfully represented thousands of clients throughout the state in all types of lemon law cases, with all vehicle manufacturers. We are especially proud of the fact that in more than 9 out of 10 of these cases we are able to reach satisfactory settlements without litigation, making the settlements fast and stress free for our clients. The high standards we have set to represent only those clients with legitimate lemon law claims means that we do not compromise our integrity or reputation. Our goal is not to be the “largest” lemon law firm in California, but to continue to be the best.
Below is a list of some of our most recent success stories where we helped consumers get settlements for their lemons:
- 1. 2007 GMC Yukon: Full buyback – Garden Grove, CA – 18,166 miles
- 2. 2007 BMW X5: Full buyback – Sylmar, CA – 59,952 miles
- 3. 2008 Dodge Ram: Full buy back – Bakersfield, CA – 31,192 miles
- 4. 2009 Honda CR-V: Full buyback – Alameda, CA – 14,242 miles
- 5. 2009 Nissan 370Z: Full buyback – Carson, CA – 22,858 miles
- 6. 2007 Jeep Wrangler: Full buyback – Durham, CA – 37,032 miles
- 7. 2007 Cadillac Escalade: Cash and Keep – El Dorado Hills, CA – 42,329 miles
- 8. 2009 BMW 335i: Full buyback – Huntington Beach, CA – 22,084 miles
- 9. 2010 Audi Q7: Full buyback – Yorba Linda, CA – 7,357 miles
- 10. 2010 Mini Cooper: Full buyback – San Jose, CA – 1,831 miles
- 11. 2006 Jaguar S-type: Cash and Keep – Duarte, CA – 66,195 miles
- 12. 2010 BMW 535i: Full buyback – Long Beach, CA – 17,577 miles
- 13. 2010 Chevrolet Malibu: Cash and Keep – Riverside, CA – 11,462 miles
- 14. 2007 Saab 9-3: Full buyback – Tarzana, CA – 25,269 miles
- 15. 2008 BMW 550i: Full buyback – Orange, CA – 19,919 miles
If you are in California and feel that you may have a lemon, contact our lemon law offices, or fill out our Lemon Law Case Review, for a FREE consultation.
Anywhere in California (free call): 1.888.ExLemon (395.3666)
- California Lemon Law in Los Angeles: 310-475-1700
- California Lemon Law in San Francisco: 415-285-5366
- California Lemon Law in San Diego: 619-229-6900
- California Lemon Law in Orange County: 949-856-4333
- California Lemon Law in Palm Springs: 760-395-1000
- California Lemon Law in San Fernando Valley: 818-837-0500
2011 MV Agusta F4 Motorcycles Recalled
Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta (MVA) is recalling over two hundred 2010 F4 Motorcycles. According to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the upper fixture points of the sub frame may not be strong enough and could lead to frame cracks and instability of the vehicle. A reinforcement support kit will be installed by dealers free of charge.
This is the second recall for this motorcycle in the past year. Last June MVA recalled almost seventy 2010 MV Agusta F4 super bikes for a faulty air filter frame that may become loose, allowing material to enter the system. This debris could damage the assembly causing the motor to seize.
Owners wanting more information on either recall can contact MV Agusta at 1-215-830-3300, or the NHTSA’s vehicle safety hot line at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).
No More State Cars For California Lawmakers
Scheduled to take effect in December, California lawmakers will no longer be provided with a state purchased car, but instead will be given a monthly transportation allowance of $300 a month. According to the California Citizens Compensation Commission, the group responsible for setting state officials’ salaries and benefits, this change will cut the lawmakers’ transportation costs in half, saving the state of California over $2.3 million over the next five years.
The salary for California legislators is one of the highest in the nation even after salaries and benefits were cut in 2009. The panel decided not to cut lawmakers’ salaries again but said it may revisit the issue if Governor Jerry Brown cuts paychecks for other state workers to help reduce the budget deficit.
Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said the move makes it harder for lawmakers to travel to and in their districts to connect with constituents. He feels the arguments for cutting legislative salaries and benefits have gone from being balanced, rational and a reflection of our economic times to simply trying to make a political point.
Missing Air Bags Put Consumers At Risk
In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) did a study over concerns of injuries and fatalities resulting from air bags not deploying during an auto accident. The most common reason for them not deploying was found to be that they were not there to begin with. During this five year study, an average of 51 vehicles a year were found to be missing air bags. Many of these cars came from rental companies who purchased fleets of vehicles and omitted them as a way to save money, while others were re-salvaged vehicles where the air bags were never replaced.
In many cases, dealerships are unaware that the vehicles they are selling do not have airbags. There are several things consumers can do to make sure this safety feature has not bee omitted.
- When starting s vehicle look for an air bag indicator light. It should momentarily light and then go out. If the light never comes on, remains on, or flashes, there could be a problem with the system.
- Have a trusted certified mechanic inspect the system before purchasing the vehicles.
- Visit the CarFax website to check for airbag deployments that have been reported.
- Fleet cars with deleted side curtain airbags have an option code “AK-5 (delete head curtain side impact airbags) located on a label under the carpeting in the trunk.
- A number 5 in the seventh position in the vehicle identification number could also could mean a deleted side airbag.
DIY California Lemon Law
We live in a “Do It Yourself” society. With the internet at our finger tips, we can find information that instructs us on how to get rid of a stain from a favorite shirt all the way up to doing major renovations on a home. But, just because the information is out there doesn’t mean that the outcome of your DIY project is going to have the success you intended. When it comes to the Lemon Law, it is best to leave it to the professionals.
Lemon Laws differ from state to state, and while the information is out there, the legal “jargon” can be misleading and confusing if you do not have legal experience. Most automobile manufacturers have a team of attorneys who fight lemon law claims every day. They will use all the loop holes and strategies they know to ensure that the consumer claims are dismissed. The fact that a consumer has gone out and hired a lawyer for their claim, shows the car companies they mean business. Even if the automobile turns out to not qualify as a lemon, an attorney can work with the manufacturer to offer compensation and get the vehicle repaired.
The main reason a consumer may not use an attorney for a lemon law claim is to prevent paying legal fees. Most state lemon laws say that in a successful l lemon law claim, the vehicle manufacturer pays all attorney fees. An experienced lemon law lawyer will be able let you know if the claim is worth pursuing and can offer a no cost, no obligation case evaluation. If the case has merit, they will represent you knowing that the chances of a buyback or settlement are good and that their fees will be paid by the car manufacturer.
Based on our experience, attorney negotiated settlements have a higher success rate than one’s negotiated by consumer’s alone, and many times cases are resolved without going to court. The time and frustration of fighting a lemon law case on your own is not guaranteed and not worth it. You have nothing to lose by consulting a Lemon Law attorney before you try to “do it yourself.”
Automobiles More Reliable According To J.D. Power
You wouldn’t know it from all the recalls making the headlines lately, but according to J.D. Power and Associates, vehicle dependability has improved since last year. According to the report, automakers have been successful in reducing problems in traditional areas but have had a rise in issues with newer technologies and features. Today’s automobiles have less engine, transmission, steering and braking problems, but new features like entertainment, navigation and tire pressure monitoring systems still have many bugs that need to be worked out. Between 2009 and 2011, annual improvement for the industry has averaged 6 percent, which is slightly lower than historical rates of 8 percent each year.
The Vehicle Dependability Study is used by vehicle manufacturers to help design and build better vehicles. It also helps consumers make informed choices when purchasing a new or used vehicle. Click on the graph below to see the automakers ranking of problems per 100 vehicles.
Hyundai Elantras Recalled For Airbag Sensors
Hyundai has announced two recalls for faulty airbag sensor systems that could lead to the airbags inflating with too much force or when they are not required causing injury to occupants.
- The first recall involves certain 2007-2009 Elantra vehicles manufactured between July 2006 to November 2008. Under certain circumstances the the connector for the front passenger weight sensor may become contaminated. This could lead to the airbag deploying during impacts that do not require the airbag, or deploying with too much force for the weight of the occupant. In order to fix the problem, dealerships will install a protective cover over the connector to prevent contamination.
- The second recall involves certain 2007-2008 Elantra vehicles manufactured between July 2006 to August 2007. The drivers seat has a track position sensor that determines how much pressure is used to deploy the airbags according to how close the driver is to the airbag. The air bag control module may receive an unstable signal that may lead to the the airbag deploying at a pressure that is too high or too low for the position of the seat. The recall will have dealers reprogramming the airbag control module to deploy at the proper pressure.
Some vehicles will be affected by both recalls. Hyundai will begin sending out recall notices to Elantra owners starting in April. Anyone wanting more information on these recalls can contact Hyundai’s customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
