California's lemon law reforms tighten deadlines but keep core protections

California’s Song-Beverly Act still requires refunds or replacements for defective vehicles, but AB 1755 changed how lemon law claims move through the system starting in 2025. Prestige Legal Solutions says consumers now face new mediation, discovery and filing deadlines, while fee-shifting and other core protections remain in place.

Why it matters: - California consumers still have strong lemon law protections, but the process now moves under tighter deadlines. - The reforms affect when claims must be filed, what documents must be exchanged and when civil-penalty claims require notice. - The fee-shifting rule remains important because it can make valid claims practical even when repair fights drag on.

What happened: - Prestige Legal Solutions, P.C., the consumer law firm behind LemonLaws.com, published a plain-language overview of the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act and the reforms that changed how claims proceed in California. - The Song-Beverly Act, found in the California Civil Code beginning at section 1790, still requires a manufacturer to refund or replace a vehicle when a covered defect cannot be repaired within a reasonable number of attempts and the defect substantially affects the vehicle’s use, value or safety. - The statute still includes the Tanner presumption at Civil Code section 1793.22, which guides when repair attempts may be treated as reasonable. - Assembly Bill 1755, passed in 2024, added mediation and discovery deadlines after lemon law filings rose sharply. - Public reporting on state court data showed filings increasing from roughly 14,900 in 2022 to more than 30,000 in 2024. - The new procedures took effect Jan. 1, 2025. - Senate Bill 26, signed in 2025, allowed manufacturers to opt in to the streamlined process.

The details: - AB 1755 requires parties to exchange core documents such as maintenance records and warranty materials within 60 days of a manufacturer’s response. - Claims seeking civil penalties now face a notice requirement before filing. - AB 1755 also set filing windows for claims. - A claim generally must be filed within one year after the applicable warranty expires. - A claim also must be filed no later than six years after the vehicle’s original delivery. - The Song-Beverly Act still includes a fee-shifting provision at Civil Code section 1794, subdivision (d). - A prevailing consumer may recover reasonable attorney costs from the manufacturer. - Prestige Legal Solutions says that structure helps keep valid claims accessible regardless of a consumer’s budget. - General information about the firm is available at the company’s about page. - Managing Partner Christine J. Haw concentrates her practice on consumer protection, lemon law and breach of warranty representation, according to the firm. - The firm says Haw helps consumers understand statutory rights and pursue accountability when a defective vehicle disrupts daily life. - LemonLaws.com by Prestige Legal Solutions is a Los Angeles-based California consumer law firm focused on lemon law matters in multiple states. - The firm says it was founded by Michelle Yang, Esq. - Prestige Legal Solutions says it has handled more than 5,000 lemon law cases and recovered more than $47 million for consumers. - The firm says more than 500 models have been successfully resolved and clients pay no out-of-pocket fees. - The firm operates from offices on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Between the lines: - The reforms appear designed to reduce delay and force earlier exchange of information in a docket that grew quickly. - Consumers who used to assume there was no firm filing deadline now need to track warranty expiration and original delivery dates early. - The core promise of the law did not change, but the path to enforcing that promise is more procedural than before.

What's next: - Consumers with potential lemon law claims need to review warranty dates, repair history and document records sooner. - Manufacturers may continue opting into the streamlined procedures created by SB 26. - The practical impact of AB 1755 will likely show up in how quickly claims settle and how often cases reach penalties or trial.

The bottom line: - California’s lemon law still protects buyers of defective vehicles, but AB 1755 made timing and paperwork far more important to winning relief.