Home / Los Angeles Lemon Law / The Los Angeles Lemon Law Process and Timeline
The Los Angeles Lemon Law Process and Timeline
Reviewed by Jacob Shayesteh, Esq., founding attorney · Updated October 2026
When your car keeps going back to the dealer, two questions come up fast: what happens now, and how long will it take? This page lays out the stages of a typical lemon law case in Los Angeles, from the first phone call to the day the manufacturer pays off your loan and takes the vehicle back.
No two cases move at the same speed. The repair history, the manufacturer, whether it opted into AB 1755, and whether a lawsuit is needed all matter. The stages below are a general map, not a promise.
Stage 1: Free case review
It starts with a call to 877-536-6620 or a message through our site. We ask about:
- The year, make, and model, and whether you bought or leased it new, as a demo, or certified pre-owned.
- What the problem is and when it started.
- How many times the car has been to the dealer and how many days it has been out of service.
- Any recall notices you received.
If it looks like a potential claim, we ask you to send your purchase or lease contract and repair orders. Photos of the paperwork from your phone are fine to start. If you need to see where you stand first, try our California lemon law calculator.
Stage 2: Investigation
Next we review your documents against the Song-Beverly Act. That includes:
- Counting repair attempts for the same defect and adding up days out of service.
- Checking the 18-month/18,000-mile presumption in Civil Code section 1793.22(b), while remembering that many claims succeed outside it.
- Looking up recalls and technical bulletins for your VIN. You can do this too with our VIN recall check.
- Confirming whether the manufacturer elected to follow the AB 1755 procedures, which changes the pre-suit steps and filing deadlines.
- Requesting missing repair orders from the dealer if needed.
In our experience, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, especially if you complained about the problem before the recall. Days spent waiting at the dealer for recall parts can also count toward the 30-day out-of-service presumption.
Stage 3: The demand
Once the file is ready, we send the manufacturer a written demand to repurchase or replace the vehicle under Civil Code section 1793.2(d)(2).
The demand summarizes the repair history and asks for restitution. A buyback generally includes what you paid toward the vehicle, collateral charges such as sales tax and registration fees, and incidental costs like towing and rentals, less a mileage offset based on miles driven before your first repair visit for the problem. Learn more about how the mileage offset is calculated.
Stage 4: Negotiation
The manufacturer may respond with:
- A repurchase offer. The vehicle goes back, your loan or lease is paid off, and you receive a refund of what you paid, less the offset.
- A replacement offer. A substantially identical vehicle. You may choose restitution instead of a replacement under section 1793.2(d)(2).
- A cash-and-keep offer. You keep the car and receive a payment.
- A denial or low offer. Then we discuss filing suit.
Under AB 1755, if an opted-in manufacturer offers restitution or replacement within 30 days of receiving the notice and completes it within 60 days, it avoids civil penalties. That window often moves the early part of a case faster.
In our experience, typical recall-related cases resolve in about 1 to 3 months from the first call. That is typical, not a promise, and cases that require litigation take longer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Stage 5: Litigation, if needed
If negotiation fails, we file a complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Many civil cases in the county are heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill St., downtown, though the court assigns where each case goes. You do not need to attend the filing.
What happens next depends on the manufacturer:
- Opted-in manufacturers (AB 1755 track). Parties exchange initial disclosures, such as repair orders and warranty records, early in the case. Short initial depositions may be taken. Mediation is required within a set period after the manufacturer answers, and most other discovery waits until mediation is done.
- Other manufacturers. The case follows normal civil procedure: written discovery, document production, depositions of you and a manufacturer representative, possible motions, and often mediation.
Most cases settle before trial. Your part during litigation is usually limited: answering written questions with our help, providing documents, and possibly sitting for a deposition. We prepare you for each step.
Stage 6: Mediation
Mediation is a meeting with a neutral mediator, often by video, where both sides try to settle. You do not have to accept any offer. We explain the numbers, including restitution, possible civil penalties under Civil Code section 1794(c) (up to two times actual damages for a willful violation), and attorney fees under section 1794(d), so you can decide.
Stage 7: Buyback paperwork and vehicle return
Once a buyback is agreed, the paperwork usually includes:
- A settlement agreement and release.
- A payoff letter from your lender or leasing company.
- Title or registration documents and an odometer statement.
- A scheduled surrender at a dealership, often one near you in LA County.
Before turning in the car, remove personal items, toll transponders, garage openers, and phone pairings. Bring all keys. Take photos of the odometer and condition at surrender.
Stage 8: Loan payoff and your refund
The manufacturer pays your lender or leasing company directly to clear the balance. Your share, typically your down payment, monthly payments made, and covered fees, minus the mileage offset, is paid to you. Keep making your regular loan or lease payments until the payoff is confirmed so your credit is not affected.
Our fees are paid by the manufacturer, not out of your refund. You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Key time windows set by statute
A few deadlines come straight from the law and shape the calendar:
- 30 days to repair. Civil Code section 1793.2(b) says warranty repairs must generally be completed within 30 days unless you agree otherwise in writing, with extra time only for delays beyond the manufacturer’s control.
- 30 and 60 days to respond. An opted-in manufacturer that offers a repurchase or replacement within 30 days of the notice must complete it within 60 days to avoid civil penalties.
- Filing deadlines. Against opted-in manufacturers, suits generally must be filed within one year after the express warranty expires and no more than six years after original delivery. Other cases follow different limitation rules, so do not wait to ask.
What slows a case down
- Missing repair orders. Ask for a copy at every visit.
- Waiting months after the problem starts before taking the car in.
- Selling or trading in the car before talking to a lawyer.
- Late loan or lease payments that complicate the payoff.
For step-by-step filing details, see how to file a lemon law claim in Los Angeles. For the full overview, visit our Los Angeles lemon law attorney page or our California lemon law attorney home page.
More Los Angeles lemon law guides
- How to file a lemon law claim in Los Angeles
- Used and certified pre-owned cars in Los Angeles
- Leased vehicles and lemon law in Los Angeles
- Tesla lemon law in Los Angeles
- Electric and hybrid vehicle lemon law in Los Angeles
- When your Los Angeles dealer will not fix your car
- Los Angeles lemon law FAQ
Get a free case review
If your car, truck, or SUV keeps going back to the dealer, call us for a free case review at 877-536-6620. Our office is at 10850 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1010, in Westwood, and we help drivers across Los Angeles County in English and Spanish. You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Los Angeles lemon law case take?
In our experience, typical recall-related cases resolve in about 1 to 3 months from the first call, but that is not a promise. Cases that go into litigation take longer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Will I have to go to court?
Most lemon law cases settle without a trial. If a lawsuit is filed, you may answer written questions and possibly give a deposition, and we prepare you for each step.
Do I keep making car payments during the case?
Yes. Keep paying your loan or lease on time until the manufacturer confirms the payoff. Missed payments can hurt your credit and complicate the buyback.
What is mediation in a lemon law case?
It is a settlement meeting with a neutral mediator, often held by video. You decide whether to accept any offer. For manufacturers under AB 1755, mediation is a required early step in litigation.
Who pays off my car loan in a buyback?
The manufacturer pays your lender or leasing company directly. Your refund of what you paid, minus the mileage offset, is paid to you.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.