Toyota vs Honda Lemon Law Problems: What California Owners Report

Published October 19, 2026 · Updated October 19, 2026 · California lemon law

Which has more lemon law problems in California, Toyota or Honda?

Side-by-Side Comparison

What California Toyota Owners Report

Owners of 2019 to 2027 model year Toyotas in California filed 1,644 complaints with NHTSA from 2021 through 2026. The engine was the most-mentioned problem area with 223 complaints. Airbags came second with 198, then the transmission and powertrain (188), the electrical system (167) and brakes (145).

Those five areas are fairly close together. No single system dominates Toyota's list the way one system does for some other brands. That means a Toyota owner with almost any kind of recurring problem will find other California owners reporting something similar.

The RAV4 led all Toyota models with 265 complaints. The Highlander (192), Corolla (181), Camry (160) and Tundra (134) followed. These are high-volume nameplates that California families and commuters buy in large numbers, which helps explain why they top the list.

Los Angeles had the most Toyota complaints (70), then San Diego (51), Sacramento (38), San Jose (33) and Fresno (23). Fresno making the top five is a reminder that Central Valley drivers file NHTSA reports too, not just coastal city owners.

• Engine: 223 complaints
• Airbags: 198 complaints
• Transmission and powertrain: 188 complaints
• Electrical system: 167 complaints
• Brakes: 145 complaints

What California Honda Owners Report

Honda owners in California filed 2,295 NHTSA complaints for the same model years and filing window. The pattern looks very different from Toyota. Steering led with 372 complaints, and collision warning and driver-assist systems came a close second with 337.

After those two, the electrical system had 278 complaints, the fuel and EV propulsion system 219, and the engine 202. So Honda's top two areas involve how the car steers and how its electronic safety aids behave, while Toyota's top two involve the engine and airbags.

By model, the Civic had 366 complaints, the CR-V 305, the Accord 264, the Odyssey 261 and the Pilot 237. Honda's list is notable for how even it is. The fifth model on the list has almost two-thirds as many complaints as the first, so the reports are spread across sedans, SUVs and the minivan.

The city list is led by the largest metro areas: Los Angeles (94), San Diego (92), San Jose (67), Sacramento (51) and San Francisco (31). San Diego is almost tied with Los Angeles here, which is unusual among the brands in this data.

The fuel and EV propulsion number (219) is also worth a look. Honda sells several hybrid models in California, and owners describing problems with how power is delivered or how the car runs may land in this category. As always, the label on an NHTSA report does not decide anything. Your repair orders do.

Steering and Driver-Assist Complaints as Safety Defects

Honda's two most-reported areas are the kind of problems that often raise safety questions. A car that pulls, resists the driver, or brakes or steers on its own when nothing is in the way can put the driver and others at risk. Under California law, that matters for how many repair attempts are enough.

Within 18 months or 18,000 miles, a reasonable number of attempts is presumed if a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was repaired 2 or more times (Civil Code 1793.22(b)). For a defect that is not a safety risk, the presumption usually needs 4 repairs of the same problem or more than 30 days out of service.

Driver-assist problems can be hard to reproduce at the dealer. A technician may drive the car, find no codes, and write "could not duplicate." That visit still matters. California courts have said a buyer does not have to prove the exact technical cause, and visits where the dealer could not find the problem can still count.

To make those visits count, describe the event precisely when you drop the car off. Say what speed you were going, what the road looked like, and what the car did. Ask the service advisor to write your words on the repair order, and read it before you leave.

Airbag Complaints, Recalls and the Lemon Law

Airbags were the second most-reported area for Toyota, with 198 complaints. Airbag concerns can come up in a few ways: a warning light that stays on, a sensor fault, or an owner who is worried a part is affected by a recall. Each of these is handled differently.

A recall is a manufacturer safety repair program. A lemon law claim is about a warranty defect that was not fixed after reasonable attempts. The two can overlap. A recall repair can count as a repair attempt, so if a recall fix does not solve the problem and it keeps coming back, that history may support a claim.

A technical service bulletin, or TSB, is different again. It is a repair instruction the manufacturer sends to dealers for a known issue. It is not a safety recall. If a dealer mentions a TSB on your repair order, keep a copy, because it shows the dealer connected your problem to a known issue.

Check your VIN at the NHTSA recall site before your next service visit. If a recall applies, get it done, and keep the recall repair order with the rest of your file. If an airbag light or warning keeps returning after repairs, treat it as a possible safety defect and talk to a lemon law attorney.

Example: A Honda CR-V That Keeps Braking on Its Own

Here is a made-up example to show how a claim usually develops. It is not a real client. Priya leased a new CR-V in San Jose. At about 5,000 miles, the collision warning system slammed on the brakes twice on an empty freeway on-ramp.

She took it to the dealer, which found no stored codes and returned the car. A month later it happened again, and the dealer recalibrated a front sensor. The third time, the dealer performed a software update. Each time, Priya wrote down the date, the location and what happened, and she asked for her description to be printed on the repair order.

After the third visit, Priya read her warranty booklet and sent a written notice to American Honda Motor Co., Inc., keeping a copy. When the car braked on its own a fourth time, she scheduled a free case review.

Her attorney looked at whether sudden braking was a defect likely to cause serious injury, which would put her past the 2-attempt mark. Because she leased the car, a lease buyback would typically refund what she paid and pay off the lease. Priya kept making her lease payments the whole time.

Should You Try a Manufacturer Arbitration Program First?

Some manufacturers offer a free arbitration program for warranty disputes. BBB AUTO LINE is one example used by several brands. If your Toyota or Honda paperwork mentions a program like this, read it carefully before deciding.

These programs cost you nothing. If you accept the decision, it binds the manufacturer, but it does not bind you. If you reject it, you can still pursue your claim in court. That said, an informal dispute program is generally not required before you bring a California Song-Beverly claim. It can matter for a federal Magnuson-Moss claim if the warranty requires it.

Going straight to a lemon law attorney is also free for you. If you win, the manufacturer pays your attorney fees, costs and expenses (Civil Code 1794(d)). For many claims against manufacturers that opted in, the 2025 rules add written notice and early mediation steps (Code of Civil Procedure 871.20), and an attorney can handle those for you.

Whichever route you choose, the same records decide the outcome: repair orders, days out of service, and any written notice you sent to Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. or American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

• Read the dispute section of your warranty booklet
• Ask whether the program's decision would bind you (it should not)
• Keep copies of everything you submit
• Get a free case review before you sign any release

Next Steps for Toyota and Honda Owners in California

Toyota and Honda both repair warranty problems through franchised dealers. If you have used more than one dealer, request a printout of your full service history from each one. Dealers can usually print every repair order tied to your VIN, including visits you may have forgotten.

Next, line up the visits for the same problem in date order. Count how many times it was repaired, add up the days the car was in the shop, and note the mileage at the first visit. The first-visit mileage is what the mileage offset is based on if you get a buyback (Civil Code 1793.2(d)(2)(C)).

Then check timing. Warranty claims generally must be filed within four years (Commercial Code 2725), but the rules about when that clock starts are technical. Do not wait until the warranty is about to run out to ask questions.

Finally, keep driving safely and keep paying. If the defect makes the car unsafe to drive, stop driving it and have it towed to the dealer, keeping the tow receipt. Keep making loan or lease payments the whole time, because missed payments can hurt your credit and lead to repossession.

• Full service history printout from every dealer you used
• Purchase or lease contract
• Notes or videos of each time the problem happened
• Tow, rental and repair receipts
• Copies of any letters or emails to the manufacturer

Signs Your Toyota May Qualify

• Your Toyota has been in for the engine 2 or more times and it is a safety issue
• The same Toyota problem has been repaired 4 or more times
• Your Toyota has been out of service more than 30 days for warranty repairs
• You own a Toyota RAV4 and the problem keeps coming back

Signs Your Honda May Qualify

• Your Honda has been in for the steering 2 or more times and it is a safety issue
• The same Honda problem has been repaired 4 or more times
• Your Honda has been out of service more than 30 days for warranty repairs
• You own a Honda Civic and the problem keeps coming back

Key Facts (as of October 2026)

• Complaint counts are California owner reports to NHTSA for 2019 to 2027 model years, filed 2021 to 2026. They are not verified defects and are not adjusted for sales.
• The two brands' top problem areas differ: Toyota owners report the engine most, Honda owners the steering.
• For either brand, a reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed within 18 months or 18,000 miles after 2 tries for a serious safety defect, 4 tries for the same defect, or more than 30 days in the shop (Civil Code 1793.22(b)).

Talk It Through With a Lemon Law Attorney

Every case is different. Our attorneys, listed in firm order: #1 Jacob Shayesteh (founding attorney), #2 Armig Khodanian and #3 Kamau Edwards, will look at your repair history and tell you which option fits. 5.0 stars on Google from 77 reviews (October 2026). You pay $0, win or lose.

What Our Clients Say on Google

“Even after multiple PCM software updates and the service center telling me it was just 'adaptive learning,' the car was still lunging and hesitating at highway speeds. I paid no out-of-pocket legal fees because the law requires the manufacturer to pay them.”

Nathaniel H. · 2023 Ford · 5-star Google review

“Jacob was sharp, responsive, and honest about what to expect. He communicated with Audi directly so my parents didn't have to deal with any of it, and the case moved fast.”

Joshua G. · 2024 Audi Q5 hybrid · 5-star Google review

“Jacob Shayesteh picked up the phone himself, which already blew me away. He knew exactly what was going on with my situation, explained the entire California lemon law process in plain English, and handled absolutely everything on my end.”

Brenda E. · 2024 Jeep Wrangler · 5-star Google review

Read all 78 reviews on Google (5.0 stars, October 2026). Reviews describe past clients' experiences; every case is different.

FAQ

Is it harder to win a lemon law case against Toyota or Honda?

No. Song-Beverly applies to Toyota and Honda the same way. Your repair orders, days out of service and how serious the defect is decide the case.

What do California Toyota owners complain about most?

In NHTSA complaints from California owners, the top areas are the engine, airbags and transmission and powertrain. The most complaints were for the Toyota RAV4, Toyota Highlander and Toyota Corolla.

What do California Honda owners complain about most?

In NHTSA complaints from California owners, the top areas are the steering, collision warning and driver-assist systems and electrical system. The most complaints were for the Honda Civic, Honda CR-V and Honda Accord.

Sources and Official References

• NHTSA recall lookup by VIN
• NHTSA, report a vehicle safety problem
• California Civil Code section 1793.22 (California Legislature)
• California Civil Code section 1794 (California Legislature)
• BBB AUTO LINE

Laws change. This page reflects California law as of October 2026 and was reviewed by Jacob Shayesteh, Esq.

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Attorney advertising. Wynn Law Group, APC, 10850 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1010, Los Angeles, CA 90024. General information, not legal advice. Results vary. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.