Recurring steering issues on a Lucid? California's Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund or replacement — at no cost to you.
Get a Free Case ReviewIf your Lucid is experiencing steering problems that your dealer has been unable to permanently fix, you may be entitled to a full repurchase, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — widely regarded as the strongest lemon law in the United States.
Lucid owners across California have successfully recovered the full purchase price of their vehicles after repeated failed repair attempts for steering defects. California law requires Lucid to either repair the defect in a reasonable number of attempts or buy the vehicle back — and if the company refuses, it may owe you up to twice the purchase price as a civil penalty.
This page covers everything you need to know: what Lucid steering defects qualify, how the lemon law process works, what compensation you can recover, and answers to the questions our clients ask most often. If you've already made multiple dealer visits for the same problem, you may already qualify — read on to find out.
Steering defects are treated as safety-critical under California law. Any defect that impairs the driver's ability to control the vehicle's direction — including excessive play, stiffness, or sudden loss of assist — typically qualifies with a lower repair-attempt threshold.
Under California's lemon law presumption, your Lucid is presumed to be a lemon if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles from original delivery (whichever comes first), any of the following apply:
You do not need to satisfy all three criteria — any one of them is sufficient to trigger the presumption. And even if you fall short of these thresholds, you may still have a valid claim if the defect is serious enough or the manufacturer's response was unreasonable.
Lucid models that have generated steering complaints in California include the Air Grand Touring, Air Pure, Air Sapphire, Gravity. If you own one of these models and have returned to the dealer repeatedly for the same issue, your case deserves a professional evaluation.
Steering defects in Lucid vehicles manifest in a variety of ways. The following are the most frequently reported issues by Lucid owners who have pursued — and won — lemon law claims in California. If your vehicle shows any of these symptoms after multiple repair attempts, you likely have a strong claim.
Electric or hydraulic power steering failures that cause sudden heaviness or complete loss of assist create an immediate safety hazard and typically require only two failed repair attempts.
Loose or wandering steering that requires constant correction on a straight road is a safety defect that impairs vehicle control and driving confidence.
Clunking, grinding, or vibration in the steering column — particularly during low-speed turns — indicates worn or defective components that multiple repairs may fail to cure.
A vehicle that consistently drifts off-center on a straight, level road — even after alignment — indicates a steering geometry or component defect.
Electronic steering systems that intermittently lock up pose extreme danger. Even a single verified occurrence of steering lock typically supports an immediate lemon law claim.
Recurring EPS warning lights indicate a fault in the electronic steering assist system — a defect that courts treat as safety-related because it affects steering reliability.
A shimmy or wobble in the steering wheel at specific speeds (often called "death wobble" in trucks and SUVs) is a well-documented defect in several makes and frequently supports lemon law claims.
When a Lucid owner reports a steering problem, dealers typically begin with the least invasive steps — diagnostic scans, software updates, fluid changes, or component cleaning — before escalating to part replacement or system overhaul. This incremental approach is common across the industry, but it often means the root cause goes unaddressed over multiple visits while the repair order count climbs.
Because steering defects are safety-critical, California's lemon law presumes a vehicle is a lemon after just two failed repair attempts if the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. Document every occurrence immediately.
A critical point many Lucid owners miss: every service visit counts as a repair attempt — including visits where the dealer documents "no fault found" or "unable to duplicate concern." Those visits still establish that you reported the problem and the manufacturer failed to resolve it. If you have three or four repair orders for the same complaint, your case may already meet the legal threshold.
Organize every repair order chronologically. Note the date, mileage, and the exact complaint you described each time. This paper trail is the backbone of your lemon law case and the first thing an attorney will review.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act applies to new and certain used vehicles purchased or leased in California that come with a manufacturer's express warranty. It requires manufacturers — including Lucid — to repair defects that impair the vehicle's use, value, or safety. When those defects cannot be permanently repaired in a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must either replace the vehicle or buy it back.
California's lemon law is significantly stronger than the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in several important respects:
The law applies to vehicles purchased for personal, family, or household use — including daily commuters. Commercial fleet vehicles are subject to different standards, but single business-use vehicles may still qualify. An attorney can evaluate your specific situation quickly and at no cost to you.
A successful lemon law claim against Lucid can result in substantial financial recovery. California law provides three primary remedies:
Lucid repurchases the vehicle and refunds: your down payment, all monthly payments made, registration and licensing fees, taxes, and incidental expenses (rental cars, towing, repair-related costs) — minus a mileage offset calculated from delivery date to first reported defect.
Lucid provides a comparable new vehicle — same make, model, and trim level — at no net cost beyond the same mileage offset. Replacement vehicles come with a fresh warranty.
Many lemon law cases resolve with Lucid paying a negotiated lump sum while you keep the vehicle. For owners who have grown accustomed to their car or cannot wait for a buyback process, this option often delivers immediate value.
Civil Penalty: If a court finds that Lucid willfully refused to comply with its buyback obligation, California law allows the court to award up to two times the vehicle's purchase price as an additional civil penalty — on top of the buyback amount.
Attorney Fees: Under Song-Beverly, Lucid must pay your reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs if you prevail. This is what makes the California lemon law work for consumers: you pay nothing to pursue your claim.
If your Lucid has a steering defect, the actions you take in the next few days can significantly affect the outcome of your claim. Here is what to do:
Time matters. California's lemon law has a 4-year statute of limitations from when you knew or should have known of the defect — but acting sooner means better documentation, fresher memories, and faster resolution.
Yes. Loss of steering assist — particularly at highway speeds — is one of the most serious defects a vehicle can have. It is universally treated as a safety-critical defect under California law, requiring only two failed repair attempts.
Death wobble refers to a violent shaking of the steering wheel at certain speeds, common in some trucks and SUVs. It is caused by a suspension or steering component defect and has been the subject of numerous successful lemon law claims in California.
Yes. Intermittent defects are common in steering systems. Keep a detailed log of every occurrence and, if possible, capture video. California law does not require the dealer to reproduce the defect for your claim to proceed.
Request a copy of every repair order, even ones where the dealer clears the light and says no fault was found. The pattern of recurring warning lights — even after clearing — supports your claim.
Yes. If the power steering system has a chronic leak that the dealer cannot permanently repair, the defect is affecting the vehicle's reliability and safety. Repeated repair visits establish your claim.
Specifications can be challenged. An attorney can work with experts to demonstrate that the vehicle's steering behavior falls outside acceptable safety standards, regardless of what the manufacturer's internal specifications say.
Our California lemon law attorneys have recovered millions for owners of defective vehicles across every major make. If your Lucid has a steering defect your dealer cannot fix, you may be entitled to a full repurchase — and Lucid pays our fees.
Start My Free Case Review →California lemon law covers all major defect categories — not just steering. If your Lucid has experienced other recurring issues, explore our make-specific pages below.
Steering defects occur across all major vehicle brands. Select your manufacturer below to see make-specific information about steering lemon law claims in California.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], I arrived at the YMCA parking lot for my yoga class (located on [XXX], Mountain View, CA). While waiting for a parking spot, I put my Lucid Air in reverse to back up slightly. Generally, Lucidu2019s strong regenerative braking stops the car when the accelerator is r…
NHTSA ODI #11675786
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES
There was a safety recall, but Lucid told us the car was safe to drive while we waited for our service appointment. A couple of days before our appointment, (this past 2/9/2025) the car lost brakes, steering, and then completely bricked on the GWB. By great good fortune my wife, who was driving, wa…
NHTSA ODI #11658784
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On several occasions, the vehicle's driver assistance systems (specifically the "keep hands on the wheel" and "keep eyes on the road" warnings) have malfunctioned during normal driving, producing continuous, distracting audible alerts that persist until the car is parked and restarted. Of note, thes…
NHTSA ODI #11533341
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE
Tried to Auto Park the car and almost hit my other car. It didn't recognize the fender of the Tesla. I had to push on brake. I have only tried auto park once. I am pretty sure it would have hit my Tesla. With highway drive assist and steering Icon yellow, the car doesn't maintain the lane and swir…
NHTSA ODI #11510676
STEERING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
I want to inform you about a potential safety issue regarding the Lucid Air. A few weeks ago I was in an accident in a parking garage and I believe this was due to a malfunction in the car. The reason I am writing this letter is in hopes of preventing future accidents. In this case, luckily no one w…
NHTSA ODI #11628950
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Incident 1: While driving to work, accelerated to pass a car on the right going approx 45 MPH. The dash showed a RED "Drive System Fault" and the car would no longer accelerate. The steering was fine and I changed to the left lane. After approximately 5 seconds, the dash and all internal screens…
NHTSA ODI #11503285
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