Chevrolet Lemon Law Attorney in California

This page is for California drivers whose Chevrolet keeps going back to the dealer for the same problem. Maybe your Silverado has a transmission that shudders, your Equinox throws the same warning light every few weeks, or your Tahoe has spent more time in the service bay than in your driveway. If the dealer keeps trying and the problem keeps coming back, you may have more options than another appointment.

California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Civil Code sections 1790 to 1795.8) requires a manufacturer to replace your vehicle or buy it back if it cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts. That applies to new Chevrolet cars, trucks and SUVs, leased Chevrolets, and certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles sold with a new-car warranty. A California lemon law attorney can review your repair history and tell you where you stand.

Chevrolet Warranty Coverage and Lemon Law

Lemon law claims are built on the factory warranty, so it helps to know what yours covers. According to Chevrolet's official limited warranty booklets, a new Chevrolet comes with:

• Bumper-to-bumper coverage: 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
• Powertrain coverage: 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, for the engine, transmission, drive systems and related parts. Chevrolet's 2025 booklet lists 5 years or 100,000 miles for Duramax turbo-diesel engines.
• Electric vehicle components: on models like the Silverado EV, Equinox EV and Blazer EV, certain electric propulsion parts, including the high-voltage battery, are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles.
• Rust-through corrosion: 6 years or 100,000 miles.

If you bought a Chevrolet through GM's Certified Pre-Owned program, GM describes a 6-year or 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty measured from the original in-service date, plus a 12-month or 12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Check your own warranty booklet and CPO paperwork, because terms can change by model year.

Why does this matter? A defect that first shows up while the warranty is active can support a lemon law claim, even if the manufacturer's final repair attempt happens later. The warranty period also tells you how long Chevrolet is obligated to fix covered problems for free. Since the California Supreme Court's decision in Rodriguez v. FCA US LLC (2024), an ordinary used Chevrolet sold with only the leftover factory warranty generally no longer counts as a "new motor vehicle," which makes CPO coverage especially important for used buyers. Read more in does California lemon law cover used cars?

Chevrolet Recalls and Complaints by the Numbers

From our database of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration records for the 2021 and newer model years:

• 106 recall campaigns covering Chevrolet vehicles
• 1 of them told owners not to drive the vehicle until it is repaired
• 5 told owners to park outside because of fire risk
• 12,989 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most common recall areas

Most recalled models

Most common complaint areas

Recent Chevrolet recalls

• Trailblazer, Trax: Back Over Prevention (26V539000, 2026-08-20)
• Silverado 2500: Tires (26V530000, 2026-08-13)
• Silverado Ev: Tires (26V496000, 2026-07-30)
• Silverado Ev: Electrical System (26V494000, 2026-07-30)
• Express: Steering (26V399000, 2026-06-23)
• Express: Steering (26V345000, 2026-05-28)
• Suburban 1500, Tahoe: Wheels (26V304000, 2026-05-14)
• Silverado 1500, Suburban 1500, Tahoe: Power Train (26V289000, 2026-05-07) Do not drive.

See every Chevrolet recall or check your VIN for recalls.

Common Chevrolet Problems in Recalls and Complaints

According to NHTSA recall and complaint data, Chevrolet has issued 106 recalls since the 2021 model year, and owners have filed 12,989 complaints with NHTSA for those model years. A recall or complaint does not mean your specific vehicle is a lemon, but the patterns show which systems owners struggle with most.

What gets recalled most often

Seat belts are the most frequent recall component, with 13 recalls. These campaigns can involve buckles, retractors or anchors that may not hold properly in a crash. Power train recalls come next at 12, covering parts like the transmission, transfer case and drive shafts. Tires account for 10 recalls, electrical systems for 9 and air bags for 8. Seats and gasoline fuel system parts each show up in 6 recalls.

Some recent examples include a transfer case recall covering certain Silverado 1500, Suburban 1500 and Tahoe models, a steering recall for the Express van, and a Corvette exterior lighting software recall.

A small number of Chevrolet recalls carry stronger warnings. One recall in the data told owners not to drive the vehicle at all, and 5 told owners to park outside because of fire risk. On the other end, 11 recalls could be fixed with an over-the-air software update, without a dealer visit.

What owners complain about

Engine problems lead the complaint list with 2,433 reports. Owners commonly describe knocking or ticking noises, loss of power, stalling, check engine lights and oil consumption. Electrical system complaints total 1,835 and often involve dead batteries, dark screens, warning lights that come and go, and accessories that stop working. Power train complaints reach 1,708, with owners describing harsh or delayed shifts, shuddering and clunking.

Another 1,165 complaints fall into unclassified or other issues. Service brakes draw 1,021 complaints, typically about pedal feel, noise or longer stopping distances. Forward collision avoidance has 886 complaints, many describing sudden braking for objects that are not there. Fuel and propulsion complaints total 738, and steering complaints come in at 371.

How a Chevrolet Lemon Law Claim Works

Chevrolet warranty repairs are done at authorized Chevrolet dealers. You are free to try a different Chevrolet dealer if the first one cannot find the problem. Every visit to an authorized dealer for the same defect can count toward your claim.

1. Report the problem clearly. Tell the service advisor exactly what happens, when it happens and how often. Ask them to write your words on the repair order.
2. Get a copy of every repair order. Each one should show your complaint, the mileage in and out, the dates, what the technician found and what was done. Keep a copy even when the paperwork says "could not duplicate."
3. Record the problem. Use your phone to capture warning messages on the dash or touchscreen, a transmission that slams into gear, or a camera that will not turn on. A short video can do more than a long description.
4. Track software updates. Chevrolet vehicles receive dealer-installed and over-the-air updates. In our experience, a software update can count as a repair attempt, and we have seen the same update tried several times without a fix.
5. Check your warranty booklet for the address and terms.

Under Civil Code section 1793.22(b), a manufacturer is presumed to have had a reasonable number of chances if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles, a serious safety defect was repaired 2 or more times, the same problem was repaired 4 or more times, or the vehicle was out of service more than 30 days total. That presumption is a helpful benchmark, not a requirement. In our experience, a recall repair visit can count as a repair attempt, and days spent waiting for recall parts count toward the 30 days. Learn more about the 30-day rule.

If your Chevrolet qualifies, the remedy is usually a lemon law buyback or replacement. A buyback refunds what you paid, minus a mileage offset based on miles driven before your first repair visit for the defect. You can estimate yours with our California lemon law calculator. If Chevrolet willfully violated the law, the court can add a civil penalty of up to two times your actual damages.

Chevrolet trucks used for work may also qualify. Vehicles registered to a business can be covered if the GVWR is under 10,000 pounds and the buyer has no more than five vehicles registered in California. That matters for Silverado HD owners, since some heavy-duty configurations can exceed that limit.

Popular Chevrolet Models We Handle

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

The full-size pickup draws more NHTSA complaints than any other Chevrolet since the 2021 model year, with 3,381, and it appears in 16 recalls. Its heavy-duty siblings, the Silverado 2500 and Silverado 3500, appear in 11 and 10 recalls.

Chevrolet Tahoe

The Tahoe is the most-recalled Chevrolet in the data, with 23 recalls, and owners have filed 1,495 complaints. It is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV with three rows of seating.

Chevrolet Suburban

The longer Suburban shares much of its engineering with the Tahoe and appears in 15 recalls. Some recent recalls, like a wheel hub recall, cover both.

Chevrolet Equinox

This compact crossover appears in 10 recalls and has 1,217 complaints, the third highest for the brand.

Chevrolet Silverado EV

Chevrolet's electric pickup appears in 9 recalls in the data. EV problems often involve charging, battery and software, so keep records of every error message and update.

Chevrolet Traverse, Trailblazer and Colorado

The three-row Traverse has 999 complaints, the small Trailblazer SUV has 686, and the midsize Colorado pickup has 681. The Colorado also appears in 8 recalls.

Have a recall notice? You can check your VIN for recalls, then call us. We help Chevrolet owners across the state, and if you are local, our Los Angeles lemon law attorney office is in Westwood. For a free case review, call 877-536-6620.

California Lemon Law for Chevrolet Owners

The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act protects Chevrolet owners and lessees in California. If Chevrolet or its authorized repair facilities cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle (Civil Code 1793.2(d)).

A vehicle is presumed to be a lemon if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired 4 or more times, a defect that could cause death or serious injury was repaired 2 or more times, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs for more than 30 days in total (Civil Code 1793.22). Many vehicles outside that window still qualify while they are under warranty. New, leased, certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles can qualify; ordinary used cars without a new-car warranty generally no longer do after Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024).

What you can recover

• Buyback: your down payment, payments, taxes and fees, minus a mileage offset, with the loan or lease paid off.
• Replacement with a comparable new vehicle.
• Cash and keep: a cash settlement while you keep the vehicle.
• Civil penalty of up to two times your damages if the manufacturer willfully failed to comply (Civil Code 1794(c)).

What it costs

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.

Estimate your refund with the California lemon law calculator, read how a California lemon law attorney can help, or visit our Los Angeles lemon law attorney page. Call 877-536-6620 for a free case review.

Chevrolet Lemon Law FAQ

Does California lemon law cover my Chevrolet Silverado?

It can, if the Silverado was bought or leased new in California, or bought as a certified pre-owned or demo vehicle with a new-car warranty, and the dealer could not fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts. Trucks used for business can also qualify if the GVWR is under 10,000 pounds and the buyer has no more than five vehicles registered in California.

Who pays my attorney fees in a Chevrolet lemon law case?

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. California law requires the manufacturer to pay attorney fees when the buyer prevails.

Can I get a buyback for a Chevrolet with a recall?

Possibly. In our experience, a recall repair visit can count as a repair attempt, especially if you complained about the problem before the recall, and a recall with no available fix can support a buyback on its own.

Do over-the-air updates on my Chevy count as repair attempts?

In our experience, a software update can count as a repair attempt when it is meant to fix a defect you reported. Keep screenshots or records showing the date and description of each update.

My Chevrolet dealer says it cannot duplicate the problem. Should I keep going back?

Yes. Keep the repair order anyway, because it documents that you reported the defect, and the mileage offset is measured from that first visit once the defect is later confirmed. Waiting too long is the biggest mistake we see.

How long does a Chevrolet lemon law case take?

In our experience, recall-related cases often resolve in about 1 to 3 months from the first call, while cases that go to litigation take longer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.