Toyota Lemon Law Attorney in California

Toyotas have a reputation for running forever, which can make it more frustrating when yours does not. If your Tundra, RAV4, Highlander or Tacoma keeps returning to the dealer for the same issue, or a recall repair left you with a new problem, this page explains where you stand.

Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Toyota must repurchase or replace a vehicle it cannot fix after a reasonable number of attempts under warranty. Owners and lessees of new Toyotas, and many certified used ones, can qualify. Our California lemon law attorney team reviews Toyota cases for free at 877-536-6620. We handle cases in English and Spanish, and you do not need to have every document ready before you call.

Toyota Warranty Coverage and Lemon Law

Toyota's official US warranty materials list these main terms for new vehicles:

• Basic coverage: 36 months or 36,000 miles, covering all components other than normal wear and maintenance items.
• Powertrain: 60 months or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, covering the engine, transmission and drive systems.
• Rust-through: 60 months with unlimited miles.
• Hybrid battery: for model year 2020 and newer hybrids, 10 years or 150,000 miles. Other hybrid components carry 8 years or 100,000 miles.
• bZ electric SUV: an EV component warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles, including the traction battery.

Terms can change by model year, so your Warranty and Maintenance Guide is the final word. For lemon law, what counts is that the defect showed up and was reported during the warranty. A powertrain problem first written up at 55,000 miles can still be part of a claim after the 60,000-mile mark passes.

Toyota's guides also describe a dispute settlement program for California owners and say skipping it may affect your rights. Under Civil Code 1793.22(c), a qualified program can affect when you may rely on the presumption, so talk to us before you decide.

Used cars are a separate question. After Rodriguez v. FCA US (2024), an ordinary used car without a new-car warranty generally does not qualify. Toyota Certified Used Vehicles in the Gold tier include a 12-month/12,000-mile comprehensive warranty and a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Our firm takes CPO, demo and dealer vehicles.

Toyota Recalls and Complaints by the Numbers

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

• 94 recall campaigns covering Toyota vehicles
• 2 of them told owners not to drive the vehicle until it is repaired
• 1 told owners to park outside because of fire risk
• 11,450 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most common recall areas

Most recalled models

Most common complaint areas

Recent Toyota recalls

• Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid: Steering (26V598000, 2026-09-17)
• 4Runner, 4Runner I-Force Max Hybrid, Rav4 Hybrid, Tacoma Hybrid: Equipment (26V571000, 2026-09-02)
• C-Hr: Electrical System (26V570000, 2026-09-02)
• Camry Hybrid: Seat Belts (26V511000, 2026-08-06)
• Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid: Suspension (26V514000, 2026-08-06)
• Bz Woodland: Electrical System (26V512000, 2026-08-06)
• Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid: Power Train (26V437000, 2026-07-08)
• Tundra: Equipment (26V433000, 2026-07-06)

See every Toyota recall or check your VIN for recalls.

Common Toyota Problems in Recalls and Complaints

According to NHTSA recall and complaint data, Toyota has issued 94 recalls since the 2021 model year, and owners have filed 11,450 complaints. Two of those recalls carried a do-not-drive warning and one told owners to park outside. Only 2 were fixed by over-the-air update, so nearly every Toyota recall means a dealer visit.

What gets recalled

The electrical system led with 14 recalls. On a modern Toyota that ranges from wiring and control modules to the hybrid or EV propulsion system. Owners typically describe warning lights, loss of power, or features that stop working. Equipment came next with 11 recalls, often involving labels, tools or accessories. Back over prevention had 8, which means rearview cameras and their displays. Exterior lighting had 7, and air bags and power train had 6 each.

What owners complain about

Engine complaints led at 1,236, followed closely by power train at 1,148. Drivers in these categories often describe stalling, knocking, rough running, loss of power, or harsh and delayed shifts. Electrical system complaints (1,009) and service brakes (887) were next. Brake reports usually involve a pedal that feels wrong or a car that does not stop as expected. Air bags (680), structure (587) and forward collision avoidance (557) round out the list.

These numbers describe what owners reported, not a finding that any one vehicle is defective. Still, if your symptoms match one of these areas, it helps to describe them in the same plain terms at the dealer. A current example is the Tacoma shock absorber recall.

How a Toyota Lemon Law Claim Works

Toyota warranty and recall repairs are done at franchised Toyota dealers. You can use any Toyota dealer, not just the one that sold you the car. Each visit should end with a repair order, and that document is the backbone of your case. Ask for a printed copy before you drive away and check that it lists your complaint, the date, and your mileage in and out.

Before you go in, write down what you will say. A short, specific description works well: what happens, how often, at what speed, and whether a warning light appears. If the advisor says they could not duplicate it, ask them to note your complaint on the repair order anyway. A phone video of the noise, warning or shudder is often the fastest way to make your point.

What to keep

• Your sales or lease contract and the delivery date.
• Every repair order, including visits where nothing was found.
• Recall letters and the date you first called to schedule the fix.
• Rental or loaner records and a note of days you were without the vehicle.
• Photos and videos of warning lights or symptoms, with date and mileage.

Many Toyota warranty guides point to a separate state rights booklet in the glove box. That step only affects the presumption if it was clearly and conspicuously disclosed in your warranty or owner's manual, so check yours.

When the presumption applies

Under Civil Code 1793.22, your Toyota 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 likely to cause death or serious injury was repaired 2 or more times, or the vehicle was out of service more than 30 days in total. You can still win without meeting it. The presumption is one way to prove a case, not the only way.

In our experience, days your Toyota sits at the dealer waiting for recall parts count toward that 30-day total. This comes up often with Toyota trucks, where parts for large recalls can take time. We also see owners whose dealers had no fix available at all. In our cases, a recall with no available remedy can support a buyback on its own.

A successful claim can mean a refund of what you paid, minus a mileage offset, or a cash settlement if you keep the vehicle. If Toyota willfully failed to meet its duties, the law allows a civil penalty of up to two times your actual damages. The manufacturer pays attorney fees under Civil Code 1794(d). Typical recall-related cases resolve in about 1 to 3 months from the first call, and litigation takes longer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Popular Toyota Models We Handle

Tundra and Tundra Hybrid

The full-size Tundra pickup is Toyota's most recalled model since the 2021 model year, with 25 recalls, plus 15 more for the Tundra Hybrid. It also leads Toyota complaints at 2,198.

RAV4

The RAV4 compact SUV, sold in gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, has 1,440 complaints, the second most of any Toyota.

Highlander and Highlander Hybrid

The three-row Highlander has 12 recalls and 1,350 complaints. The Highlander Hybrid adds 10 recalls of its own.

Tacoma

Toyota's midsize pickup has 11 recalls and 640 complaints.

Corolla and Corolla Cross

The compact Corolla has 704 complaints, and the Corolla Cross small SUV has 580.

Camry Hybrid

The midsize Camry, now sold only as a hybrid, has 9 recalls under the Camry Hybrid name.

Across these models, the pattern we see most is simple: the same complaint written on two, three or four repair orders, often with "could not duplicate" or "operating as designed" in between. Those visits still count as part of your history. Hybrid Toyotas add another layer, since the hybrid system and battery carry longer coverage than the basic warranty.

Driving another Toyota, like a Sienna, 4Runner or Grand Highlander? Check your VIN for open recalls, then call us.

California Lemon Law for Toyota Owners

The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act protects Toyota owners and lessees in California. If Toyota 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.

Toyota Lemon Law FAQ

Can a Toyota Tundra recall lead to a lemon law buyback?

It can. In our experience, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and long waits for recall parts count toward the 30-day out-of-service total.

Do I have to use Toyota's dispute settlement program first?

Not always, but it can affect when you may rely on the lemon law presumption. Talk to us before you file with the program so you understand the tradeoffs.

Is my hybrid battery problem covered under lemon law?

If the defect appears during Toyota's hybrid battery or hybrid component warranty and is not fixed after reasonable attempts, it may qualify.

What does a Toyota lemon law case cost?

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.

Does a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle qualify?

It may. Certified Toyotas carry manufacturer warranty coverage, and our firm reviews CPO, demo and dealer vehicles. Ordinary used cars without a new-car warranty generally do not qualify.

Can I take my Toyota to a different dealer for repairs?

Yes. Any authorized Toyota dealer can perform warranty work, and every visit with a repair order counts toward your history.