Recreational vehicles (RVs) are a life-changing investment. Families who purchase one are looking forward to comfortable road trips and seeing the countryside. There’s nothing more disappointing than finding out the RV has a manufacturer defect(s) – especially if you are in the middle of a cross-country journey.
Fortunately for California residents, RV lemon law is on your side.
Camper lemon law exists across the United States, but each state has a distinct set of rules around what qualifies as a lemon and what consumers are entitled to. California lemon law – or the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act – is arguably the most consumer-friendly law in the country.
Most people don’t hear much about RV lemon law California. As a lemon law lawyer in California, we can tell you that most consumers do not even know what lemon law is until they are faced with a defective vehicle.
In this post, we want to explain RV lemon law California in detail – and discuss your options if you purchased or leased a defective one. Let’s get going.
Understanding California Lemon Law
What is a “Lemon” Under California Lemon Law?
A “lemon” in California is a vehicle that was purchased or leased in the state of CA and is exhibiting recurring defect(s) that were caused due to mistakes in the factory. Now, a defect does not automatically qualify a vehicle as a lemon – it must meet the state’s qualifications.
Under California lemon law, a vehicle must meet these requirements to be eligible for legal recourse:
- The vehicle has one or more substantial defects/nonconformities that impair the vehicle’s safety, functionality, or value; and
- The defect or nonconformity was not a result of driver abuse or neglect; and
- The vehicle was covered under the original or dealership warranty when the defect was officially reported to the manufacturer; and
- The manufacturer’s certified technicians have been given a “reasonable” number of attempts to repair the defect(s) – usually at least two; or
- The vehicle has been out of service for repairs for more than 30 cumulative days.
If a vehicle meets these qualifications, the next step is to get in touch with a lemon law lawyer in California to begin the claims process – and seek compensation from the manufacturer.
Are RVs Covered Under the Lemon Law in California?
Yes. RVs are covered under California lemon law if they meet the qualifications listed specified in the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. However, camper lemon law in CA only applies if the vehicle is primarily used for family, personal, or household purposes.
RV lemon law California offers protection to consumers who purchase or lease RVs with persistent defects that cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts.
It covers both the chassis and the living quarters of the RV. Like a normal passenger vehicle, if the RV is deemed a “lemon,” the manufacturer may be required to either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price to the consumer.
California Lemon Law and RV Types
Under RV lemon law California, the following types of recreational vehicles may be eligible for benefits in the State of California:
- Class A Motorhomes
- Class B Motorhome
- Class C Motorhome
- Fifth Wheel Trailer
- Travel Trailer
If you’re not sure if your RV applies to camper lemon law, get in touch with a lemon law lawyer in California to learn more.
Warranty Requirements and Coverage
All manufacturers have their own warranty terms – and you’ll need to understand what yours looks like if you end up filing a claim under RV lemon law California. Here is what the major RV manufacturer’s warranties look like (as of this writing):
- Airstream: 3-year limited warranty and 3 years of 24/7 roadside assistance
- Bigfoot RV: 3-year structural warranty with a 1-year warranty on standard items
- Casita: 1-year warranty
- Crossroads RV: 3-year limited structural warranty
- DRV Luxury Suites: 3-year limited warranty
- Dutchman: 3-year structural warranty and 1-year warranty on standard items
- Entegra: 5-year structural limited warranty with a 2-year limited warranty
- Escape Trailers: 2-year warranty
- Fleetwood RV: 3-year/45,000-mile structural warranty and 1-year/15,000-mile limited warranty
- Forest River: 1-year structural warranty
- Gulfstream: 3-year limited warranty on Ultra-Lite components and 1-year warranty on Super-Lite components
- Heartland: 3-year limited structural warranty with a 1-year limited warranty
- Holiday Rambler: 3-year/45,000-mile limited structural warranty and 1-year/15,000-mile basic limited warranty
- Jayco: 2-year limited warranty
- Keystone: 3-year limited structural warranty with a 1-year limited base warranty
- Lance: 2-year limited structural warranty and 1-year limited warranty
- Leisure Travel: 3-year/36,000-mile limited structural warranty and 2-year/24,000-mile limited warranty
- Monaco: 3-year/45,000-mile limited structural warranty and 1-year/15,000-mile basic limited warranty
- Newmar: 5-year limited structural warranty with a 1-year limited warranty
- Roadtrek: 6-year unlimited-mile limited warranty
- Thor: 1-year limited warranty
- Tiffin: 10-year construction limited warranty, 5-year delamination limited warranty, 1-year limited warranty, and 1-year coach roadside service
- Winnebago: 10-year limited parts-and-labor fiberglass roof warranty, 3-year/36,000-mile limited structural warranty, and 1-year/15,000-mile basic limited warranty
As long as the warranty is in effect when you first report the defect to the manufacturer, it may qualify as a lemon – even if the warranty expires during the repair process.
This is why we always recommend getting defects inspected by a manufacturer-certified repair facility as soon as you notice something is off. Waiting to report the issue can potentially ruin your RV lemon law California claim.
What Are the Next Steps Under RV Lemon Law California?
If you believe your RV qualifies for camper lemon law, the first step is reaching out to an experienced lemon law lawyer in California.
Now, many people are cautious about contacting attorneys due to fear of high costs. This is not the case with lemon law attorneys – as they work on a contingency fee agreement. Most understand that lemon cases are rare – and you’re likely in this situation for the first time. With this in mind, most offer free consultations to understand whether or not you have a valid claim.
When you reach out to an attorney, they will instruct you to gather all the necessary paperwork to prove you have a lemon RV. This includes (but is not limited to):
- The original sale/leasing terms of the RV;
- Warranty information;
- Repair orders/invoices from the manufacturer-certified facility;
- Any communication with the manufacturer.
The attorney will assess this information and decide if the claim is worth pursuing.
From here, they will tell you to gather all receipts for incidental costs related to the lemon. This will form the RV lemon law California claim and your request for compensation.
Your lemon law lawyer in California will manage all the negotiations with the manufacturer and will fight for fair compensation. Your role is to provide as much paperwork as you can and to be responsive.
Get in Touch with an RV Lemon Law California Expert
The ins and outs of RV lemon law are not always clear – especially if you’ve never dealt with the lemon law process before.
Auto manufacturers prey on this. They may advise you to take a number of options to avoid filing a lemon law claim. Don’t take the bait. The manufacturer’s representative’s goal is to avoid compensating you for the defective RV – that’s about it.
If your vehicle meets the qualifications of RV lemon law in California, get in touch with an attorney immediately. Don’t entertain any advice from the manufacturer.
At Cline APC, we have a lot of experience in RV lemon law in California. We’re here to help consumers who purchased/leased defective vehicles earn the compensation they deserve – and nothing less.
Call our office at 888-982-6915, send an email to info@clineapc.com, or fill out a case evaluation to get started!
