DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 176 – From Gaslighted
Dear Suzanne,
If I were to write a book about my car, it would start off like a fairy tale, but unfortunately it would end as a tragedy. I wish I could say I’m exaggerating, but sadly that’s just how it’s been going the past couple years. Here goes my story.
I’m a senior citizen who decided sometime in 2022 to lease a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer. I leased it because I knew I wanted a newer car without the stress of owning and being responsible for every future repair, considering my age. I leased it brand new with only six miles on it and no registered owners prior to me. Since then I’ve driven it up to about 17,000 miles which may seem a little low for a vehicle that I’ve owned for that long. If you’re wondering why, your answer will become apparent as you read on.
Driving this car has become more of a task than an enjoyable experience. In fact, it has become so stressful to drive it that I only do so when I absolutely need to. Because of how defective it is, it feels like each time I drive it, I discover a new issue. This is why I have low mileage on the car – it is a testament of the issues I’ve had.
Dead Battery Issues Right After Leasing The Car
Only twenty minutes after I picked up this vehicle from the Chevrolet dealership, the battery died! I called them and they towed the car back to the dealership. The dashboard lights began flickering indicating there was an underlying issue. I asked them what it was, but they did not give me a satisfactory response.
I then requested to see the manager because I was pissed that they gave me a defective car. When I saw the manager, he was behaving like he did me a favor, as if what I paid was less than this defective car was worth. In the end, they were able to fix it, but this was the beginning of my chronicles.
First Official Visit For Multiple Issues
Only about 300 miles after this first incident, the dashboard lights came on again. I did not know what sensor lights in particular were flashing so I took it in for inspection. There, they told me it had to do with cruise control, the collision sensor, and the brake sensor. How is that even possible, that’s three issues all at once!
When the service guy put the car through inspection, he said nothing showed up. Because they couldn’t duplicate the issue, I had to leave with my malfunctioning car. The lights seemed to stop flickering and everything seemed normal for a while.
Second Visit – Same Complaints
Three months later the same issues started up again. Once again I took it in, and once again, they couldn’t duplicate the issues. While all this was going on, I had multiple communications with the service guy in charge of my car. He said he found it funny that the problem only came up when I was driving and not when at the dealership. In other words, he’s saying I may be doing something to cause it.
Third Visit – Same Complaints Once Again
Not long after I experienced the same issues and reported it to them. They took it for a test drive and once again, nothing. In short, they’ve never done anything to fix any of the issues I’ve complained about because according to them, nothing is wrong.
Even now, the vehicle has been having little electrical glitches, but I don’t think I want to take my car back to the dealership. In fact, I haven’t returned to the dealership in a long time because I’m tired of dealing with people who gaslight me into thinking nothing is wrong with my car.
They’ve been all too excited to let me know that the warranty on the car has expired. I don’t know how that’s possible. I mean, I may be older and not know too much about cars, but I don’t believe warranties expire that fast. To me, it feels like they are saying this so any repairs they do now will be charged to my account.
The sad thing is that I still have another few thousand miles to go before my lease elapses. For now, I’m stuck with this car.
What made me reach out to you was discussing this with my son who then pushed me to approach you. Prior to now, I’ve never heard of the lemon law so I don’t know what it entails. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.
Gaslighted
Your Dealership Needs to Give Your 2021 Chevy Blazer Issues Some Attention
Dear Gaslighted,
The first thing I want you to know is that you still have the original warranty active on your vehicle. Your dealership is being very shady in saying your warranty has expired on your car. The only reason why they may tell you the warranty has elapsed is so they get you to pay them directly for repairs.
The thing about vehicles, in general, is that they usually come with something called the manufacturer’s warranty. On this Chevy, you have 3 years or 36,000 miles to treat anything basic before the warranty expires. This basic warranty covers anything bumper-to-bumper including brakes, electrical system, and power steering.
The second warranty, called the powertrain warranty, lasts for 5 years or 60,000 miles before it elapses. With this, you are covered for all engine and transmission repairs.
To qualify for the lemon law you need two visits to the dealership for the same issues. If you have multiple issues, three visits to the dealer for different problems while under the warranty period can qualify. It doesn’t matter if they could replicate the issue or not so long as you did your own part in taking it for repairs.
Benefits of The Lemon Law
You can keep taking your car for repairs and it doesn’t have to be at this same dealership that was giving you problems. You can take it to any certified dealer for repairs. Getting these additional visits helps strengthen your case considering the more visits you have, the better your case, and the more money in your pocket.
Considering you leased your vehicle in California, your attorney can take your case based on contingency. This means that you don’t have to worry about any legal costs that you have to pay. This is because in the state of California, the automakers are legally responsible to pay for any lemon lawyer’s fees. This means the total original settlement goes directly to you.
Compensation Plans Available To You
There are two different forms of compensation available if you win. In certain circumstances, it could be a repurchase/buyback offer or a cash and keep offer.
- The Buyback Offer
This involves the manufacturer offering to buy your car back from you. They give you back every penny you have spent during the time you owned your vehicle. Usually, this would include your down payments, monthly payments, taxes, and interest. In addition, if you owe money on your vehicle, they pay back the finance company in full. This way, your credit isn’t affected negatively.
However, with this option, the manufacturers are able to deduct an amount from the settlement in something known as the mileage offset. This mileage offset allows the automakers to charge you for the period you drove the car without any issues. They usually charge you based on the mileage you were at when you took the car for its first repair. Fortunately your attorney can have this waived in half or in full.
- The Cash and Keep Offer
The cash and keep offer involves the manufacturers giving you some money while letting you keep the car. This money serves as compensation for the issues you’ve been experiencing with the car. In essence, the automakers are asking you to withdraw your lawsuit against them and they give you what is known as “sorry money”.
With this option, you get to keep the vehicle and your warranty remains valid. If later on you decide to sell the car, you can do so without tagging it as a lemon to the next owner. In other words, you can sell it with a clean title.
While your case is ongoing, if your car develops any new issues, feel free to take it in for repairs. Make sure you get the accompanying repair order from the dealer, as every trip to the dealership service center strengthens your case. If you have any questions, your attorney is the best resource you can find. I hope your lemon situation turns from sour to sweet very soon. Best of luck!
Suzanne
Featured Image: 2021 Chevrolet Blazer ©RL GNZLZ (CC BY-SA 2.0 license)
Free Legal Advice About Your 2021 Chevrolet Blazer Lemon Law Claim
Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.
DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about California Lemon Lawyer or how to file a claim in California, please write to help@lemonlawyers.org. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.
Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a CA Lemon Law Attorney to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
Related Articles: