My Love For Chevy Cars Went Out the Window After Getting My 2021 Cruze

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 164 – From Runaway Chevy Lover

Dear Suzanne, 

My love for Chevrolet vehicles began when I was a kid and has grown over the years. I was a diehard fan of anything Chevrolet. To me, anything produced by this manufacturer was gospel and thus very efficient and fun. Unfortunately this ideology of mine soon changed after getting my brand new 2021 Chevrolet Cruze. 

When I bought the car, I soon realized there was more to Chevy cars than meets the eye. I guess my attachment to Chevy cars made the disappointment hit home much harder. I have owned my car for only 2 years and I’ve experienced certain problems multiple times. The main issue is that these problems have resulted in particular complications which affect the fuel economy of the vehicle. 

Let me begin with the first visit at around 32,000 miles. The issue began with the engine light coming on and a dashboard message saying “Power reduced”. The day this happened I was on my way to a directors’ meeting at work, so I didn’t really have a chance to pay much attention to the dashboard. I figured I’d take it to the dealership later so they could inspect it. My Cruze had other plans. 

My Engine Is Playing Green Light Red Light

Soon after the message was displayed, the Engine Control Module reprogramming sensor came on. And knowing what the ECM is from growing up around cars, I knew that if the vehicle came to a stop, there was no way that the engine would restart. As a result, I tried my best to avoid bringing it to a total standstill. Things were going smoothly until I reached a red light and had to stop. At this point, I knew there was no avoiding it unless I wanted to drive through the light, which I was not about to do. 

The car came to a stop and I had no choice but to call the tow company to take my car to the dealership. I then called ahead to my workplace to let them know I would not make it in time, or even at all. As luck would have it, I didn’t have to explain much as they said a few others didn’t show as well so we would reschedule. This made me happy because at least I didn’t have to worry about anyone thinking I wasn’t taking my work seriously. 

Back at the dealership, they checked through the car and found the fault was with the turbocharger. They said they would have to replace the turbocharger, which took them a couple of days. When they were done, I took my car back and everything was calm for a while. 

Things were going good, but once I hit the 47,000-mile mark, I began having issues again. It started with the engine light coming on at intervals and by the time I would take it to the dealership, it would turn off. Eventually, they inspected the car and discovered a leak which caused them to replace the evap purge pump. 

Turbo Charger Has My Gas Tank Running Low

The most recent visit to the dealer was for the turbo engine again. The first thing I noticed this time was that I was spending more on fuel than I normally would. I looked into why this could be and traced it to the turbocharger. The thing is on a normal day, having a turbo engine puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to fuel economy, but when you add a faulty turbo, the disadvantage multiplies. This is where I’m now at with my car. 

Besides the fuel economy issue, the engine light came on again, so I took it to the dealership. They said it would only be at the dealership for a day or two, but this coming Tuesday my car will have spent two weeks in the shop. 

For this visit the dealership said I’ll have to pay since I’m no longer within the warranty. That’s not really the problem, to be honest. My issue is that I want to understand what’s making the turbo engine have these many issues in as many days considering it’s a 2021 vehicle. 

If they can’t give me a permanent fix, I wouldn’t mind having a way out through the lemon law. To do that though, I’m gonna need a few pointers regarding this law. 

Runaway Chevy Lover. 

Your 2021 Chevy Cruze Need to Turn Down the Turbo

Dear Runaway Chevy Lover, 

The way the lemon law works in California is that if your vehicle has been to the Chevrolet dealership at least twice for the same issues or three times for different issues, then your car gets tagged as a lemon. While this may sound unappealing, that’s not the end of it. Having a lemon means you can proceed with filing a claim under the lemon law. 

The thing with your case is that you are no longer under the manufacturer’s warranty period. This is not to say that you do not have a strong case. We say this only because the lemon law only covers issues discovered while under the manufacturer’s warranty. 

Lemon Qualifications

For your vehicle, the warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles for anything basic including power steering, brakes, and electrical system. For anything engine and transmission, the warranty is 5 years or 60,000 miles. 

In reality, your vehicle is only about 2000 miles past the warranty limit so it’s best to get your case started as soon as possible. This is to avoid certain deductions and pushback from the manufacturers. It is also to ensure you have every option for compensation available, because sometimes those options become limited when the vehicle is past the warranty. Let’s discuss the potential forms of compensation below: 

The Buyback

The first option is called the buyback or repurchase offer. This is where the automakers would buy back the vehicle from you and pay back everything you have paid for this car. This usually includes the down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and interest. Also, if you took out a loan on the car, the manufacturers have to pay that off for you as well. 

The only deduction that the automakers can take from the buyback is the mileage offset. This is just the manufacturer’s right to charge you for the period you drove the car without any issues. They usually charge this based on the mileage you were at on your very first visit to the dealer. The good thing is your attorney can get this waived either in half or in full. 

Cash and Keep

The second option is called the cash and keep, where the automakers give you cash compensation for the issues you’ve experienced with the car while allowing you to keep the vehicle. With this option your warranty will not be voided or canceled. If you later wish to sell the car, you can do so without labeling it a lemon to the next owner. 

Replacement Vehicle

The third option is called the replacement offer. This is where the manufacturer swaps your vehicle with another from their inventory. This replacement vehicle would be one of similar mileage, value, and model as yours. The main problem with this is that you are at risk of getting another defective vehicle as a replacement. 

Now, with you purchasing your vehicle in California, submitting a lemon law case comes at no cost to you. This is because California is very friendly to consumers and all such cases in this state get taken on full contingency. As a result, you are not required to pay any legal fees. Instead, the automakers have to pay off your attorney so you get 100% of the money won as a settlement. 

I hope you’re able to get rid of that lemon and into a reliable ride soon. If you have any questions, reach out to your attorney and they will be able to guide you. Best of luck!

Suzanne

Featured Image: 2021 Chevrolet Cruze ©Benespit (CC Attribution Share-Alike 4.0 license)

Free Legal Advice About Your 2021 Chevrolet Cruze 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.

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