Need This Defective 2022 Chevrolet Malibu Off My Hands ASAP

DEAR SUZANNE

By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 177 – From Jet-lagged

Dear Suzanne, 

One thing I’ve recently learned is that having a defective vehicle while jet lagged is not a great experience. In fact, to everyone reading this, if you have a defective vehicle and plan to travel, get your issues fixed as soon as possible. If it can’t be fixed, discard it, or at least just order a ride to the airport instead of relying on your own vehicle. The stress is not worth it. 

If this sounds a bit extreme, it’s all from a couple of experiences I’ve recently gone through. Take it from me and get your lemon figured out asap!

I own a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu, a car that promises superior ride quality, storage space, reliable construction, and many other things. But oh boy did mine fail to deliver. It even boasts a turbocharged engine as well as a 6-speed transmission, but it seems all of these features are merely for show and nothing else. The vehicle is hardly functional and fails to live up to the hype. 

Let me share my experience, and I’ll start from the beginning. I purchased my malibu brand new. I got the sedan version with zero miles on it at the time, and as of now I just hit the 13,000-mile mark. No accidents, no aftermarket installations, no side brushes, or anything that could warrant any of the issues I’m about to list. 

Defective Turbocharged Engine 

The first issue that gave me problems was the engine. A turbocharged engine at that, yet it breaks down every couple hundred miles. Is that how their engines are built? 

Even after complaining to the Chevrolet dealership multiple times, there’s still no resolution to this issue. All I got was excuses upon excuses of how they couldn’t find the problem even after inspection. As a result, I was in and out of the dealership for frequent repairs. 

Faulty Engine 

As if trying to shift my focus from the engine issue, the car developed another problem. This time, it had to do with the transmission. The issue was the car wasn’t switching gears like it normally would, and when it did, it would jerk and make a clunking sound. Whenever this happened, it felt like the sedan was having a seizure. 

Once again I returned to the dealer hoping that I would have better luck than with the engine issue. Oh well, a man is allowed to dream, right? It turned out the dealership was just as successful with this new problem as with the previous one, meaning not at all. Eventually it became an on/off issue where sometimes the transmission would malfunction, and other times it would be fine. 

Jet Lag Vs Car Problems Experience 

While I’m in the middle of dealing with my defective Malibu, a contract came up that required me to travel. My plan was to book a flight, drive to the airport, and leave it in the overnight lot till I got back. Once I was back, I would simply pick up my car and be on my way back home. I would be away for about four days. 

Made it to the airport fine and celebrated that my plan worked out, or so I thought. It wasn’t until I got back from the trip that I realized I might have given my car too much credit. When I finished checking out at the airport, I found my car, got in, started the engine, and drove off not knowing what was to come. 

A couple of miles after I left the airport, the transmission issue started up again. Any little gear switch and the transmission would jerk as if I got hit by another vehicle. It kept on doing this for a while but when it seemed like things were beginning to calm down, the engine took it up from there. 

The engine began sputtering and stuttering and finally just shut off and refused to come on again. I had to call for a tow truck to get my car off the road and to the repair shop. 

In all of this, I was still very jet lagged considering the time difference between both cities. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with all of these issues, so as soon as I saw that the car had gotten to the dealership, I took off, went home, and jumped straight in bed. 

It was later, after I woke up, when I checked back with the dealership. Once again, they didn’t do any major repairs, only a couple of tweaks to get the engine started so I could come pick it up. 

Even now, these two issues are very much present. Considering the mileage of my car, I didn’t expect any of these issues, but it is what it is. What I want now is to get rid of it as soon as possible. How can I do this under the lemon law? 

Jet-lagged

Get Your Lemon 2022 Chevrolet Malibu Off Your Hands 

Dear Jet-lagged, 

I totally understand how frustrating it must be to have jet lag while dealing with these unnecessary issues. What you did is exactly what I’d do if I was in your shoes – leave the problem until I’m well-rested. 

Now, looking at your car issues, especially the transmission jerk, it sounds like you have a lemon on your hands. If we consider how little mileage you have accumulated on the car, it really puts into question your vehicle’s reliability. What you need to do now is jump on the lemon law bandwagon and take advantage of what it offers you. 

The Lemon Law And The Buyback Program 

To qualify for lemon law, you must have a minimum of two repairs for the same issues or three repairs for different problems. These visits to the dealership must have occurred while under the manufacturer warranty period. If you have had your car at the dealership for over a month, you also qualify. 

With that said, lemon law attorneys will push for compensation which usually comes in one of three options. These options are as follows:

1. Buyback 
2. Cash And Keep 
3. Replacement 

The first option, called the buyback, involves the manufacturers offering to buy the vehicle back from you. They pay you back for everything you’ve paid towards the vehicle. This includes your down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and interest. Also, if you took out a loan, they will pay that off so your credit won’t be affected. 

With this option, there is something called the mileage offset which allows the manufacturer to deduct from your settlement amount. This is because automakers have the right to charge you for the period you drove the car before you experienced any issues. It is usually based on the mileage you were at during your first visit to the dealer. Since you are still at such a low mileage, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Cash and Keep 

As mentioned earlier, besides the buyback offer, there are other options. 

The second option is the cash and keep. Here, you are able to keep the car and receive some money as compensation for the issues you experienced. With this option your warranty will not be voided or canceled. If you wish to sell the vehicle, you can do so without labeling it a lemon to the next owner. 

Replacement

The third option is the replacement option where they give you another vehicle of the same mileage, same value, same color, and same model as yours. This is not usually the recommended path seeing as you could get stuck with another defective vehicle as replacement. 

One good thing about purchasing your vehicle in California is that you are not charged any attorney fees. This is because all lemon law cases are taken on contingency. As a result, you are not required to pay any legal fees no matter if it’s a win or a loss. All legal bills get sorted by the automakers in question. Due to this, the total settlement received goes over to you. 

What Your Lawyer Needs From You

All that is required of you is to provide the necessary paperwork given to you during the times that you took the car in for repairs. This is regardless of if they could duplicate the issue or not. In your case, these documents serve as proof of the issues you’ve experienced with your car. 

If you have issues even after your attorney gets started with your case, you can still take your car in for repairs. Just make sure you always collect the repair order for each visit. This will actually strengthen your case and prove it’s still defective. I hope you’re able to get into a reliable ride soon! Best of luck!

Suzanne

Featured Image: 2022 Chevrolet Malibu ©Benespit (CC Attribution Share-Alike 4.0 license)

Free Legal Advice About Your 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 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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