DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 134 – September 2023 | Accused
Dear Suzanne,
Keeping an engine cool when it’s enduring several explosions a second seems like a big job. Coolant, also known as antifreeze, is a very important aspect of this. Unfortunately it seems like my car dealership does not understand how important it is. Maybe this is why they are handling my case with such nonchalance.
I own a 2020 Jeep Wrangler which I purchased brand new. It now has 36,000 miles on it, but that doesn’t explain the issues I’ve had to battle throughout the years of owning it. To emphasize what I mean, the car is at the dealership as I write this.
COOLANT LEAK? NOT COOL…
I have had to take it at least twice to the Jeep dealership for this coolant leakage issue. The first time I noticed this leak was a few months after getting the car. I woke up one morning to see fluid on the ground where my car was parked.
I notified the dealership but there was no response from them for days. They finally asked me to bring my car in so they could inspect it. I did and then they told me they couldn’t locate the issue. So I went to pick up the car only to discover that all the dashboard lights were on. I told the dealer about this and left the car with them yet again.
Now that I have my car back, the fluid issue is worse than before. The dealership couldn’t care less because they say they can’t replicate the issue. I’m skeptical considering the leak is fairly obvious and consistent.
THE ENGINE IS HOT, HOT HOT!
It eventually got so bad that one day while driving my engine began to overheat. I had to park by the roadside, wait for the engine to cool down and call a tow truck company to come to tow my car. This happened while I was on my way to the airport and I missed my flight as a result.
When I took it back to the dealership, they told me that they were waiting on a part they ordered. For some reason they never told me about this. Since they were still waiting for it to arrive they said they had to improvise, but this did not fix anything. Even worse was the fact that I had to pay $100 for this part that wasn’t even here yet!
They also told me that the car had some aftermarket parts on it. I was shocked because I hadn’t installed anything since I purchased it new. The only conclusion I could reach was the dealership had installed it since they were the only ones who have looked at the car. They are now accusing me of adding the parts myself, which is absurd.
They said they would still try to find out what the issue is, but they haven’t been able to fix in in three tries already. I’m stuck with this lemon as a result. I need a resolution to this as fast as possible because I do not feel comfortable and I did not sign up for all this.
Accused
Cool Off That 2020 Jeep Wrangler With Some Lemon Law Lemonade
Dear Accused,
There’s no way to justify the dealer accusing you of installing aftermarket parts. It’s even worse that you had to pay for a part that they didn’t deliver as promised. All of this makes owning your vehicle stressful. The good thing now is that you can get a way out of being stuck with your lemon vehicle under the lemon law.
LEMON QUALIFICATIONS
For you to qualify for lemon law you need at least two repair invoices for the same problem or three repair invoices for different issues. Also, if your car has spent more than a month at the dealership or repair shop, you are also eligible no matter how many visits. All of this needs to happen while still under the manufacturer’s warranty for them to count.
Meeting this criteria means your vehicle is likely a lemon. From what you have described, it sounds like your vehicle qualifies. Your lawyer should get your case started immediately because the longer you wait the harder it is to prove your case.
With Jeep vehicles like yours it’s well known that this particular model is defective. Evidence of this can be found in the class-action lawsuits that the manufacturers have been battling. This would further help your case and make it easier to fight for a settlement option that is convenient for you.
SETTLEMENT OPTIONS
As the owner of a defective vehicle, there are a couple options to choose from. The first is the buyback which involves the manufacturers buying back the vehicle from you. In other words, you will get reimbursed for your down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and interest. If you took out a loan the manufacturer will also pay that off.
The only thing that can be deducted from this settlement is called the mileage offset. This represents the period during which you drove the car without any issues. It is usually based on the mileage at which you took the vehicle in for its first repairs. However, your attorney can get this waived either in half or in full.
The second option is known as cash and keep. This means that you will keep the car and get some cash as compensation for all you went through while using your car. It’s the manufacturers saying “We’re sorry for the issues the car had, here’s some money as compensation for the inconvenience”.
With this option, you keep the car and continue making the monthly payments to the dealership. The benefit of the cash-and-keep offer is that if you later decide to sell your vehicle, you do not have to deem it a lemon to the next owner. With this offer, the more visits you have the more proof of its defectiveness, and the higher your compensation offer.
You have the final say over what offer you wish to pick. Your attorney is only there to advise you whether it’s possible to get a more profitable offer or not. There is no specific amount that your attorney can promise you, but you can rest assured that they will get the offer that best benefits you.
LEMON LAW TIPS
Since you mentioned that you do not feel comfortable driving your car, I would find alternative transportation. You can simply leave it parked at home, but a lemon law case can take months to get to a settlement. I know it’s not fun making payments on a car you can’t drive, but safety comes first and you will hopefully be reimbursed for all your troubles.
You want to keep making payments to avoid any form of pushback or deductions from the manufacturers. You don’t want to give them any legitimate grounds to discard the case. If you decide to keep driving it and you encounter problems, make sure you take it back to the dealership for repairs. Every visit strengthens your case, just make sure you’re getting accurate repair orders.
Since you leased your car in California which is very consumer friendly, you won’t have to pay any attorney fees. This is because in the state of California, lemon law cases are taken on contingency. All attorney fees are settled by the manufacturing company in question regardless of if it’s a win or a lose situation. This also means that the entire original settlement won will be going over to you the owner.
After filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers, it usually takes between 30 to 55 days for them to return with an offer. Oftentimes it can take months for the whole lawsuit to be settled. If you are in need of further clarification, contact your lemon law attorney. Best of luck and I hope you’re able to get into a more dependable vehicle.
Suzanne
PS. If you think your vehicle sucks and want to actually do something about it, you definitely can! Find out quickly if you have a case by visiting www.yourvehiclesucks.com right now. This website is owned by our partner law firm Quill & Arrow LLP, California’s #1 “settled” Lemon Law attorneys.
Free Legal Advice About Your 2020 Jeep Wrangler 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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Featured Image:
- 2020 Jeep Wrangler ©KarleHorn (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)
