DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 6 – May 2022 | Shaky in San Diego
2017 Nissan Murano Transmission Issues
Dear Suzanne,
Recently, I got a notice that my car could possibly be a lemon. I don’t remember exactly, but the letter said something about brake and transmission issues. I’ve had lots of problems with my 2017 Nissan Murano, especially with the transmission. Every time I drive it, the car shakes and stutters, hesitating when I try to accelerate. It’s scary not knowing just what it might do in traffic someday.
I bought the car new and have had to take it into the Nissan dealership several times since I purchased it. After driving it for a few years, it has around 81,000 miles on it and still shakes. I know my warranty is expired, but does that mean I’m stuck with my shaky Murano when they’re the ones who couldn’t fix it?
Shaky in San Diego
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Document All Repairs
Dear Shaky,
That letter could have been any number of things; Nissans are so known for their defective transmissions that there have been numerous class action lawsuits over the years. One of the first things you’ll want to do is check if there are any active recalls for your vehicle. Unlike lemon law cases, which are based on the manufacturer’s warranty guarantee, recalls happen when the manufacturer readily admits their responsibility for a defect. Because they are taking responsibility, whatever repairs or replacements necessitated by that recall will be covered by the manufacturer, no matter your warranty status.
In addition to this though, it is quite possible you have a valid lemon law claim, even though your manufacturer’s warranty is now expired. To proceed with a lemon law claim, it’s important to demonstrate that you gave the manufacturer the opportunity to fix your Nissan Murano’s transmission problems and they failed to do so. Depending on the type and number of issues, lemon law requires at least two to three repair visits during the manufacturer’s warranty period – this does not include regular maintenance or oil changes.
Where you mentioned you had taken the car into the dealership several times already, it’s quite possible you already have those required repair visits. To determine if you had enough repairs conducted during your warranty period, you will need to gather up all your repair orders. Every time you take your vehicle to the dealership, they are required to give you a written repair order that states the vehicle’s mileage, your concerns, what steps they took, and whether the visit was within warranty or out of pocket.
Find out more about the Nissan Buyback settlement option here.
These documents are what will prove your case, so make sure you have a copy from every visit. If you are missing any, you can contact the dealer and they must provide a copy to you. Once you have all your repair orders, look them over in order. Which ones were covered under the warranty? Put those in one pile. Multiple visits here will determine if you meet the requisite number of repairs. For any repairs conducted outside the warranty that you paid out of pocket for, hold onto those. These can be used to build onto the foundation of your case and make it even stronger.
Once you have all your documents in front of you, you need to call an experienced lemon law attorney. They understand the ins and outs of California’s lemon law and are able to go toe to toe with the manufacturer’s legal team. And the best thing about a lemon law attorney? Their services are free for you! The manufacturer is responsible for paying any resulting fees when you win your case. So no, once you get the process started, you won’t be stuck with a shaky car for very long.
Suzanne
PS. Don’t be stuck with a lemon! Quill & Arrow LLP will get you the wheels of justice rolling and make sure your vehicle nightmare is over. They are California’s #1 “lemon law” attorneys, so don’t let inaction stand in the way – visit their website at www.yourvehiclesucks.com today to learn how they can help settle your case for free.
Free Legal Advice About Your 2017 Nissan Murano 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 CA Lemon Law or how to file a claim in California, please write to dearsuzanne@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 California lemon law lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
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