Lemon Law Blog

Hyundai is a company known for quality and solid customer service,  which it is why it so surprising that we are continuing to get calls on the 1 800 LEMON LAW hotline from so many distressed 2011 Hyundai Sonata drivers.

We recently wrote about the tire and alignment troubles and transmission problems, and now we are bringing your attention to the issues with Hyundai’s new hybrid model, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. There is a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid check engine light problem.  This is a beautiful car that just hit the production line this year, and unfortunately it appears there are few flaws causing the check engine light to come on, loss of power, and the car stumbling in traffic.  Sadly, being that the car is so new and the problems are intermittent, there are some Hyundai service advisors who are having difficulty verifying and fixing the issue.  But as we have discussed before, this is not your fault and it should not prevent you from fighting for your rights.  Even if the problem cannot be duplicated while at the dealer, make sure you receive a repair invoice with the date, mileage and the complaint. And if you feel that you are getting no satisfaction from your Hyundai dealer, take your car to another authorized Hyundai dealer.  You are permitted to do this under Hyundai warranty.

Lastly, there is an engine-associated recall that all Hyundai Sonata Hybrid drivers need to be aware of.  Please make sure you contact your Hyundai dealer to arrange for the recall as soon as possible.

If your Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is in the shop three or more times (with or without the engine recall), or an extended period of time for the check engine light, loss of power, stumbling, jerking, or any issue, we can help you seek remedy under State Lemon Laws and Federal Warranty Law. As you know, the help under these Laws is completely free to you.  Call 1-800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652) or send us an e-mail and we will contact you to discuss your situation and how we can help.

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The 1 800 LEMON LAW hotline has been abuzz with Subaru WRX drivers calling in complaining about issues with their transmission and/or turbo engine.  Problems include loss of power, check engine light, clutch noise,  fluid leaks, and assorted transmission issues.

If your Subaru Impreza WRX is heading back to the repair shop repeatedly, or if the car has been in the shop for an extended period of time, please e-mail us and share your problems.  We will be glad to discuss your situation with you and see if you qualify for recourse under the Lemon Law or Federal Warranty Statutes.

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Today’s post deals with a huge pet peeve of ours, an issue which affects many drivers.

Every week, we receive calls on the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline from distressed drivers who are already represented by other lemon law firms throughout the Country. Sometimes, they are calling with a simple question and we refer them back to their lawyer.  But, then there are those times where they are being presented with a settlement offer and they aren’t happy about it.  It is unethical to provide any advice to a consumer who is already represented, so we advise them to ask their lawyer about litigation options. The client then says they want to litigate but they are getting a lot of push back.  The reason?  It’s because the Lemon Law Lawyer they are working with is not licensed in their state.

Now, don’t get us wrong.  A lawyer is within their right to tell a consumer that they feel the settlement offer is fair, and they may not be able to do any better when litigating. In the case of Kimmel and Silverman, we have three certified ASE-certified experts on staff and one of the experts puts together a  report on the value of every claim.  We will share this data with our client.  If we feel that it’s not in the best interest to litigate, we will state that.  BUT, WE CANNOT MAKE THE DECISION FOR THE CLIENT.  In addition, Kimmel and Silverman staff includes at least one full-time licensed attorney in every state we practice….sometimes as many as five lawyers–all with solid litigation experience. If necessary, we litigate and knowing that we are prepared to fight, we have strong leverage against manufacturers.  Our presence in the court system is known and thankfully respected.

Unfortunately with internet advertising, lemon law firms can put a stake up in every state and then have a licensed lawyer serve “of counsel” in case they have a claim there.  What does “of counsel” mean?  It means that the lawyer will NOT be used unless absolutely necessary and they use the name and license of the lawyer so they can advertise there and take cases.   Unfortunately, by doing so, they are putting consumers’ rights at risk.   Just today, we received a call from a woman whose new car overheated eight times.  The manufacturer has offered her a minimal settlement and she wants to fight in court for her rights.  She’s getting push-back because the lawyer handling the matter is eight hours away, and there is no full-time lawyer at their Firm who could litigate the matter.   This is grossly unfair to the client. And if the manufacturer knows this, it puts the clients’ rights at risk.

Also today, we noticed an Arizona-based lemon law firm advertising heavily in a state far far away from its perch.  There is no information as to which lawyer at their firm is licensed in the advertised state, but one thing is clear…..their information on the Law is completely wrong.  The Law was updated two years ago and the statute is much stronger than they present it to be.  As a firm that prides itself in trying to educate consumers on their rights, we have one word for this– UUUUUGGGHHH!  It really uspets us and it confuses the consumer. Sure, there are glitches from time-to-time, but if you see your information is incorrect, make an effort to correct it for the consumer’s sake.

In short, when you are hiring a lemon law firm, ask if there is a full-time attorney on staff who is licensed to practice in your sate.  That way, you know you are prepared and ready to battle if the manufacturer does not automatically see things your way. Plus, you will have the leverage you need to ensure that it will no longer be a David vs. Goliath battle.

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The message boards and the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline are both buzzing with 2011 Hyundai Sonata drivers who are complaining about two major problems, both of which significantly affect the use, value and safety of the vehicle.

First, we are seeing a number of problems with the transmission in the limited edition Hyundai Sonata turbo engine models.  We have seen issues where the car was banging into gear and the check engine light was coming on within the first 5,000 miles of ownership  Dealers are aware of the problem and it appears Hyundai is attempting to come up with a fix but so far, they have been unsuccessful.  If your Hyundai Sonata is in the shop three or more times for transmission problems, or it is in service for an extended period of days, you could be entitled to significant remedy under State Lemon Laws and/or Federal Warranty Laws.  Contact us either by e-mail or call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW and we would be glad to discuss your situation and how we can help.  Of course, if we can help, it’s completely free to you.

The second issue we are seeing with the Hyundai Sonatas involves the tires.  We have been accepting numerous cases where the car is pulling the right or left, significantly affecting the alignment.  In one recent claim, the  alignment expert came to the dealership and told the consumer there was nothing they could do for the problem.  Once we were involved, Hyundai agreed to repurchase the vehicle under the New Jersey Lemon Law.   If you are back in the shop repeatedly for your alignment issue on your Hyundai Sonata, make sure you call us at 1-800 LEMON LAW.

And always remember be it for the transmission, the tires or any problem, even if they cannot fix the problem, make sure the dealer always  provides  service invoices to illustrate you are bringing the matter to their attention.  These invoices can make or break a lemon law or breach of warranty claim.

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As you can expect, Monday mornings are quite busy for us.  Often times, we are going through 25-40 voice mails from consumers who have left messages on the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline over the weekend.  This week, we received our first-ever call from a used car dealer.  The dealer, based in Delaware, was complaining that folks threaten him with the Lemon Law, even though he knows that his cars are too old to fall under the Lemon Law.  He asked us if we could include information in our ads about what qualifies under the Lemon Law and what does not.

Obviously due to time and money constraints, that request is completely unfeasible.  However, our website does provide an extensive overview on what qualifies under each state’s Lemon Law.  And we always encourage consumers to call us if they have a question about their individual situation.

After listening to this message, we have to wonder why all of these folks threaten him with the  Lemon Law and wonder if it’s regarding the quality of the cars he sells.  Thus, in the spirit of educating consumers, we think it is imperative to remind used car buyers to raise a red flag if:

**A used car dealer refuses to provide a carfax on the vehicle.

**The dealer cannot provide an affirmative answer on whether the car has an accident history. (You MUST ask if the car has been in accident.  Unless the car has a salvage title or frame damage, a dealer does not need to disclose this information unless asked.)

**The dealer refuses to allow you have an outside mechanic check out the car prior to purchase.  This may cost a little bit of money but it will save you a lot of money and aggravation “down the road.”

**You purchase a car without a warranty.  Ideally, we would like you to buy a car with a manufacturers warranty so it can be fixed by an authorized dealership if something goes wrong.  However, even if you choose to buy the car at your local mom and pop shop, it is imperative that you purchase a warranty and research both the warranty company and the components covered under the policy.  Sometimes, these dealers sell warranties that are not worth the paper they are written on.  It’s a case of buyer beware.

Of course, when buying a used car, we always encourage you to bring along  our lemon dodger worksheet.  This worksheet provides the questions you need to ask to make sure you are getting the msot car for your money.

And if  your used car is under a manufacturers warranty or has been in the shop an extended period of time, give us a call at 1-800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652).   You could be looking at significant compensation under the Federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

Happy buying and safe driving!

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Is your Chevrolet Equinox bucking and jerking, especially when the air conditioner is on?  You are not alone.  Numerous Equinox drivers are calling the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline to discuss the transmission troubles they are experiencing with their vehicles.  Service advisers cannot figure out how to fix the problem, nor can they identify how it is connected to the air conditioner.

If your Chevrolet Equinox is bucking or lunging, make sure you get to an authorized Chevrolet dealership to have the matter addressed.   If necessary, take the service adviser for a test drive to illustrate the situation.  Also, make sure you receive a repair invoice for each time the vehicle is in the shop, even if they claim they cannot duplicate or fix the problem.  Once you are in three times under your warranty for this issue, you may be entitled to recourse under State and/or Federal law.

If you are having transmission issues with your Chevrolet Equinox, call us at 1 800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652) or fill out our “Get Rid of Your Lemon” form .

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