California · used cars

California used-car lemon law after Rodriguez

In 2024 the California Supreme Court decided the question most used-car owners get wrong. Rodriguez v. FCA US LLC (2024) 17 Cal.5th 189: the Song-Beverly refund-or-replacement remedy (§1793.2(d)(2)) requires a new-car warranty issued with your sale. A car bought on the prior owner's leftover warranty does not qualify — certified pre-owned or not — unless the warranty was issued at that sale.

The three California used-car answers

Warranty issued with the sale → the new-car rules score your car. Run the checker and answer "yes."
Leftover warranty from the first owner → no §1793.2(d)(2) remedy. Other Song-Beverly claims, Magnuson-Moss, and dealer-warranty claims survive.
Dealer demonstrator / dealer-owned, sold as new → treated as new.

Run the checker The Rodriguez explainer

Private-party purchases are outside the remedy. Whatever your answer, the dated repair log is the evidence every surviving route runs on.

Included in the $39 Lemon Verdict Pack

Your repair-log tracker, your state's notice letter, the buyback worksheet on your state's own formula, and your deadline calendar.

See the Lemon Verdict Pack