Guide
If your manufacturer opted in to the AB 1755 fast track, Code of Civil Procedure §871.24 gives you a lever: send a written notice at least 30 days before suing, and your claim for civil penalties (up to twice your actual damages under §1794(c)) stays alive. Skip it, and you may still sue — §871.24(h) says so — but the penalties are gone from that case permanently.
Send it to the manufacturer's designated email address, or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the address in the owner's manual or warranty booklet. The department publishes the addresses in English and Spanish. After the manufacturer receives it, keep the vehicle in your possession at least 30 days (60 if the manufacturer offers). If the manufacturer makes a full restitution offer within 30 days and completes it within 60, penalties are barred — which is the point: a correct notice often ends the fight.
Small errors in the notice do not disqualify it. And once you sign a release, restitution or replacement is due within 30 days — every late day costs the manufacturer a mandatory $50 (§871.27), with loan payoff and fees expedited within 1 business day of the vehicle's return.
The repair-log tracker, your state's notice letter, the buyback worksheet, and your deadline calendar.
Information, not legal advice. Checked October 23, 2026.