Serving Santa Monica and the Westside of Los Angeles including Venice, Marina del Rey, Pacific Palisades, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Key Takeaways
Santa Monica drivers with a defective new or used vehicle can pursue a buyback, a replacement, or a cash payout under California's Song-Beverly Act, and the attorney fees are paid by the manufacturer, not you. You qualify once the same warranty-covered defect survives several repair attempts or your car sits in the shop long enough.
owners and lessees of a new or used vehicle still covered by a manufacturer's or dealer's written warranty when a serious defect appears.
four repair attempts for the same problem, two for a safety defect, or 30 or more cumulative days out of service.
a manufacturer buyback, a replacement vehicle, or a cash settlement, depending on your situation.
nothing up front and no fee unless you win, because Song-Beverly shifts attorney fees to the manufacturer.
Used-car protections narrowed after the 2024 Rodriguez v. FCA decision. A used vehicle sold with the balance of a factory warranty generally no longer qualifies for a buyback or replacement, though a certified pre-owned model sold with its own new warranty still may, and owners can often recover damages and attorney fees.
From Santa Monica through Venice, Marina del Rey, and the Palisades, we handle California Song-Beverly claims, and a manufacturer that loses pays our fees.
No charges for your case review. We evaluate your situation and provide honest advice at zero cost.
The manufacturer pays all attorney fees. You never pay out of pocket.
Work directly with your attorney from day one, no call centers.
The Westside runs on EVs and premium makes. We have handled the battery, software, and electrical defects that come with them.
Your case is handled by licensed California attorneys, including Michael Saeedian (State Bar No. 265470) and Arash Khorsandi (State Bar No. 249405). Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Standing up for Santa Monica drivers under California's lemon law.
What the Song-Beverly Act protects, and how to know if your vehicle qualifies.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act gives Santa Monica drivers a real remedy when a new or warranty-covered vehicle keeps breaking down. The law applies while your car is still under the manufacturer's warranty and covers defects that hurt its safety, use, or value. Two thresholds matter most: four repair attempts for the same problem, or a vehicle stuck in the shop for 30 or more cumulative days. Hit either one and the manufacturer may owe you a buyback, a replacement, or a cash settlement.
We see the same defects again and again on the Westside: failed transmissions, engines that burn oil or stall, brake faults, and electrical problems no dealer can pin down. A check-engine light that returns after every "fix" often points to a car that qualifies. The defect has to be substantial, not cosmetic, and it has to show up during the warranty period. A scratched bumper is not a lemon. A transmission that fails three times in 8,000 miles might be.
If your car can't be repaired after repeated visits to a Santa Monica or Westside dealer, document everything. Keep every repair order, every loaner receipt, and every email with the service department. Those records are the backbone of a claim, and they are what we use to push the manufacturer toward a refund or replacement. Drivers who hand us a clean paper trail almost always have a stronger case than those working from memory.
Used-car rules changed after the October 2024 Rodriguez v. FCA decision from the California Supreme Court, which narrowed protections. A used vehicle sold with only the remaining balance of a manufacturer's warranty generally no longer qualifies for a buyback or replacement. A certified pre-owned car sold with its own new warranty can still qualify, which matters in a city where plenty of residents buy certified pre-owned to get a luxury badge at a lower price. Even where a full refund or replacement is off the table, used-car owners can often still recover money damages and attorney fees, so an "as-is" label does not always end the conversation. We review each used-car claim to see which remedies apply.
Read the full breakdown of your protections under the California Lemon Law.
We represent Santa Monica clients with every make on the road. Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet are everywhere on the Westside, and we handle plenty of Honda, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes claims too. Electric and hybrid owners are covered as well. A Tesla with a failing battery, a charging system that won't hold, or a hybrid drivetrain that throws fault codes can all support a buyback. Santa Monica has more EVs per capita than most California cities, and we have handled the battery and software defects that come with them. Sedan, SUV, truck, new or certified used: the standard is the same. Does the defect compromise safety, use, or value?
A recall is not the same as a lemon, though the two often overlap. A recall flags a known defect; it does not guarantee the fix works. If your Santa Monica dealer performs a recall repair and the same problem returns, that pattern can support a claim. Schedule the recall work promptly, save the paperwork, and call us if the defect persists after several attempts. Recall notices also reset the clock on your attention, so treat one as a reason to start tracking repairs, not a sign the problem is handled.
Hiring us costs you nothing up front. Song-Beverly shifts attorney fees to the manufacturer when we win, so our fee never comes out of your settlement. You get a dedicated case manager who answers your questions and a lawyer who deals with the dealership and the manufacturer directly. There is no financial risk in finding out whether you have a case, and a consultation does not commit you to anything.
See the vehicle types and defects we handle.
Most Santa Monica lemon law claims settle without a courtroom, but the path is the same whether yours resolves early or goes the distance. First, we review your repair history, warranty coverage, and the severity of the defect to confirm the car qualifies. Next, we gather the evidence: repair orders, receipts, and your correspondence with the dealer. We then notify the manufacturer and open negotiations, where the large majority of cases close. If the manufacturer refuses a fair offer, we file suit and manage every filing through to settlement or trial. A winning claim ends in a cash refund, a replacement vehicle, or other compensation under California law.
Where does a Santa Monica case actually get filed? Most lemon law suits in this area are filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with the Santa Monica Courthouse on Main Street serving the Westside. You will rarely see the inside of it. The negotiation stage resolves the bulk of claims, and even filed cases tend to settle before trial. We handle the venue, the filings, and the deadlines so you can keep driving the rest of your life.
A few practical notes for Santa Monica drivers. The state's lemon law deadline generally runs four years from when you first knew, or should have known, about the defect, so do not sit on a recurring problem. Stop-sale recalls and out-of-service repairs at coastal-area dealers count toward your 30-day total even when the car is "waiting on parts." And if you bought from a national used-car chain, the remedies now depend on the warranty: after Rodriguez v. FCA, a car sold with the leftover balance of a factory warranty usually will not support a buyback, but damages and attorney fees may still be on the table, so it is worth a look.
We've settled more than 5,000 lemon law cases across California. If you bought or leased your vehicle in Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, or anywhere on the Westside, a free case review tells you where you stand at no cost and no obligation. Learn more about your rights under the California Lemon Law, see the vehicle types and defects we handle in our practice areas, or read through common questions before you call.
Still have questions? Check our lemon law FAQ before you call.
"I had an excellent experience with The Lemon Pros, with Tony and Suzy B. on my case. Both were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process and always kept me well-informed. They made everything smooth and stress-free. I highly recommend their services to anyone with a lemon law case."
"I highly recommend The Lemon Pros to any Tesla owner with a lemon. They are experts in Tesla cases and truly fight for their clients' rights. The team was incredibly responsive, kept me updated every step of the way, and handled all communication with Tesla."
"The Lemon Pros worked with me during a time in my life where I was going through a lot of transitions. They were professional and very patient. When the day came to negotiate my settlement, it was a glorious outcome."
Rated 4.7 out of 5 across 97 Google reviews. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Every day you wait is a day the manufacturer wins. Take 60 seconds to find out if your vehicle qualifies, it's free, confidential, and could change everything.
