In the 2009 Consumer Complaint Survey Report released July 27, 2010, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators (NACPI) compiled their annual list of the “Top 10 Complaints in 2009″ regarding consumer purchases. Just as it did in 2008, the “Auto” category ranked as the number one complaint that consumer protection agencies received. These complaints took the form of “misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars; lemons; faulty repairs and leasing and towing disputes.”
In the state of California, consumers are protected from automotive fraud. It is against the law for used car dealers to deceive consumers by advertising a vehicle to be in better condition than it actually is. Automotive fraud not only costs consumers at the initial purchase, but in the long run, as repair issues for “hidden” vehicle defects become more complicated and expensive to deal with.
At the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver, skilled California used car fraud attorney Howard D. Silver will help protect your rights if you believe that you have been cheated by a used car dealer. Please call 866-49-LEMON for a free consultation about your situation. Howard D. Silver will fight to recover money paid to dishonest auto dealers or repair shops, and will hold the dishonest party accountable for any other related damages you may have incurred along the way.
The Kia Soul is currently under investigation for a possible manufacturing defect that could result in complete loss of driver steering and limited braking capabilities, Reuters reports. The NHTSA received a complaint from an owner of a two-month-old Soul that the steering shaft detached from the steering wheel of the vehicle, completely inhibiting the driver’s ability to steer. The broken shaft fell to the driver’s side floor and blocked the vehicle’s brake pedal, further compounding the car’s loss of control.
The NHTSA often waits until receiving multiple complaints about similar defects before launching a preliminary investigation. However, the agency determined that this particular case warranted pre-emptive action because the vehicle was so new and had so little use, and the problem was unlikely to have been caused by excessive wear to the part.
Kia, which is an affiliate of the Korea-based Hyundai Motor Company, has indicated that it is fully cooperating with the NHTSA investigation and is committed to ensuring the safety of all Kia vehicles. If a recall were issued, it would cover more than 51,000 vehicles.
California residents are protected by some of the most comprehensive and strongest consumer protection laws in the United States. Under these laws, a new car owner who has been sold a defective product may be entitled to free repairs, a refund or, in some cases, a replacement vehicle. If your new car has required repeated repairs and the problem has not been able to be fixed, contact the Southern California auto lemon law attorneys at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver for a free consultation about your case by calling (866) 46-LEMON.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into several complaints about electronic malfunctions in Volvo SUVs, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. There have been 21 complaints related to the 2004 and 2005 model Volvo XC90s concerning intermittent malfunctions with electronic components such as headlights and turn signals. The malfunctions have been shown to disappear once the unit controlling the car’s electronic parts is replaced, lending credence to the claim that the specific malfunctions can be tied to the cars’ master electronic control system, and not to individual failures of each of the cars’ electronic parts.
Although the stipulated defects have not been linked to any crashes or injuries, they still pose a safety risk and may increase the possibility of serious accidents. The estimated number of cars potentially affected by the investigation is 93,487. However, no recalls have been announced. 2005 Volvo XC90s were already in 2007 due to a problem with the vehicle’s battery that posed a risk of short circuiting and causing fires.
If you have recently purchased a vehicle that seems to require an uncharacteristically high number of repairs, you may have been sold a lemon vehicle. Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, you may be entitled to a refund or a replacement car after a reasonable number of repair attempts. To learn more about your rights, call skilled California lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver at 866-49-LEMON or refer to Mr. Silver’s California lemon law reference guide.
Toyota Motor Corp. is facing a new vehicle defect issue, according to a businessweek.com article. Reportedly, the auto giant has been subpoenaed by a New York federal grand jury to provide documentation regarding flaws in steering relay rods. Previously, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation of the defective steering rods. The subpoena comes after nearly 1 million Toyota vehicles were recalled in the United States due to defective steering rods in 2005.
Regardless of the severity of a vehicle defect that occurs during the warranty period, manufacturers have an obligation to repair the defect in a timely manner and at no cost to the consumer. According to the California lemon law, a vehicle may be a lemon if a safety defect cannot be repaired after two attempts.
For more information on how to protect your rights as a consumer, please contact skilled Inland Empire lemon law attorney Howard D. Silver at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver. Call 866-49-LEMON today for a free consultation.
