Last Updated: October 2021
Common lemon law cases we have successfully settled on behalf of California Chevy Silverado owners involve transmission and engine problems such as:
- Sputtering and stalling
- Engine vibration
- Check engine light activating
- Hesitation or lagging upon acceleration
- Loss of power
The Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 have the same platform, engines, and transmissions so they may also share the same transmission and engine problems.
Does a Recall Mean Your 2019-2020 Chevy Silverado (or GMC Sierra) Truck is a Lemon?
A number of factors are involved when deciding whether or not your recalled Chevy Silverado is a lemon, such as the severity of the defect, the safety risk, the number of attempts made to try to repair your vehicle for the exact same problem, and so on. But just because GM has issued a recall on your vehicle, that does not automatically make the vehicle a lemon as defined under the California Lemon Law.
For the most part, the difference between a lemon and a typical recall is that a recall occurs when the manufacturer or dealership reaches out to the consumer regarding a known problem. A vehicle can be a lemon when the consumer notices a problem with their vehicle and they have complained to the dealership multiple times in an attempt to have the problem repaired.
Millions of cars get recalled each year to correct defects ranging from software problems to more serious problems that substantially impair your use, value, or safety. The recall notice will tell you whether or not your car is safe to drive.
Under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), manufacturers are legally required to repair any recalled issues or replace the defective part for free.
Under the California lemon law, if your vehicle is a lemon, you are entitled to recover your down payment, all of the monthly payments you have made, your current registration fee, all towing and rental car fees, and the manufacturer has to pay off your loan balance, if there is one.
Days Out of Service
Under the California lemon law, if your vehicle spends 30 or more days at the dealership for a warranty repair and you have not agreed in writing to allow the dealership to keep your vehicle for that long, you may have a lemon law claim.
Silverado Duramax® Diesel Recalls
Model-years 2017-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty pickups; model-years 2017-19 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 pickups, all equipped with Duramax diesel 6.6-liter engines and an optional engine-block heater. This recall is due to issues with the engine-block heater cord.
The 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has already had recalls for dangerous problems.
What if Your Chevy Dealer Offers to “Buy Back” Your Chevy Truck?
In regards to any buyback offer from your GM dealer, the only way it works out in your favor is if it is done as a California Lemon Law Buyback.
The only entity that can truly buy a consumer’s car back from them under the California Lemon Law is the automobile manufacturer, not the dealership.
A dealership may offer a “buyback” and will even tell the consumer that they are “buying the car back” under the lemon law, but the dealership generally does not actually do this. What the dealership is usually doing is a dealer assisted trade-in and with a trade-in, the consumer usually ends up rolling the debt owed on their vehicle into their new car purchase. This solution does not give the consumer all of the benefits of a repurchase under the California Lemon Law.
Considering that our Lemon Law Services are ALWAYS FREE — to California residents — there’s no need for you to try to deal with a lemon vehicle on your own!
