In California, lemon laws cover anything mechanical, as do the federal lemon laws. The federal lemon law also provides that the warranter may be obligated to pay the prevailing party's attorney fees in a successful lemon law suit, as do most state lemon laws.

In the 1800s, people started using the word 'lemon' to describe people who were sour (or unfriendly). In American English the word was first recorded in 1909 in the slang sense of "worthless thing". Over time, 'lemon' came to refer to anything that was defective or broken or which breaks constantly, particularly a car.

At the core of most lemon laws is the manufacturer's breach of warranty. A manufacturer's warranty is what makes the manufacturer legally responsible for repairs to the consumer's vehicle or good. It is a form of guarantee. An express warranty is typically a written warranty. An implied warranty unlike an express warranty, is not written. The law imposes these obligations on the manufacturer, the seller or both as a matter of public policy. These vary from state to state.

If you purchased a used car there are two situations in which you may be qualified for cash or other lemon law benefits:

Situation #1: Under Warranty

You may be entitled to compensation for breach of warranty if you had one of the following warranties:

Normally, these types of cases fall outside the scope of the state lemon law but are covered under special federal lemon laws.

Situation #2: When No Manufacturer's Warranty Exists

If you do not have a manufacturer's warranty of any kind you may be entitled to compensation for violations of consumer protection laws that fall outside of the lemon laws. The following is a list of some of the problems and/or issues which may be present in your vehicle.

Lemon Laws vary from state to state, so accurate information on the scope and restrictions of Lemon Laws in a particular state should be obtained from an attorney practicing in that state.