Lemon Law – California 1994

"Lemon Law Update Hits Opposition Consumer groups push new Assembly bill"

"California's 10-year-old lemon law–one of the first statutes in the nation to help buyers cope with defective automobiles–badly needs a tune-up, say consumer groups. But an Assembly bill that would juice up the original measure is being opposed by car manufacturers and the Wilson administration, who say its provisions are too onerous and costly.

'Even if your car turns yellow and squirts juice in your face, it's still not considered a lemon under the current [auto manufacturer-funded arbitration] programs,' complained Rosemary Shahan, head of the CARS Foundation, a Sacramento consumer group sponsoring an updated lemon law bill, AB 3333.

'California's arbitration process is worthless,' said Dr. John Woodbury, whose new Toyota sports car repeatedly stalled, causing him to be late for work and nearly costing him his job as an emergency room physician."

– San Francisco Chronicle, June 23, 1994

 

"The Lemon Law Needs Overhauling"

"Anyone who has experienced the nightmare of owning a new car and discovering it was a clunker will applaud and support Assemblywoman Jackie Speier's bill [sponsored by the CARS Foundation] to overhaul and upgrade California's 'Lemon Law.'

As the legislature returns from its summer recess this week, one of its top priorities should be passage of AB 3333, likely the most important consumer protection law of the year.

'Even if your car turns yellow and squirts juice in your face, it's still not considered a lemon under the current [auto manufacturers' arbitration] programs,' says Rosemary Shahan, of the Sacramento consumer group, the CARS Foundation, which is sponsoring the updated bill."

– San Francisco Chronicle Editorial, August 8, 1994