When you spend a significant amount of money on a new motorhome, you expect it to drive as promised. Unfortunately, many owners discover serious RV defects shortly after leaving the lot. If your RV has repeated impairments and is constantly in the shop, you may be protected by California consumer law.
Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (lemon law), owners have the right to take legal action if a manufacturer cannot fix a vehicle after a reasonable number of repairs. Whether you’re dealing with engine trouble or coach-side issues, your motorhome warranty is a binding contract the manufacturer must honor.
What makes an RV a “Lemon”?
Not every rattle, clunk, or hiss makes a vehicle a lemon. To qualify for a buyback or replacement, the vehicle must have a substantial impairment to its use, value, or safety under warranty coverage.
Take Mario for example. Mario purchased a luxury RV for over $230,000 only to discover an electrical failureon day one. Despite charging the RV exactly as instructed, the power systems wouldn’t hold a charge, making appliances and systems useless. The dealer’s only suggestion was to buy an electrical adapter, which did not solve the problem.
The situation became a major safety issue when a service center later discovered serious electrical shorts in the 120V system and inverter. These defects caused constant battery drainage, overloaded circuits, and visible sparking wires. Technicians warned that the damage to the inverter created a fire or electric shock risk, making the vehicle unsafe to drive.
But despite repeated repairs and notice of the defects, the manufacturer refused to honor his warranty. Mario immediately sent a written repurchase demand letter, and when the manufacturer denied his request, called a lemon law attorney to fight back.
What to do when the dealer closes
Too many times, owners discover that their dealership has gone out of business. If this has happened to you, you still have buyer rights. The manufacturer’s responsibility remains in effect regardless of the dealer’s status.
To protect your rights and strengthen your claim, you should:
- Seek alternative service: Take the vehicle to another authorized service center to document the ongoing issues.
- Keep detailed records: Document every service and dealer interaction, take video of the vehicle defects and damage, and save your repair orders.
- File formal warranty claims: Make sure your manufacturer is notified in writing about the persistent failures.
Remember, under lemon law you’re entitled to a buyback or replacement vehicle, plus incidental damage such as rental cars and towing, and attorney’s fees and costs. If the manufacturer acted maliciously or willfully, you may also be awarded civil penalties of up to two times actual damages.
Don’t accept a defective, unsafe vehicle, even if the manufacturer denies a repurchase request or closes its doors. If your RV is stuck in your driveway instead of out on the road, learn what your legal options are to recover your investment and get back behind the wheel.