Fresno Lemon Law

Civil cases for Fresno County residents are filed at the Fresno County Superior Court B.F. Sisk Courthouse at 1130 O Street, downtown Fresno. Limited civil cases under $35,000 and unlimited civil cases (which includes most repurchase and civil-penalty claims) both file there. Venue is proper where the sales contract was signed, where the vehicle was delivered, or where the manufacturer maintains authorized service in the county. All major manufacturers operate authorized dealers in Fresno County, so venue is rarely contested for Central Valley buyers.

Recurring AC compressor failures, HVAC blower issues, repeated coolant leaks, head-gasket failures, and overheating shutdowns are typical Central Valley lemon-law nonconformities and easily 'substantially impair the use, value, or safety' under Cal. Civ. Code 1793.22(e)(1). A vehicle that cannot reliably keep the cabin cool through a Fresno summer is not conforming to warranty even if the dealer claims operating temperature is 'within spec.' Document interior cabin temperatures and AC vent output if you can; this evidence often becomes critical at deposition.

Often yes. Song-Beverly covers motor vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds GVWR purchased primarily for personal, family, or household use, and also covers business-use vehicles when the buyer is a business with five or fewer vehicles registered to it in California. Most Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and Toyota Tundra trucks under 10,000 pounds GVWR fit comfortably. Heavy-duty 2500/3500 series trucks sometimes fall outside Song-Beverly depending on weight, but Magnuson-Moss federal protections still apply, and the underlying repair-attempt analysis is similar.

Yes. Repeat regen failures, DEF system warnings, DPF clogging, EGR cooler cracks, and emissions-related limp-mode events are common defects in diesel trucks and SUVs used in the agricultural Central Valley, and they qualify as Song-Beverly nonconformities when they recur after manufacturer repair attempts. Emissions warranties under federal law also extend coverage for many specific components (catalysts, ECUs) for longer periods than the bumper-to-bumper warranty, which can support a claim even outside the Tanner Act window.

Probably yes. Song-Beverly's 'consumer' definition reaches small-business buyers with five or fewer vehicles registered in California. Many Central Valley farm operations and family ag businesses fit comfortably under that cap. Personal-use percentage matters less than total fleet size for Song-Beverly eligibility. Even if a particular truck is registered to a larger fleet that exceeds the five-vehicle cap, Magnuson-Moss federal warranty law usually provides parallel protection without that cap.

California's general statute of limitations for a Song-Beverly breach-of-warranty claim is four years under Cal. Com. Code 2725, generally running from the manufacturer's breach (failed repair) rather than from delivery. AB 1755 (effective 2025) added an outer-limit deadline: actions must be filed within one year after express warranty expiration and no later than six years from original delivery. For Central Valley owners who tolerate ongoing defects for several years hoping they will eventually be fixed, this combination can foreclose claims that would otherwise be viable. Talk to counsel as soon as defects recur.

No. Cal. Civ. Code 1794(d) requires the manufacturer to pay the prevailing consumer's reasonable attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses on a successful Song-Beverly claim. Virtually all California lemon-law firms work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing up front and the firm collects its fees directly from the manufacturer at settlement or judgment. Your refund, replacement vehicle, or civil penalty stays with you. Fee-shifting is the practical reason most contested Fresno-area cases settle before trial; the manufacturer's exposure grows the longer the case proceeds.