Start with the records. Repair orders, warranty documents, mileage, and days out of service are more useful than general assumptions about whether a vehicle qualifies.
Experiencing repeated problems with a brand-new 2025 Ferrari 812 GTS can be frustrating—especially when you’ve already made multiple service appointments and the issues keep coming back. California’s Lemon Law exists to protect consumers in exactly these kinds of situations. This guide from ZapLemon explains how the law works for high‑performance vehicles like the 812 GTS, what “reasonable repair attempts” typically mean, and the practical steps you can take to protect your rights while you explore whether your car may qualify as a lemon.
Is Your 2025 Ferrari 812 GTS a Lemon in California?
In everyday terms, a “lemon” is a vehicle with a substantial defect that’s covered by the manufacturer’s warranty and isn’t fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts. The problem must affect the car’s use, value, or safety, and it must arise during the warranty period. For many makes, including Ferrari, the new vehicle limited warranty is often three years, and California law looks at your repair history during that coverage window to evaluate whether the defect has been adequately addressed.
With a high-performance grand tourer like the 812 GTS, the issues can be specialized. Owners sometimes report concerns such as rough or slipping shifts in a dual-clutch transmission, driveline vibration under acceleration, repeated “check engine” warnings, overheating in traffic or during spirited but legal driving, electronic gremlins (battery drain, infotainment freeze, warning lights that won’t clear), or convertible top malfunctions on the GTS. Brake noise alone may be a characteristic of carbon-ceramic systems, but persistent brake pulsation, power steering sensor faults, or failures that place the car into limp mode can signal a deeper defect. One-off fixes may happen; the Lemon Law focuses on repeated, unresolved problems.
Your documentation is key. Track dates and mileage for each repair visit, what you reported, what the dealer observed, and what was replaced. Note every day your 812 GTS is out of service. Keep all repair orders and communications, and avoid clearing fault codes at home because it can erase useful diagnostic data. If your car has aftermarket modifications or has seen track use, understand those factors can complicate warranty coverage—so communicate clearly with the dealer about the stock components involved in the concern.
What California’s Lemon Law Covers and Requires
California’s Lemon Law (the Song‑Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) generally covers new and leased vehicles—and certain used vehicles—while they are under the manufacturer’s warranty. The law presumes a vehicle is a lemon if, within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles from delivery, one of the following occurs: four or more repair attempts for the same problem; two or more attempts for a defect that could cause serious injury or death; or the vehicle is out of service for 30 or more cumulative days for warranty repairs. Even if you are outside that “presumption” period, you may still have a claim if a substantial warranty defect wasn’t fixed after a reasonable number of attempts.
If a vehicle qualifies, potential remedies can include a repurchase (buyback), a replacement vehicle, and reimbursement of certain incidental costs, subject to a mileage offset for your use before the first repair attempt. Manufacturers sometimes offer arbitration programs; some owners find them helpful, while others prefer to explore their legal options. Keep in mind that outcomes vary, the specific facts of your situation matter, and nothing in this article is legal advice.
There are also limits. Problems caused by abuse, lack of maintenance, accidents, or unauthorized modifications generally aren’t covered. For a Ferrari, it’s typically best to use an authorized dealer for diagnosis and repairs during the warranty period and to follow the recommended maintenance schedule. Practical steps you can take now include: saving every repair order, confirming that warranty concerns are described accurately on service paperwork, reporting recurring symptoms promptly, and communicating with the manufacturer in writing if the problem continues.
Need a case-specific review?
Use the case-review form to share the warranty, repair orders, dates, mileage, and supporting facts an attorney would need to evaluate, or call (877) 492-8282.
Attorney advertising. General information is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. No result is promised or guaranteed.