California Lemon Law for Cars With Missing Safety Features

When you buy a vehicle in California, the safety technology listed on the window sticker—like airbags, backup cameras, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, or lane-keeping assist—should be installed and working. If features are missing, disabled, or repeatedly inoperative, you’re not just dealing with an inconvenience; you may be facing a problem that affects the use, value, or safety of your car. This article explains, in plain language, how California’s Lemon Law can apply when promised safety features aren’t there or don’t function, and what steps you can take to document the issue.

Missing Safety Features and California Lemon Law

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act—commonly called the California Lemon Law—requires manufacturers to repair warranty-covered defects within a reasonable number of attempts. While many people think “lemons” are only about engines or transmissions, the law also covers defects that substantially impair a vehicle’s use, value, or safety. If core safety equipment is missing or nonfunctional (for example, an airbag light stays on, a backup camera never activates, or the vehicle shipped without advertised collision warning sensors), that can be more than an annoyance—it can affect safety and value.

“Missing” safety tech can happen in several ways. Sometimes a vehicle is sold with a window sticker showing certain driver-assistance features, but due to supply chain issues the hardware was never installed. In other cases, the hardware exists but the software is disabled, the system can’t be calibrated, or an over-the-air update fails repeatedly. We also see cars where the owner’s manual and build sheet list features that the vehicle simply won’t offer in menus or in practice. These are the kinds of facts that matter when assessing whether a defect is covered.

If the manufacturer can’t repair the problem after a reasonable number of attempts, or if the car spends significant time out of service for repair (for example, 30 or more cumulative days), the Lemon Law may provide remedies such as repurchase or replacement. There’s also a legal “presumption” period in California—generally the first 18 months or 18,000 miles—during which certain repair patterns are presumed unreasonable, but you can still pursue a claim outside that window. Every situation is unique, and outcomes depend on the facts, the warranty, and the repair history. A consultation is necessary to evaluate your options.

Steps to Document and Report Missing Safety Tech

Start by gathering proof of what your car was supposed to include. Save the window sticker (Monroney label), purchase or lease contract, manufacturer build sheet, and any marketing materials that list safety features. Keep the owner’s manual or digital guide flagged to the pages that show the promised systems. Take clear photos or short videos demonstrating what’s missing or not working—such as a blank camera screen in reverse, dashboard warnings that won’t clear, or menus where a feature should appear but doesn’t.

Next, present the issue to an authorized dealership and ask for a repair order every single visit. Make sure your complaint is written on the repair order in your own words (for example, “vehicle sold with blind-spot monitoring; system not present/does not function”). Ask the service advisor to note any parts on backorder, software updates attempted, and test results. Keep copies of all work orders, invoices, and communications. Track dates the vehicle is at the dealer and your mileage in and out—these details matter if days out of service become significant.

If repairs stall, escalate in writing to the manufacturer’s customer care and request a case number. Check for recalls or technical service bulletins and ask the dealer to perform applicable updates. Avoid making modifications or using third-party coding that could complicate warranty coverage. If the dealership says the feature was “deleted” due to chip shortages or that “the vehicle is operating as designed,” ask for that explanation in writing and compare it to the window sticker and build sheet. When you’re unsure what to do next, consider speaking with a lemon law attorney for guidance about your documentation and options.