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.
If your car’s collision avoidance features keep acting up—false braking, nonstop beeping, or warnings that suddenly shut off—you’re not alone. Modern vehicles rely on radar, cameras, and sensors for systems like forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. When those systems fail and the dealer can’t fix them within warranty, California’s Lemon Law may offer remedies. This article explains how faulty collision sensors fit into California Lemon Law and what steps you can take to protect your rights.
California Lemon Law and Faulty Collision Sensors
California’s Lemon Law (part of the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) protects consumers when a new or used vehicle under warranty has a defect the manufacturer can’t repair after a reasonable number of attempts. The law focuses on defects that substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value, or safety. That includes technology problems—software and sensor issues count if they meaningfully affect how safe the car is to drive.
Faulty collision sensors are a prime example of a safety-impacting defect. Common symptoms include “phantom braking,” persistent forward collision warnings without hazards, intermittent loss of automatic emergency braking, misalignment after windshield or bumper work, and systems that only work in certain weather. Because these features are designed to prevent crashes, repeated failures may satisfy the “substantial impairment” requirement even if the engine or transmission is fine.
If your vehicle qualifies as a lemon, potential remedies under California law can include repurchase (buyback), replacement, or in some situations a cash settlement. The details depend on facts like repair history, time out of service, mileage, and warranty coverage. California law also has guidelines that presume a defect is a lemon after multiple repair attempts or significant days out of service in the early ownership period, but every situation is different. A consultation is the best way to understand how the law may apply to your case.
Documentation Tips and When to Contact ZapLemon
Careful documentation is often the difference-maker. Each time you visit the dealer, ask for a detailed repair order that lists your complaint in your words, any diagnostic codes, the technician’s findings, and the exact fixes performed (software version, calibration procedures, replaced parts, and test-drive results). Keep copies of loaner agreements and note the dates your car is out of service. Whenever safe, capture short videos or photos of warnings, dash lights, or phantom braking, and jot down conditions like speed, road type, weather, and whether cruise control or lane centering was on.
Check for software updates, recalls, and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) related to your collision avoidance system. If the issue persists, ask the dealer to open a case with the manufacturer and, if available, involve a field technician. Avoid paying out of pocket for covered warranty work unless you receive a clear, written denial of coverage. Continue to use your vehicle safely per the owner’s manual, and don’t rely on features that you suspect are malfunctioning.
Consider contacting ZapLemon if you see a pattern of unsuccessful repair attempts, extended time in the shop, or recurring ADAS problems after windshield or body repairs. Issues like radar/camera miscalibration, repeated sensor replacements, or software updates that don’t stick are common in these cases. A consultation can help you understand timelines, what records matter most, and your potential options under California law without making any decisions before you’re ready.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and past results do not predict or guarantee future outcomes. Attorney advertising.
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Attorney advertising. General information is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. No result is promised or guaranteed.