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.
Is your steering wheel off-center when driving straight, does your car pull to one side, or do you keep needing alignments that never seem to stick? Persistent steering wheel misalignment can be more than an annoyance—it can signal a defect that affects safety, tire wear, and driver-assist systems. For California drivers, these issues can sometimes qualify for relief under the state’s lemon law. Below, ZapLemon explains how steering misalignment problems are evaluated for potential buybacks, what “reasonable repair attempts” means in plain English, and the steps you can take to protect your rights.
California Lemon Law Buybacks: Steering Wheel Misalignment
Steering wheel misalignment shows up in everyday ways: the wheel sits crooked when the car is tracking straight, the vehicle drifts or pulls, lane-keep assist behaves erratically, or tires develop uneven shoulder wear. Sometimes shops can temporarily correct the issue with a standard four-wheel alignment and a steering angle sensor reset, but if the problem keeps returning, it may point to a deeper issue—such as tolerance problems in the subframe, a defective steering rack, bent or out-of-spec control arms, or calibration faults that cause advanced driver-assistance systems to “fight” the alignment.
California’s lemon law (often called the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) may provide a remedy if a covered vehicle has a defect that substantially impairs use, value, or safety and the manufacturer cannot fix it after a reasonable number of attempts. In steering cases, the “substantial impairment” question often focuses on safety (control and braking stability), value (accelerated tire wear and alignment costs), and use (driver fatigue and constant correction). If a vehicle qualifies, potential remedies can include a repurchase (buyback) or a replacement, with the repurchase typically including the price paid and certain fees, minus a mileage offset. Every case is fact-specific, so outcomes vary.
Not every misalignment qualifies. One-off issues caused by curb or pothole impacts may be treated as wear-and-tear rather than a warrantable defect, and aftermarket modifications can complicate coverage. But repeated, documented misalignment, especially when accompanied by abnormal tire wear, steering warnings, or failed ADAS calibrations, may indicate a defect within the manufacturer’s responsibility. If this sounds familiar, an evaluation of your repairs and warranty history can help clarify your options.
What Qualifies in CA: Repairs, Records, and Timing
To be considered under California’s lemon law, the vehicle typically needs to be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty (this can include certain used or certified pre-owned vehicles still within that coverage). The law looks at whether the manufacturer had a reasonable number of chances to repair the same issue. California also has a “presumption” that can apply within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles (for example, multiple repair attempts for the same problem, or more than 30 total days out of service), but you may still have a claim even if your facts fall outside that window. Steering-related defects can also raise safety concerns, which may affect how repair opportunities are evaluated.
Your best tool is documentation. Save every repair order, even if the dealer says “no problem found.” Ask the service advisor to write down your exact complaint (for example: “steering wheel 10 degrees left of center at highway speed; pulls right; lane-keep correction inconsistent”). Keep notes about when the issue occurs, the speeds involved, and what conditions make it worse. If the shop performs alignments, request the before-and-after alignment printouts and any steering angle sensor or ADAS calibration reports. Consistent, detailed records can make it easier to show a pattern if the problem keeps returning.
Timing matters. There are legal deadlines to bring claims, and evidence is strongest when gathered early. If you’re unsure whether your steering issue is a defect or just a maintenance item, consider a quick check of your warranty coverage and a review of your repair history. ZapLemon can walk you through what information to gather and how the process generally works, so you can make an informed decision about next steps.
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 (844) 927-5366.
Attorney advertising. General information is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. No result is promised or guaranteed.