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Chevrolet Buyback Policy: What You Need to Know

Chevrolet is usually known for producing affordable, high-quality, and durable vehicles. For instance, the 2022 Chevrolet Suburban was named the best large SUV for families by the U.S. News and World Report for two consecutive years.

Even so, many consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality and durability of some models. Although it’s normal to find vehicle defects, some are persistent and have proved difficult to fix.

In a nutshell, many Chevrolet owners are grappling with lemon vehicles. As a result, they can’t rely on their cars for business or personal errands. They also grapple with high maintenance costs and unplanned expenses such as accommodation, towing, and car rentals.

Fortunately, California lemon laws protect owners who’ve bought defective vehicles with a new manufacturer’s warranty. If you’re stuck with a defective Chevrolet, consider consulting an experienced lemon law attorney about your legal options.

What Can Go Wrong With Your Chevrolet?

As a vehicle owner, you expect the vehicle to develop a problem— for instance brakes may wear or break down at some point. On the contrary, some issues seem specific and common to Chevrolet models.

Here are the typical vehicle defects with Chevrolet models:

Defective Power Train

Engine Oil Consumption

Although the engine is the driving force of a vehicle, transmission or power train is just as important. The role of the power train is to send enough power from the engine to the wheels.

Some of the signs of a defective transmission include:

  • Leaking transmission fluid
  • Slipping gear
  • Delayed transmission
  • Failure to engage the gear
  • Car grinds or shakes while switching gear
  • Strange bumping noises when the car is in neutral
  • Burning smell

 

The 2005 Chevrolet Impala 4DR/SAB is one of the vehicles with a notorious defective powertrain. Over 50 customers registered complaints of a faulty powertrain on the NHTSA website.

Most drivers complained about jerking, stuttering, jerking, and frequent power lock problems. The Chevy 1500 model from 2012-2019 has transmission issues such as sudden jerking, hard or rough jerking, and trouble shifting gears.

When the power train has issues, the vehicle has a problem slowing down, increasing speed, or stopping, which increases the risk of collision accidents.

 

Fuel Pump Failure

The role of a fuel pump is to deliver fuel from the petrol or diesel tank to the engine at the right pressure suitable for its performance demands. If there is insufficient fuel supply from the tank, the Chevrolet might have trouble starting and can cause you to spend more on repairs.

Some causes of a defective fuel pump include fuel contamination, electrical issues, poor filtration, and contamination. 

You can tell that your Chevrolet has a defective fuel pump if you notice the following signs:

  • Difficulty igniting
  • A loud whining noise from the fuel tank
  • Stalling at high temperatures
  • Excessive fuel consumption
  • Irregular resistance inside the vehicle that causes surging
  • Loss of power while driving uphill or carrying a load

Some Chevrolet vehicles with defective fuel pumps include:

  • 2021 Chevrolet Suburban
  • 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
  • 2010-2011 Chevrolet Express
  • 2011 to date Chevrolet 3500 Silverado
  • 2011-2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

Defective Electronic Stability Control

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Although you can still drive with a defective electronic stability control, your Chevrolet can quickly lose control on wet pavements and sharp corners. Electronic stability control utilizes sensors to monitor vehicle direction and the steering wheel’s position.

If your vehicle has a defective electronic control, the DSP, ESP, and ESC lights may come on. 

Some of the signs of a defective Electronic Stability Control include:

  • Unresponsive or inconsistent braking
  • The vehicle drifts unexpectedly
  • Uneven and increased tire wear
  • Skidding and traction loss
  • Warning lights such as ‘ESC’ or ‘ESP’ will appear

The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado PU/CC 4WD is one of the Chevrolet models where customers have registered numerous complaints concerning a defective Electronic Stability Control.

Some of the complaints include:

  • Power steering and STABILITRAK suddenly turned off, making the vehicle difficult to steer
  • STABILITRAK light illuminated
  • Electronic Stability Control intermittently stops working
  • The STABILITRAK light comes on, and within seconds power steering turns off

Engine Defects

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The engine is the heart of a vehicle. It converts heat from burning fuel into power that propels a vehicle. Unfortunately, engine defects are common in many car models, including Chevrolet, affecting performance, safety, use, and value.

If your Chevrolet has an engine defect, it’s likely to display the following issues:

  • Excessive Oil Consumption: If your engine consumes more fuel than it should, that indicates something is wrong. It could be leaking gas valves, or damaged pistons, causing sucking of excess into the engine, contributing to excess oil consumption.
  • Engine Stalling: Your engine may stop without warning due to improper ignition, insufficient fuel, or airflow.
  • Engine Overheating: A Chevrolet engine will likely overheat due to different issues, including broken spark plugs, low coolant levels, or clogged hoses.

Examples of Chevrolet models with defective engines include:

  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
  • 2010-2013 Chevrolet Silverado
  • 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
  • 2015 Chevrolet Cruze 4DR/FWD

Chevrolet’s Buyback Policy: Understanding Your Rights as an Owner

New vehicles come with a manufacturer’s (Express) warranty, an assurance of quality. It also gives a recourse if the car doesn’t live up to the quality or purpose as promised.

The express warranty also promises to repair or replace the defective item if it fails to meet its quality within the agreed timeline. Before the enactment of California lemon laws, it took considerable effort to enforce the express warranty.

However, since the enactment of lemon laws, consumers enjoy enhanced protection as below.

If a manufacturer or a dealer can’t repair a serious warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must either; replace the vehicle or refund (Buyback) the purchase price.

What Makes a Chevy Eligible for a Buyback

Whether new or used, the following cars with the manufacturer’s new warranty can qualify for a buyback.

  • Vehicles bought or leased for business purposes
  • Vehicles purchased or leased for personal, household, or personal reasons
  • Cars, pick-up trucks, SUVs, and vans
  • Dealer-owned vehicles or demonstrators
  • Chassis, chassis cab, and drivetrain of a motorhome

For a Chevrolet vehicle to qualify for a buyback, the manufacturer should have failed to fix a substantial defect after a ‘’reasonable number’’ of repair attempts.

Substantial Defects that Qualify for Chevrolet Buyback

California lemon law covers vehicles with substantial defects that impact their value, use, and safety.

Examples of vehicle defects covered by lemon law include:

  • Service brakes
  • Airbags
  • Seat belts
  • Headlights
  • Steering wheel
  • Engine failure
  • Fuel injection fuel leaks
  • Defective Power train

Although most vehicle defects enjoy lemon law protection, there are still a few exceptions, as follows:

  • Defects caused by accidents
  • Defects that do not affect the vehicle’s value, use, and safety
  • A malfunction caused by the owner’s negligence
  • A vehicle fault caused by unauthorized repair or alteration

How to Establish a Reasonable Number of Repair Attempts

Besides enforcing consumer rights, California lemon law requires vehicle owners to inform the manufacturer of a vehicle defect. More importantly, they should give the manufacturers a reasonable time frame to fix the flaws.

In most buyback claims, a question always arises whether a manufacturer was allowed a reasonable window to fix the issue. Similarly, some manufacturers push the allowance offered by a ‘’reasonable number’’ of attempts as far as possible.

Usually, a ‘’reasonable number’’ of repair attempts depends on the severity of the defect and how quickly a manufacturer can diagnose the issue. 

Ultimately, no set number implies a ‘’reasonable number’’ of repair attempts. Even so, the California Lemon Law Presumption offers the following guidelines to determine a ‘’reasonable number’’ of attempts:

  • The manufacturer hasn’t fixed the defect after four or more repair attempts.
  • The vehicle problem could cause severe injury or death if driven, and the manufacturer or dealer has made at least two unsuccessful repair attempts.
  • The defective vehicle has been in the repair shop for more than 30 days— not necessarily consecutive for an issue covered by warranty.

The above guidelines merely offer a direction when determining if a manufacturer had a reasonable window to fix the defect. A judge or an arbitrator makes the final decision after assessing the facts of the case.

With that in mind, you may need the help of a lemon law attorney to represent your interest during a buyback claim.

Chevy Buyback vs Lemon Law: Which Option Is Right for You?

General Motors may periodically offer a buyback as a show of goodwill to resolve dissatisfaction if there’s no evidence of a real problem. On the other hand, an automaker may issue a buyback that targets loyal customers who buy luxury vehicles to foster the relationship.

While a buyback from a manufacturer is an incredible gesture to customers, it is effected under specific terms; for instance, GM recalled the 2022 and 2023 Chevrolet Malibu to fix a frontal impact bar that was improperly welded.

If your vehicle has other defects,e.g., transmission, it cannot benefit from the above Chevy buyback. On the contrary, lemon law covers all substantial defects that impact a vehicle’s use, value, and safety that a manufacturer has failed to fix after a ‘’reasonable number’’ of repair attempts.

More importantly, lemon law requires manufacturers to pay attorney fees incurred by a consumer while pursuing a buyback. You can also enjoy legal representation because most lawyers are willing to work on a commission basis after winning the case.

The Buyback Process: How to Initiate a Buyback Request and What to Expect

Take Your Vehicle For Repairs

The primary consideration for a lemon law claim is numerous unsuccessful repair attempts for the same issue or defect. Although the right of repair is guaranteed under lemon laws and express warranty, consumers should inform the manufacturer about the concern.

You should also take the vehicle to an authorized dealership in conformity with warranty terms and lemon laws. 

Gather the Vital Documentation

Gathering documents supporting your claim before you file a buyback claim is essential. Do not rely on the manufacturer or dealer to provide records of the attempted repairs and the vehicle defect. 

Some of the documents that’ll boost the chances of success include:

  • Repair Order: A repair order is a document that a dealership hands you after dropping the vehicle for repairs. Ensure it lists all the problems with the car, the date, and the correct mileage.
  • Repair Invoice: A repair invoice is similar to a repair order; the difference is that the dealership hands you the document after picking up the vehicle.
  • Original Sale or Lease Document: Your attorney will request the initial sale or lease documents to prove ownership or interest in the defective vehicle. The paperwork provides pricing details that are relied upon when determining the buyback amount.

 

Other vital documentation includes the manufacturer’s warranty, maintenance or repair records, accident history, and receipts of incidental expenses.

Hire a Lemon Law Attorney

After gathering the necessary documentation, it may be time to speak to an experienced Chevrolet lemon law attorney who’ll be instrumental in filing a buyback claim. A lemon law attorney will offer you legal guidance and direction on proceeding with the case. 

An attorney will also prepare a strong defense against the manufacturer to maximize your settlement amount.

Negotiate the Settlement Amount

After filing a lemon law claim, the manufacturer may agree to settle, which is usually a less expensive option compared to courts. The role of an attorney is to ratify the manufacturer’s offer or negotiate for a better deal.

The attorney is also responsible for pursuing the matter in court if the manufacturer doesn’t settle or plays hardball.

Speak to an Experienced Lemon Law Attorney

Owning a defective Chevrolet comes with a heavy price. For instance, a faulty powertrain can cut short a road trip with your family. If your Chevrolet has a defective airbag, it lowers your confidence in its safety capability in case of an accident.

As a defective Chevrolet owner, you deserve the best representation in pursuing a refund or replacement to cure the pain inflicted by a lemon car.

At LemonLaw123, we have a 99% success rate, giving us the confidence to fight for our clients.

Contact us online or call us at 657.529.5239 for a free case review.

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