Chevrolet Malibu Lemon Law

The discontinuation of the Malibu does not affect your lemon law rights under the Song-Beverly Act. Your claim is based on the manufacturer's warranty that existed at the time of purchase, and GM remains obligated to honor that warranty. If anything, discontinuation may strengthen a replacement claim since GM cannot provide you with a comparable new Malibu and may need to offer a replacement vehicle of equal or greater value. Your right to a repurchase refund remains fully intact regardless of the model's production status.

Under the Song-Beverly Act, the manufacturer has the right to attempt repairs before you can demand a buyback. However, if this is not the first repair attempt for engine-related issues, or if the vehicle has been out of service for an extended period, you may already qualify for a buyback. An engine replacement is a major repair that signals a fundamental manufacturing defect, and the repaired vehicle may have diminished resale value. Consult a lemon law attorney to evaluate whether your repair history supports an immediate buyback demand.

Absolutely. An intermittent loss of power steering while driving is one of the most serious safety defects recognized under the Song-Beverly Act. For defects that could cause death or serious bodily injury, California law creates a presumption of a lemon after just one repair attempt if the defect persists. With two documented incidents of steering failure, you have an extremely strong case for an immediate vehicle repurchase. File a complaint with NHTSA and demand a buyback from GM in writing immediately.

Yes, certified pre-owned vehicles with a manufacturer-backed warranty are covered under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. GM's CPO warranty constitutes an express warranty that triggers lemon law protections. The same standards for repair attempts and days out of service apply to your CPO Malibu as they would to a brand-new vehicle. Any defect that arose during the CPO warranty period and was not resolved after reasonable repair attempts qualifies for a potential buyback or replacement.