Electric Car Problems Worry Buyers
Electric cars are definitely status symbols, and they can be good for the environment, but electric car problems worry buyers. Because EVs are so new, manufacturers are still refining design, development, and assembly practices and there are kinks in the system. Consumer Reports recently issued a study saying that electric SUVs are the least-reliable vehicles on the road. Electric vehicles have significantly higher defective rates than internal-combustion vehicles across model years 2019 and 2020, according to the study.
Problems cited by Consumer Reports include:
• In-car electronics
• Body hardware
• Climate systems
• Power equipment
• Drive systems
• Noises and leaks
• Paint and trim
Electric cars have also been known to experience:
• Navigation system problems
• Battery fires
EV owners have experienced chronic problems with failing temperature sensors, faulty display screens, malfunctioning exterior door lights, mismatched paint, and broken seals and weatherstripping. It’s not just that these problems occur, it’s that they occur at a higher rate in EVs than with conventional vehicles. There are electric cars on the road that are lemons.
In addition, there have been highly visible reports of electric car batteries catching fire. According to Kia, which manufactures electric cars, the lithium-ion batteries in EVs are combustible and can catch fire. That’s because the battery includes power cells that can short-circuit if it is damaged. To prevent external damage or short circuit, EV batteries are often surrounded by a protective cooling shroud filled with coolant liquid. When EV batteries do catch fire, they tend to burn longer and hotter because the lithium-ion batteries supercharge the blaze.
Electric Cars and California Lemon Law
Fortunately, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (also known as the Lemon Law) protects owners of EVs if they discover their vehicle is defective. If you purchase a defective electric car, you are legally entitled to a refund, or the vehicle can be replaced at the manufacturer’s expense. But first, you must have made a reasonable number of attempts to have the vehicle repaired before filing a legal claim. The Lemon Law in California states that your EV must have “nonconformities,” which are defined as any defect or malfunction that is covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty. Nonconformities significantly restrict the safety, use or value of the vehicle.
If your EV turns out to be a lemon, the skilled attorneys at Neale & Fhima can help. We have a 99% success rate in winning lemon law cases. We can fight to get a refund or replacement vehicle for you. To find out more, call us for a free initial consultation at (877) 308-2128.
Contact Information
Aaron Fhima
Neale & Fhima
Dana Point, California
United States
Voice: (877) 308-2128
