Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram lemon law in California: recalls, rulings and your options

If your Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Ram 1500, Durango or Pacifica has been back to the dealer again and again for the same problem, you may have a claim under the Jeep lemon law California drivers rely on, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. The same law covers every brand sold by Stellantis through its U.S. company, FCA US LLC: Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram. When the manufacturer and its dealers cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle.

Several key California decisions on trade-ins and used cars were cases against FCA. This guide explains them, lists documented recalls with NHTSA campaign numbers, describes FCA's state-certified dispute program and covers the deadlines. It is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice, and it does not suggest that these vehicles are generally defective.

How California's lemon law applies to a Jeep, Ram, Dodge or Chrysler

Under Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new vehicle to its express warranty after a reasonable number of attempts must replace it or make restitution, and the buyer chooses which. Civil Code § 1793.22(b) adds a presumption for the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repairs of a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more repairs of the same defect, or more than 30 cumulative days out of service for repairs.

The first two routes also require that the buyer directly notified the manufacturer at least once, but only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed that requirement in the warranty or owner's manual. FCA does. Its 2023 warranty booklet says that, where state law allows, "FCA US LLC requires that you first notify us in writing of any service difficulty." Sending it early protects the presumption. The presumption is only one route; a vehicle can qualify with fewer visits or after 18 months. Our guide on how many repair attempts make a lemon explains the math.

A buyback generally covers what you paid, including taxes, registration and finance charges, plus incidental costs such as towing and rentals, minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect (Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2)(C)). Try our lemon law buyback calculator. Under Civil Code § 1794, a buyer who wins recovers attorney's fees and costs, and a court can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages for a willful violation.

What FCA's warranty covers

Coverage depends on the model year, so check the booklet for your vehicle. The 2023 FCA US warranty booklet for gas, diesel and 4xe vehicles lists a 3-year or 36,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty and a Powertrain Limited Warranty of 5 years or 60,000 miles for gas engines and 5 years or 100,000 miles for diesel engines. For the plug-in hybrids, it lists high-voltage battery coverage of 8 years or 100,000 miles on the Wrangler 4xe, and 10 years or 150,000 miles on a Grand Cherokee 4xe registered in California or another state that adopts California's zero-emission rules.

Recalls you should know

A recall does not make a vehicle a lemon, and a recall repair is not automatically a failed repair. But an unremedied recall, or repeated visits for the same recall symptom, can be part of your repair history. This is a selection from NHTSA's database, not a complete list. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

The 4xe battery recall has been reissued twice, and owners whose vehicles were fixed under the earlier campaigns need the newer remedy. If your 4xe has been in for battery, charging or shutdown problems, see our guide to the Jeep 4xe lemon law.

California rulings in cases against FCA US

Most lemon law claims settle privately. These are reported decisions in California cases handled by other lawyers. They are not LaCour results.

Niedermeier matters for anyone who has already traded in or sold a problem Jeep or Ram: getting rid of the vehicle does not by itself shrink what the manufacturer owes. Rodriguez matters if you bought used; see our used car lemon law guide for what still applies. On arbitration, in 2025 the California Supreme Court held in a Ford case that a manufacturer cannot use the arbitration clause in a dealer's sales contract it did not sign, and it expressly disapproved an earlier Court of Appeal decision, Felisilda v. FCA US, to the extent it held otherwise (Ford Motor Warranty Cases, July 2025).

For context, the CALPIRG Education Fund's Auto Lemon Index counted 5,798 California lemon law lawsuits against Fiat Chrysler from 2018 through 2021, about one for every 107 new vehicles registered. Lawsuit counts reflect many factors and do not show that any vehicle is defective. Every case is different. Past results, including those listed here, do not predict the outcome of any other case.

FCA's state-certified dispute program (CDSP)

FCA US offers the California Dispute Settlement Program, which its warranty booklet describes as a "non-binding dispute resolution program" certified by the state's Arbitration Certification Program. A June 2025 Department of Consumer Affairs consumer notice lists FCA U.S. (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and others) among the manufacturers in that program.

Why it matters: under Civil Code § 1793.22(c), when a manufacturer maintains a qualified program and gave you timely written notice of it, you generally cannot rely on the 18-month presumption until you have first used the program. You can still sue without it, and you can reject a decision you do not like. Which path to take first is a strategy question; our guide to lemon law arbitration versus a lawsuit walks through the tradeoffs.

Building your Jeep, Ram, Dodge or Chrysler repair record

• Get a repair order every time. It should state your complaint, what the technician found and what was done. If the dealer "could not duplicate" the problem, make sure the order says so; an undocumented visit is hard to count.
• Describe the symptom the same way each visit ("steering shakes at highway speed," "4xe will not charge"). Consistent words show a repeat defect.
• Send FCA the written notice its booklet asks for, keep a copy, and write down the case number from every call with customer care. The booklet lists FCA US customer care at 877-426-5337.
• Screenshot the screen. Uconnect messages, warning lights, charging errors and app alerts disappear. Photos with dates do not.
• Keep recall paperwork, including any notice telling you to park outside or stop charging, and every invoice showing a recall was performed.
• Keep maintenance and modification records. Lift kits, tires and tuners are common on Jeeps and Rams. Receipts help answer claims that aftermarket parts caused the problem.
• Log days out of service and save rental, towing and rideshare receipts.

Deadlines and the 2025 rules

CalMatters reported that Stellantis was one of the automakers that supported AB 1755, and FCA US has been reported on the list of manufacturers that opted in to the new procedures as of May 2025. For opted-in manufacturers, a lawsuit generally must be filed within one year after the express warranty expires and no later than six years after delivery, with time added for repair periods (Code of Civil Procedure § 871.21). A buyer who wants a civil penalty must send a specific written notice at least 30 days before suing, and the manufacturer can avoid the penalty by offering a buyback or replacement within 30 days and completing it within 60 days (§ 871.24).

That pre-suit notice is different from the written problem report FCA's booklet asks for. Reporting the defect to FCA in writing is something you can do yourself; the § 871.24 notice has required content and timing, so have a lawyer prepare it. Because the opt-in list can change, check the Department of Consumer Affairs list. Our guide to the 2025 lemon law changes explains the rest.

How LaCour handles Stellantis lemon law claims

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims statewide, in English and Spanish, with trial counsel leading each case. When a claim succeeds, the law requires the manufacturer to pay your attorney's fees and costs. Send your repair orders for a free, confidential review.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.