Volkswagen and Audi lemon law in California: recalls, buyback offers and deadlines

If your Atlas, Tiguan, ID.4, Q5 or e-tron has been back to the dealer again and again for the same defect, you may have a claim under the Volkswagen lemon law California drivers rely on: the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Volkswagen and Audi are both part of the Volkswagen Group, and the same rules apply to both. When a manufacturer and its dealers cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle.

This guide lists documented Volkswagen and Audi recalls with NHTSA campaign numbers, explains a 2024 California appellate ruling in a case against Volkswagen that matters to anyone who receives a buyback offer, covers warranty terms, and sets out the deadlines. It is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice, and it does not suggest that Volkswagen or Audi vehicles in general are defective.

How California's lemon law works for a Volkswagen or Audi

Under Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2), when a new vehicle cannot be conformed to its express warranty after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must promptly replace it or make restitution, at the buyer's choice. Restitution covers the price paid, collateral charges such as tax and registration, and incidental damages, minus an offset based on the miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000 (§ 1793.2(d)(2)(C)). Try the numbers in our lemon law buyback calculator.

Within 18 months of delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, Civil Code § 1793.22(b) presumes a reasonable number of attempts after two repairs of the same defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four repairs of the same defect, or more than 30 cumulative days out of service. For the first two, you must also have notified the manufacturer directly if the warranty or owner's manual clearly disclosed that requirement. Claims outside those numbers can still succeed when the number of attempts was reasonable. A willful violation can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages, and a buyer who wins recovers attorney's fees and costs (§ 1794).

Volkswagen and Audi warranty terms

Volkswagen's Carefree Coverage page describes "4 years or 50,000 miles of New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage (whichever occurs first)," standard on model year 2020 and newer Volkswagens, and an 8-year or 100,000-mile High-Voltage Battery Limited Warranty for the ID.4 and ID. Buzz. Audi's warranty page states that its New Vehicle Limited Warranty "lasts four years or 50,000 miles—whichever occurs first," and for the model year 2021 e-tron, Audi lists 8 years or 100,000 miles of high-voltage battery coverage, noting that warranty repairs may not restore the battery to full "as new" capacity. Check the warranty booklet for your model year, and look in it for any instruction to notify the manufacturer in writing.

The Department of Consumer Affairs' list of manufacturers in the state-certified California Dispute Settlement Program does not include Volkswagen or Audi. If your booklet names another program, read Civil Code § 1793.22(c) with a lawyer: only a qualified, state-certified program can affect when you may rely on the presumption.

Volkswagen and Audi recalls you should know

A recall does not make a vehicle a lemon by itself. Recalls matter in two ways: they can explain a symptom you keep reporting, and a recall repair that later has to be redone becomes part of your repair history. Several Volkswagen recalls below replaced or expanded earlier ones. The table is a selection from NHTSA's database. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Vehicle counts are NHTSA's figures where it lists them. Doors that open while driving, airbags that switch off and brake pedals that detach are the kinds of defects that can bring the two-attempt safety rule into play; see our guide to brake, steering and airbag safety defects. For ID.4, e-tron and plug-in hybrid charging and battery issues, see our guide to EV battery and charging problems.

Reported cases and settlements involving Volkswagen

These are reported results in cases handled by other lawyers. They are not LaCour results.

Carver is a reminder that the timing and terms of an offer matter. In that case, turning down an offer the court found prompt and lawful ended the claim. If you receive any offer from Volkswagen or Audi, including a "cash and keep" payment, have it reviewed before the deadline in the letter; our guide to a manufacturer buyback or cash-and-keep offer explains what to check. An earlier decision involving BMW treated a confidentiality term differently, as our BMW and MINI guide describes.

For context, a consumer-group analysis cited by CalMatters counted one lemon lawsuit for every 304 Volkswagens sold in California, compared with one for every 2,029 Toyotas. Lawsuit counts reflect many factors and do not show that any particular vehicle is defective. Every case is different. Past results, including those listed here, do not predict the outcome of any other case.

Building your Volkswagen or Audi repair record

• Get a repair order for every visit, even when the dealer says "no fault found." Ask that it record your complaint in your own words.
• Use the same description each time, such as "door unlatched while driving" or "airbag off light with passenger seated."
• Photograph warning lights and screens with the date and mileage, and screenshot app alerts.
• Keep every recall letter and invoice. When a recall is expanded or replaced, the earlier invoice shows how long the problem has gone on.
• Track days out of service and keep rental, towing and rideshare receipts.
• Keep charging records for EV and plug-in hybrid problems, including any instruction not to charge.

What to do if your Volkswagen or Audi keeps going back to the dealer

1. Keep using an authorized dealer and keep the paper.
2. Contact Volkswagen Customer CARE at 1 (800) 822-8987, the number on vw.com, or Audi through the contact options on audiusa.com. Write down the case number.
3. If your booklet asks for written notice to the manufacturer, send a short dated letter describing the unrepaired defect.
4. Do not reject or accept a buyback or cash-and-keep offer until it has been reviewed, and note any response deadline.
5. Gather your contract, every repair order and the warranty booklet for a free review.

Deadlines for Volkswagen and Audi claims

Volkswagen and Audi were not named among the manufacturers reported to have opted in to the 2025 procedures under AB 1755 and SB 26, in a February 2026 report by Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety. Check the Department of Consumer Affairs list, which can change each year. If neither opted in, the older rules apply: generally four years under the Commercial Code's warranty statute of limitations, and tolling rules can apply. When the clock starts can be disputed, so call promptly. Our guide to the 2025 lemon law changes under AB 1755 compares the two systems.

How LaCour handles Volkswagen and Audi lemon law claims

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims statewide, in English and Spanish, led by trial counsel. When a claim succeeds, the manufacturer pays the buyer's attorney's fees and costs. Send us 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.