Los Angeles Ford F-150 Lemon Law

Ford F-150 Lemon Law Attorney in Los Angeles

The Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck in America. It is also one of the most complained-about vehicles in the federal safety database. If yours has been back to the dealer repeatedly for the same problem — engine failure, electrical faults, braking malfunctions — you may have a lemon on your hands and a legal right to a full refund or replacement under California law.

At The Lemon Law Guys | Johnson & Buxton, our attorneys spent years on the other side of these cases, defending manufacturers like Ford before switching to consumer advocacy. That experience is your advantage. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

Does Your Ford F-150 Qualify as a Lemon?

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790-1795.7) and the Tanner Consumer Protection Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22) set the standard. Your F-150 is presumed to be a lemon if, within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles of ownership, any of the following apply:

• Ford or an authorized dealer has attempted to repair the same defect four or more times without success.
• Ford has attempted at least two repairs on a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury — such as brake failure or sudden engine shutdown at highway speed.
• The vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days due to warranty repairs.

You do not have to hit all three. One is enough to trigger the presumption.

AB 1755 (signed September 29, 2024; effective January 1, 2025) changed the statute of limitations for lemon law actions: lawsuits must now be filed within one year after the applicable express warranty expires. Miss that deadline and your claim may be barred. Talk to a Los Angeles Ford F-150 lemon law attorney before that deadline passes.

Ford F-150 NHTSA Complaint Data

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation maintains a public database of owner-filed safety complaints. The table below reflects verified complaint counts for recent F-150 model years.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, complaint data as of August 2026. Complaint counts are owner-reported; totals may vary as new reports are filed.

Common Ford F-150 Defects in Los Angeles

The following F-150 defects appear repeatedly in NHTSA filings and California lemon law cases:

• Rear axle hub bolt fracture: NHTSA recall 23V847000 covered 112,965 model year 2021-2023 F-150 trucks after rear axle hub bolts were found to break, creating a risk of wheel detachment.
• Electric parking brake spontaneous activation: On 2021-2023 F-150s with single exhaust, a wiring harness contacting the rear axle housing could trigger the electric parking brake without driver input — a serious highway hazard.
• Transmission rollaway risk: A loose bolt in the transmission led to recall 23V093000, affecting vehicles that could roll away when parked.
• Airbag non-deployment: Multiple recall campaigns across 2022-2023 model years cited risk that passenger airbags would fail to deploy in a crash.
• Powertrain / engine failures: Powertrain issues account for the single largest complaint category for the 2022-2023 F-150, with owners reporting sudden loss of power and engine damage.

If your F-150 was returned to the dealer for any of these problems and the dealer failed to resolve it, California law may entitle you to a full buyback. Tell us what happened and we’ll evaluate your case at no charge.

Your Rights Under California Lemon Law

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.2(d), if Ford cannot fix a covered defect within a reasonable number of attempts, you are entitled to either:

• A full refund — the original purchase price plus taxes, registration fees, and any finance charges paid, minus a usage offset for miles driven before the first defect report.
• A replacement vehicle — a new F-150 of equal or greater value at no cost to you.

Ford pays your attorney fees if you prevail under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d). You pay nothing out of pocket for legal representation if your case qualifies.

Why Former Defense Attorneys Win More F-150 Lemon Law Cases

Derek Johnson and Jonathan Buxton spent years defending Ford and other manufacturers in lemon law cases. They know the internal playbooks — how manufacturers delay, dispute repair logs, and argue that defects were “repaired.” Now they use that knowledge against the manufacturers.

When you hire The Lemon Law Guys, you are hiring attorneys who have sat across the table from Ford’s legal team. That is not a marketing claim. It is a structural advantage you cannot get anywhere else.

Get a free case evaluation from attorneys who know Ford’s defense strategy from the inside.

How to Start Your Los Angeles F-150 Lemon Law Claim

1. Gather your repair orders. Every dealer visit should have generated a written repair order. Collect all of them, including the ones that say “unable to duplicate.”
2. Note the mileage and dates. The 18-month / 18,000-mile window runs from original delivery, not from your first complaint.
3. Do not sell or trade the truck. Surrendering the vehicle before the case resolves can complicate your claim.
4. Contact The Lemon Law Guys. We review your repair history, tell you whether you qualify, and handle everything through resolution. You pay no out-of-pocket fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many repair attempts do I need before I can file a California lemon law claim against Ford?

The Tanner Consumer Protection Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22) creates a legal presumption of a lemon at four repair attempts for the same defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect. You may still have a valid claim with fewer attempts if the defect substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety and Ford cannot fix it within a reasonable time.

My F-150 is financed. Can I still get a lemon law refund?

Yes. The refund calculation covers the down payment, all monthly payments made, and outstanding loan balance, minus a mileage-based usage offset. Ford or your lender handles the payoff directly. You receive any remaining balance.

Does it matter that my F-150 repair was covered under a different part of the warranty?

No. California lemon law applies to any defect covered by the manufacturer’s express warranty, whether that is the bumper-to-bumper warranty, powertrain warranty, or a specific component warranty Ford issued.

AB 1755 made the lemon law harder for consumers — should I still file?

AB 1755 added procedural steps. It did not eliminate consumer rights. Qualifying claims can still result in a full buyback or replacement. The procedural changes make it more important to work with an experienced attorney who files the correct paperwork in the correct order.

How long does a Ford F-150 lemon law case take to resolve in Los Angeles?

Most cases settle within three to six months. Cases that go through the new AB 1755 mediation process may take longer. Cases that reach litigation average nine to eighteen months. The Lemon Law Guys pursue early resolution whenever possible, so Los Angeles F-150 owners can move on quickly.