Hyundai Sonata Lemon Law

No, a recall does not prevent you from filing a lemon law claim under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. If the recall repair does not fully resolve the defect, or if the engine failure already caused a safety incident, you still have the right to pursue a buyback or replacement. In fact, recalls can strengthen a lemon law claim because they demonstrate that the manufacturer has acknowledged the defect.

Under the Song-Beverly Act, a vehicle that has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days due to warranty repairs is presumed to be a lemon. This 30-day rule applies to the total days out of service across all repair visits, not just a single visit. You should gather all repair orders showing the dates the vehicle was dropped off and picked up to calculate the total days.

Yes, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act provides that a prevailing buyer is entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees and costs in addition to the vehicle repurchase or replacement. This fee-shifting provision is one reason many lemon law attorneys take cases on a contingency basis at no upfront cost to the consumer. Hyundai would be responsible for paying your attorney fees if you prevail.

If your 2020 Sonata still has an active manufacturer's warranty or is covered by Hyundai's extended engine warranty for the Theta II or Smartstream engine, you may file a lemon law claim as a second owner under the Song-Beverly Act. California's lemon law protects any consumer who purchases a vehicle with an existing warranty, not just the original purchaser. Ensure you report the defect to an authorized Hyundai dealer promptly and keep all documentation.