Over One Million Jeeps Are Being Recalled. Is Your Car One of Them?
Massive vehicle recalls have dominated automotive headlines in recent months, with several major manufacturers announcing safety campaigns affecting millions of vehicles. Among the most significant is a new Stellantis recall involving more than one million Jeep vehicles due to a fire risk that can occur even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. For consumers, these recalls raise an important question: What happens if the manufacturer cannot fix the problem?
In California, a recall does not automatically make a vehicle a lemon. However, when a vehicle covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty has a substantial defect that cannot be repaired within a reasonable number of attempts, California Lemon Law may provide important remedies, and a California lemon law attorney at Nita Lemon Law Firm can help you get the solution you need and desire.
Stellantis Recalls More Than One Million Jeep Vehicles Over Fire Risk
Stellantis recently announced a recall affecting approximately 1.08 million Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles from model years 2021 through 2025. According to reports submitted to federal regulators, the affected vehicles may experience a defect that creates a risk of fire, including when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is turned off. The recall affects one of Jeep’s most popular vehicle lines and has generated significant concern among owners.
A fire hazard is among the most serious automotive defects because it can threaten not only vehicle occupants but also nearby vehicles, structures, and property. Because of this danger, Stellantis urges affected owners and lessees to leave their vehicles parked outside and away from structures until the problem is fixed. When a manufacturer identifies a defect with the potential to cause a vehicle fire, consumers should take the recall seriously and follow all manufacturer instructions regarding inspections and repairs.
Ford’s Massive Trailer Brake and Exterior Lighting Recall
Ford has also announced one of the largest recalls in recent memory, affecting more than 4.3 million vehicles. The recall involves software issues within the Integrated Trailer Module that may cause trailer brake lights, trailer turn signals, and trailer braking functions to become inoperative. Federal regulators have warned that these failures can reduce a driver’s ability to control a trailer and may increase the risk of a crash.
The recall affects numerous Ford and Lincoln models, including certain F-150 trucks, Super Duty trucks, Rangers, Expeditions, Navigators, Mavericks, and Transit vans. Ford plans to address the issue through software updates, including over-the-air updates for many vehicles.
Honda and Acura Recall More Than 880,000 Vehicles for Rear Subframe Corrosion
Honda recently recalled more than 880,000 Honda and Acura vehicles due to concerns that rear subframes may corrode prematurely. According to recall reports, insufficient coating during manufacturing may allow corrosion to develop, potentially leading to fractures at suspension mounting points. If suspension components fail, drivers could lose control of the vehicle and crash.
The recall affects several popular models, including certain Honda Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, and Acura MDX vehicles. Because the defect involves structural and suspension components, it presents significant safety concerns for vehicle owners.
Subaru Recalls Nearly 70,000 Vehicles for Moonroof Defect
Subaru has issued a recall involving nearly 70,000 Forester and Forester Hybrid vehicles due to improperly bonded moonroof glass panels. Investigators determined that the bonding adhesion between the glass panel and frame may deteriorate over time, potentially allowing the glass to detach while the vehicle is being driven. A detached moonroof panel can create a roadway hazard and increase the risk of injury or accidents involving other motorists.
Although Subaru reported no known injuries related to the defect, the possibility of glass separating from a moving vehicle prompted the recall campaign. Dealers are inspecting affected vehicles and replacing moonroof assemblies when necessary.
Kia Telluride Recalls Continue to Make Headlines
Kia Telluride owners have also seen multiple recalls in recent years. Recent recalls have involved seat belt systems and other safety-related components, while earlier campaigns addressed trim pieces that could detach from the vehicle and create roadway hazards. These recalls underscore the reality that even highly popular and well-reviewed vehicles can develop serious defects requiring manufacturer intervention.
When Does a Recall Become a Lemon Law Claim?
Many consumers mistakenly believe that a recall automatically means their vehicle qualifies as a lemon. That is not the case. California Lemon Law applies to new vehicles covered under the manufacturer’s original warranty when a defect substantially impairs the vehicle’s safety, use, or value, and the manufacturer cannot repair the problem within a reasonable number of attempts.
In fact, a manufacturer can issue a recall and successfully repair the defect on the first attempt, eliminating any basis for a lemon law claim. Conversely, a vehicle may qualify as a lemon even if no recall has ever been issued. The key question is whether the manufacturer has been unable to repair a substantial defect after receiving a reasonable opportunity to do so.
California’s Lemon Law Presumptions
California’s Tanner Consumer Protection Act (Civil Code 1793.22) creates presumptions that can help consumers establish that a reasonable number of repair attempts have occurred. Generally, a vehicle may be presumed to be a lemon if:
- The manufacturer has attempted to repair the same defect four or more times without success; or
- The manufacturer has attempted to repair a defect that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury two or more times without success.
These are presumptions rather than strict requirements. Some vehicles qualify as lemons with fewer repair attempts, while others may require additional evidence depending on the circumstances. For recalls involving fire risks, brake failures, suspension failures, airbag defects, or similar safety concerns, the two-attempt presumption may be particularly important.
Different Claim Procedures Depending on Whether the Manufacturer Opted In
California significantly changed its lemon law procedures through Assembly Bill 1755 and Senate Bill 26 in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Manufacturers were given the opportunity to opt into a streamlined litigation framework with specific procedural requirements and deadlines.
Manufacturers That Have Opted In
Of the manufacturers discussed in this article, Ford and Stellantis are among those that opted into California’s new procedures. When pursuing a lemon law claim against an opt-in manufacturer, consumers generally must comply with additional pre-suit requirements, including providing specific notices and participating in mandatory mediation procedures before certain aspects of litigation can proceed. The law also imposes streamlined discovery procedures and expedited timelines intended to resolve claims more efficiently, but with less strength on the part of vehicle owners and lessees to pursue their rights most effectively.
Manufacturers That Have Opted Out
Honda, Acura, Subaru, and Kia are among the manufacturers that have not opted into the new framework. Claims against non-participating manufacturers generally proceed under the traditional litigation process. These cases are not subject to the same mandatory mediation requirements and procedural framework applicable to opt-in manufacturers. Instead, they follow the more familiar civil litigation procedures that existed before AB 1755 and SB 26.
While the procedural tracks differ, the underlying consumer protections remain the same. Consumers are still entitled to pursue a repurchase, replacement vehicle, attorney’s fees, and other available remedies when a qualifying lemon law violation occurs.
Don’t Assume a Recall Solves the Problem
Manufacturers often announce recalls before a permanent fix has been fully developed. In some cases, consumers are instructed to wait months for replacement parts or software updates. In other situations, recall repairs are attempted multiple times without fully resolving the defect.
If your vehicle continues to experience the same safety-related problem despite recall repairs, you should carefully document every dealership visit, repair order, and communication with the manufacturer. Those records may become critical evidence in a future lemon law claim.
Contact Nita Lemon Law Firm
At Nita Lemon Law Firm, we help California consumers hold manufacturers accountable when serious vehicle warranty defects cannot be repaired. Whether your vehicle is subject to a major recall or has a recurring problem that continues despite repeated repair attempts, our firm can evaluate your rights under California Lemon Law and help you pursue the remedies available under the law. Contact Nita Lemon Law Firm today to discuss your situation and learn whether your vehicle may qualify for a repurchase or replacement.
