Some 40 years after the enactment of the original California lemon law, the need for this law is still being aptly demonstrated today. New information has recently surfaced on the largest recall Toyota Motor Corporation has ever issued, addressing unexpected acceleration in vehicles which could be potentially deadly to drivers. Initially Toyota claimed that the unexpected acceleration was due to floor mat and accelerator pedal design, but three West Virginia citizens have now filed a class-action suit claiming the unexpected acceleration is actually due to a faulty electronic throttle control system known as the ETCS-I.

According to news stories, it took some time for Toyota to publicly admit a problem at all. Prior to the recall, there had been several settlements with drivers complaining of unexpected acceleration that, while the individual cases were handled with buybacks or other remedies, the public at large was never notified.

According to the West Virginia suit, drivers of many Toyota vehicles are at risk, including those who drive 2007 and 2008 FJ Cruisers; 2003 through 2008 Tacoma pickup trucks; 2002 through 2009 Camrys; 1998 through 2009 Lexus models; 2000 through 2009 Tundras; 2001 through 2009 4Runner SUVs; 2005 through 2009 Avalons; 2001 through 2009 Land Cruisers; 2005 through 2009 Rav-4s; 2001 through 2009 Sequoias; 2004 through 2009 Siennas; 2005 through 2009 Corollas; and 2004 through 2009 Highlanders.

This latest case clearly shows that it is not at all uncommon for auto dealerships and manufacturers to continue to try and deflect vehicle defects so as to avoid lemon law claims and recalls. It is clear that the need for lemon law is still vital.

“If every manufacturer always stood behind its product unconditionally, there would be no need for lemon laws,” said leading California lemon law attorney Norman Taylor. “Instead, every state in the union has some kind of lemon law to protect its citizens from living with defective vehicles. This confirms that there is a need to protect consumers. Manufacturers left to their own devices will not do the right thing.”

Taylor knows of what he speaks. He has been a California lemon law specialist since 1987, and he and his firm, Norman Taylor and Associates, have handled over 8,000 cases for consumers with a 98 percent success rate.

As anyone who has ever purchased a lemon knows, the experience of dealing with the manufacturer to get the situation rectified can range from annoying to downright horrific.

Daily there are news stories demonstrating the need for the lemon law and their enforcement. Fortunately, firms such as Taylor’s are there to stand behind consumers in such trying times.