Affected Years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Mitsubishi Lancer. Our law firm is also investigating 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Mitsubishi Lancer for the same issues.
These issues seem to arise from defects in the CVT Transmission.
Vehicle warranties were first offered to consumers more than 100 years ago. They were provided by the car builders to help sell units when automobiles were new, not well known, and very expensive. Today, the same vehicle warranties are offered for any new vehicle, and most manufacturers offer additional warranty terms for lightly used vehicles that are taken by the dealers on trade or bought at auction. These are referred to as certified pre-owned vehicles (CPO). The CPO warranties are based on the remaining balance of any original coverage, and usually with an additional time period and mileage added on. There is typically a thorough vehicle manufacturer inspection to validate the vehicle is in excellent shape.
When the question focuses on Lemon Law, many people have heard of vehicles being referred to as lemons. It is a bad reputation to have because the vehicle seems to have a long list of things wrong with it. The reality of a Lemon Law claim in California means the vehicle suffers a single problem that has not been successfully repaired and the vehicle is under warranty. More on the qualifications for Lemon Law in California below.
If you own or lease a Mitsubishi Lancer and have had issues with the transmission, your vehicle might qualify as a lemon under the law. If you believe that the dealer has had enough chances to fix this issue, and you are considering filing a lemon law claim on your Lancer, you should contact Guardian Lemon Law. We can conduct a case review, validate your claim, and verify the car qualifies. We will assign a Mitsubishi Lancer lemon law attorney who is experienced and able to outline the options you have open to you.
Our first step in being able to make your lemon law claim is confirming your vehicle does qualify. If it does, we can sue Mitsubishi for selling you a defective, lemon Mitsubishi Lancer. Guardian Lemon Law will provide you a lawyer experienced in Mitsubishi Lancer transmission shudder lemon law cases to get your issue resolved. Remember that your initial meeting is free and covered under our Zero-Fee Guarantee.
The Qualifications For Lemon Law Eligibility
The qualifications listed below need to be met before your Mitsubishi Lancer can be the subject of a lemon law claim or lawsuit. We offer a case review to determine your vehicle eligibility as part of the services you get as a Guardian Lemon Law client. The first 3 items should all be met.
- The issue cannot be a result of abuse or neglect on the part of the owner before the 1st repair or any repair that follows
- Your vehicle is covered under your manufacturer’s new car warranty or a certified pre-owned warranty for the initial and all subsequent repair efforts
- Your dealer has made a reasonable number of attempts to repair the reported issue, defined as 2 attempts for safety-related failures, and 4 attempts for non-safety issues
- The issue being repaired is the same one for each visit counted, and the issue impacts the safety, use, or value of the vehicle for the owner
- Your vehicle has been at the dealer for a period totaling more than 30 calendar days during all repair efforts.
Your Mitsubishi Lancer transmission shudder lemon lawyer will determine if your vehicle has met the necessary requirements, and by doing so, confirm it qualifies under California Lemon Law to file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf.
In addition to the qualifications and restrictions mentioned above, there is one other item that impacts your rights as a consumer. The Statute of Limitations, updated in January of 2025, sets a time limit for a Lemon Law claim or lawsuit filing.
The Statute Of Limitations For Lemon Law Claims In California
The time limit for filing a Lemon Law Claim or a lawsuit has two dates. The first date is 1 year from the expiration of your original factory warranty, and the second date is 6 years from the date of vehicle delivery to you from the dealer. The time limit that applies will be the earliest of the calendar dates, and any action you wish to take must be filed before that date arrives. When you need an attorney that specializes in Mitsubishi Lancer defective CVT transmission lemon lawsuits, Guardian is the call you need to make.
The California Lemon Law And The Things You Need To Know
California Lemon Law, originally known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, was passed into law in March, 1971. Its primary goal was to provide the consumers in California support whenever manufacturers were unable to fix a problem and uphold their warranty. To accomplish this, it established an obligation to replace or refund any item that they were unable to fix under the terms of the warranty offered. Known for its use and reference to automobiles, people are often surprised to learn that it also covers a variety of other consumer products like new homes and appliances. The law from 1971 remains the foundation of Lemon law today. The law still provides consumers the protections they deserve if they have issues with a product.
The Issues, Events And Experiences Of The 2017-2021 Mitsubishi Lancer Transmission Issues
The 2017-2021 Mitsubishi Lancer’s Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is well documented for defects causing jerking and excessive shuddering as symptoms of the issue. If these are left unaddressed, the issues often escalate into a total transmission failure, resulting in damaged internal pulleys and belt slippage. The symptoms and causes are:
- Shuddering is described as feeling like you are driving over rumble strips. It is directly caused by the steel belt slipping and chattering across the metal pulley surface
- Rough shifting & slow acceleration usually occurs when the transmission fluid overheats, the Transmission Control Module (TCM) enters into protection mode, and reduces power to prevent major damage to the transmission itself
- Sudden power loss is a severe safety risk where the transmission stops transferring torque to the wheels, often at highway speeds. This can cause a sudden nose dive followed by a spin if the driver hits the brakes suddenly at highway speed and the rear end is already light with the loss of power
- The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) hesitation, felt from a dead stop, or a violent shudder and shaking feeling when you press the gas pedal, is another issue often experienced. Mitsubishi’s CVTs are noted for experiencing early wear. This impacts the transmission’s ability to smoothly transfer power to the axle and wheels. The fix begins with having the mechanic or dealership pull all the pending diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). Repairs will range from a software update and transmission fluid flush to a valve body replacement or full transmission swap when necessary.
What your dealer should be doing is troubleshooting the transmission with an eye on the known causes of these behaviors. Do not be surprised if the repair takes time, but be aware of the steps they are taking to complete a repair, and of course how long it is taking. When you need a lemon lawyer to sue Mitsubishi for transmission shudder, Guardian Lemon Law can provide one for you. Please contact us if you have questions.
Our Zero-Fee Guarantee At Guardian Lemon Law
Our Zero-Fee Guarantee is provided to all of our clients free of charge. The guarantee is a promise and is honest and simple, with the details about the Guardian Lemon Law Zero-Fee guarantee being easy to understand. Your initial consultation with Guardian Lemon Law is free of charge. There will never be any upfront costs to hire us for legal representation. There is never an obligation to hire Guardian Lemon Law, even after you take advantage of our free services. You might want a second opinion on your existing case if you get concerned it isn’t progressing the way you want. We don’t charge for this either. If you’re looking to replace your current representation, we welcome the opportunity to show you what we do and how we approach issues like yours.
Our Zero-Fee Guarantee applies to your lawsuit too. If we don’t win your case, there will be no charge for our effort. When we win, Mitsubishi is legally required to pay your reasonable legal fees. Please call Guardian Lemon Law when you need advice or representation and think you are experiencing a Lemon Law issue. We will be ready to take action.
