What can I do if a car dealer lied to me in California?

Dealer misrepresentations — hidden accident history, undisclosed prior rental use, false "certified" labels, payment packing — violate the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Civil Code section 1770. Remedies include rescission, damages, and attorney fees, but a damages suit requires the CLRA's 30-day pre-suit demand letter first.

Auto sales are among the most regulated consumer transactions in California, and the paper usually decides the case. Misrepresenting a vehicle's characteristics, history, or condition — concealing frame damage, prior rental or fleet use, or an undisclosed salvage title — violates the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Civil Code section 1770, which supports rescission, damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees after the 30-day pre-suit demand of section 1782. Beyond the CLRA: a used vehicle sold as "certified" must meet the conditions of Vehicle Code section 11713.18, financed sales must put every charge in a single document under the Rees-Levering Act, Civil Code section 2981 et seq., and dealers must be bonded, giving judgment-holders a bond to collect against under Vehicle Code section 11711. Gather the purchase contract, advertising, window sticker, and a vehicle history report, and file a complaint with the DMV, which licenses dealers. Deceit claims generally run three years from discovery under Code of Civil Procedure section 338(d).

Authority: Cal. Civ. Code § 1770