CACI No. 3205. Failure to Begin Repairs Within Reasonable Time or to Complete Repairs Within 30 Days - Essential Factual Elements (Civ. Code, § 1793.2(b))

Judicial Council of California Civil Jury Instructions (2023 edition)

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3205.Failure to Begin Repairs Within Reasonable Time or to
Complete Repairs Within 30 Days - Essential Factual Elements
(Civ. Code, § 1793.2(b))
[Name of plaintiff] claims that [he/she/nonbinary pronoun] was harmed
because [name of defendant] failed to [begin repairs on the [consumer
good/new motor vehicle] in a reasonable time/ [or] repair the [consumer
good/new motor vehicle] within 30 days]. To establish this claim, [name of
plaintiff] must prove all of the following:
1. That [name of plaintiff] [bought/leased] [a/an] [consumer good/new
motor vehicle] [from/distributed by/manufactured by] [name of
defendant];
2. That [name of defendant] gave [name of plaintiff] a written
warranty that [describe alleged express warranty];
3. That the [consumer good/new motor vehicle] had [a] defect[s] that
[was/were] covered by the warranty;
4. That [name of defendant] or its authorized repair facility failed to
[begin repairs within a reasonable time/ [or] complete repairs
within 30 days so as to conform to the applicable warranties].
New December 2011; Revised December 2012
Directions for Use
Give this instruction for the defendant’s alleged breach of Civil Code section
1793.2(b), which requires that repairs be commenced within a reasonable time and
finished within 30 days unless the buyer otherwise agrees in writing. This
instruction assumes that the statute contains two separate requirements, one for
starting repairs and one for finishing them, either of which would be a violation.
The damages recoverable for unreasonable delay in repairs are uncertain. A violation
of Civil Code section 1793.2(b) would not entitle the consumer to the remedies of
restitution or replacement for a consumer good or new motor vehicle as provided in
section 1793.2(d). Before those remedies are available, the manufacturer is entitled
to a reasonable number of repair opportunities. (Gavaldon v. DaimlerChrysler Corp.
(2004) 32 Cal.4th 1246, 1262 [13 Cal.Rptr.3d 793, 90 P.3d 752]; see Civ. Code,
§§ 1793.2(d), 1793.22.) California Uniform Commercial Code remedies that are
generally available under Song-Beverly permit the buyer to cancel the sale and
recover the price paid, or to accept the goods and recover diminution in value. (See
Civ. Code, § 1794(b); Cal. U. Com. Code, §§ 2711-2715.) It seems questionable,
however, that a buyer could cancel the sale and get the purchase price back solely
for delay in completing repairs, particularly if the repairs were ultimately successful.
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Delay caused by conditions beyond the control of the defendant extends the 30-day
requirement. (Civ. Code, § 1793.2(b).) It would most likely be the defendant’s
burden to prove that conditions beyond its control caused the delay.
Sources and Authority
Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act: Right of Action. Civil Code section
1794(a).
Repairs to Start Within Reasonable Time. Civil Code section 1793.2(b).
“[T]he fifth cause of action in each complaint clearly stated a cause of action
under Civil Code section 1794 . . . . Plaintiff had pleaded that he was such a
buyer who was injured by a ‘willful’ violation of Civil Code section 1793.2,
subdivision (b) which in pertinent part requires that with respect to consumer
goods sold in this state for which the manufacturer has made an express
warranty and service and repair facilities are maintained in this state (undisputed
herein) and ‘repair of the goods is necessary because they do not conform with
the applicable express warranties, service and repair shall be commenced within
a reasonable time by the manufacturer or its representative.’ (Gomez v.
Volkswagen of Am. (1985) 169 Cal.App.3d 921, 925 [215 Cal.Rptr. 507],
footnote omitted.)
Secondary Sources
4 Witkin, Summary of California Law (11th ed. 2017) Sales, § 324
8 California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Ch. 91, Automobiles: Actions Involving
Defects and Repairs, § 91.14 (Matthew Bender)
20 California Points and Authorities, Ch. 206, Sales, § 206.103 (Matthew Bender)
30 California Legal Forms, Ch. 92, Service Contracts, § 92.52 (Matthew Bender)
SONG-BEVERLY CONSUMER WARRANTY ACT CACI No. 3205
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