Category: General Motors Auto Defects

By: Nicole Halavi

General Motors is a multinational corporation and has been America’s largest automobile manufacturer for years. It was founded in 1908 and has now grown to be one of the world’s largest multinational corporations specializing in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of vehicles across the globe. Despite its reputable position in the auto market, the automaker is facing several lawsuits concerning multiple issues regarding a defective ignition switch in various models.

If your GM vehicle has exhibited serious repeated issues, CCA is here to help. Please feel free to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What is the Ignition Switch Defect in the GM Vehicles that Resulted in a Lawsuit against the Corporation?

According to numerous GM owners, they encountered issues with respect to the proper operation of their vehicle’s ignition switch. The ignition switch activates the vehicle’s electric system and starts the car when the key is turned. Most ignition switches are equipped with four different settings: Lock, Accessory, On, and Start. Normally, the switch will remain in the “On” setting for as long as the car is running. However, with a defective switch, the car will spontaneously shift into the “Accessory” mode. The main problem arises from the fact that the vehicle’s engine, airbags, and anti-lock braking system are disabled when the car is in “Accessory” mode. Clearly, this creates a major safety problem for a driver on the road.

While this issue is becoming more prevalent in certain GM models, there are claims that GM has been aware of it since 2001. In 2005, GM dodged a recall and, instead, issued a service bulletin to GM dealers. Apparently, they also withheld important information from federal authorities to avoid issuing the recall.

Ultimately, the recall was delayed for 13 years, and finally, in 2014, GM issued a recall and paid a $35 million fine to the Department of Transportation and a $900 million fine to the Department of Justice for concealing a potentially life-threatening defect.

GM has been fighting several ignition switch lawsuits for almost two decades now. The three main types of lawsuit filed against GM are:• Personal Injury
• Wrongful Death
• Class-Action
Several crash victims and their families have filed multiple suits against the corporation for injuries and wrongful death caused by the faulty ignition switch. Despite the issues stirred up and the lawsuits filed, only 10% of the people who raised their issues received some form of compensation.

What Can I Do if My GM Vehicle is Subject to Defective Ignition Switch Issues?

If your GM vehicle has been exhibiting any of the problems mentioned above, such as a defect in the ignition switch, CCA’s lawyers are here to help – and at no cost to you! CCA is equipped with a team of lawyers who are trained to handle complicated lemon law cases and get you the relief that you deserve.

If your vehicle has been exhibiting any defects or issues, please contact our experts for a free consultation at (833) LEMON-FIRM.

By: Nicole Halavi

Despite GM’s popularity in the auto market, the brand has managed to become involved in several lawsuits concerning defects in various GM models. In fact, a recently filed lawsuit against GM alleges that a number of GMC Acadia models were equipped with a defective shifter.

If your GM vehicle has exhibited any shifter issues or serious transmission issues, CCA is here to help. Feel free to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What are the Issues in the GMC Acadia that led to a Lawsuit?

Several users have filed complaints against General Motors alleging their vehicles exhibited issues that caused the “shift to park” message to appear when the vehicle failed to detect the transmission has been shifted to “PARK” mode. The issue eventually led to a class-action lawsuit filed by Plaintiff Rilla Jefferson on behalf of former and current GMC Acadia owners in Tennessee.

Acadia owners claim that the defective gear shifter prevents them from shutting or locking the vehicle properly. According to the lawsuit, the message appears even though the shifters are in PARK, which ultimately drains the car’s battery. The lawsuit alleges that GM has repeatedly concealed this issue in order to keep Acadias’ on the market at a competitive price.

According to the lawsuit, after purchasing her new 2017 GMC Acadia, Ms. Jefferson began to notice several defects in her vehicle, one of which being a problem with the gear shifter. She visited several GM dealers, but none provided her with sufficient repair.

An owner of the 2018 GMC Acadia explained the issue as follows: “The problem seems to be like everyone else. When you park and shift to park and turn off the car you get a message that you need to shift to park. I have to shift back and forth several times before it thinks the car is in park. If the car is not in park it stays on and drains the battery. Once I got the car back from the dealership after about a week the problem is still occurring.”

Another complaint from an owner of the 2017 GMC Acadia stated the following: “The shift to park comes on after parking the car in the drive way, I have to play with the gear or put the car in drive and attempt to drive it sometimes or if I’m in a hurry the alarm goes off and the batter remains on the alarm goes off if not in park this is a very annoying problem where the dealership says they can’t duplicate. Which is a bunch of bull crap because it happens every time I cut the truck off: I just brought the car a few months ago it would have been nice to see this before leaving the lot !”

What Can I Do if My GMC Acadia is Subject to the Problems Discussed Above?

If you suffered transmission or shifter issues with your Acadia (such as a defective gear shifter, lurching, harsh shifts, acceleration problems, or other issues), CCA’s attorneys are here to help. Our attorneys are knowledgeable about the issues concerning your vehicle and are prepared to get you the compensation that you deserve.

Please do not hesitate to contact our experts today for a free consultation at: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

By: Nicole Halavi

General Motors is a multinational corporation and has been America’s largest automobile manufacturer for years. Despite its reputable position in the auto industry, a 2016 lawsuit against GM was recently certified as a class action suit concerning GM vehicles’ oil consumption problems.

If your GM vehicle has exhibited repeated or unrepaired oil consumption problems, CCA is here to help. Please free to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What are the Oil Consumption Issues in GM-Manufactured vehicles?

Numerous owners have filed complaints against GM alleging their vehicles exhibited defects such as engine damage, excessive oil consumption, knocking engines, and more. The class action lawsuit filed against GM alleged that the oil consumption defect ultimately caused serious engine defects and even engine failure. As described in the complaint, the oil consumption defect is caused by a carbon buildup in the defective piston rings. An oil consumption issue is a major safety concern as it may cause the vehicle to breakdown unexpectedly.

Here is a list of some GM models reported to have oil consumption issues:

• Chevrolet Avalanche
• Chevrolet Silverado
• Chevrolet Suburban
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• GMC Sierra
• GMC Yukon
• GMC Yukon XL

A Chevrolet Suburban owner recently described his problems, “Chevy Suburbans are too expensive to have these kinds of problems. I took the Suburban to the dealer and they told me the pistons and rings needed to be replaced to the tune of $4,000. They admitted to oil burning in the combustion chamber and a buildup of carbon had occurred. This vehicle is a perfect fit for our large family. However, given that GM gave me their dishonest run-around and then only paid for half of the repair, I will be selling the vehicle after it gets fixed and will NEVER buy another Suburban again.”

While the class action lawsuit was initially dismissed in 2017, the judge later ruled that there is enough evidence that supports the allegations regarding the oil consumption defect. According to the court, the defect is undoubtedly a safety concern. In his final ruling, the judge stated that “a reasonable jury could conclude that the evidence before the Court supports the conclusion that the alleged oil consumption defect constitutes a safety defect and that GM actively concealed information about the defect.”

Excerpts from complaints filed against GM provide further insight into the problem:

“High oil consumption, 3.5 quarts used. Start mileage 49591, oil change today 53598 mileage. 4007 miles 3.5 quarts used. Got low oil warning around mid-November the dealer added 1 qt. Today they said it was 2.5 qt low. I had to remind that it would be 3.5 qt consumption in 4007 miles. Not good!” – owner of a GMC Sierra 1500 3.5L.

“At 79k miles I noticed my 2014 Chevy Silverado LT was low in oil. I did add two quarts and waited for the following oil change to report it to the dealer advisor. Since then the truck has been consuming about a quart and a half per one thousand miles. At some point the engine light came on and after checking the deep stick I found out that the level was way low, almost empty.” – owner of a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT.

What Can I Do if My GM Has Suffered Excessive Oil Consumption?

If your vehicle is excessively consuming oil or has suffered resultant engine damage, CCA’s attorneys are here to help. Our attorneys are knowledgeable about the issues concerning your vehicle and are prepared to get you significant compensation. Here’s the best part – our legal bills are paid by the automakers; not by our clients.

Please call our experts today for a free consultation at: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

By Sepehr Daghighian

Owners of GM vehicles, including Chevrolet Silverado 1500s, GMC Sierra 1500 Pickups, and Cadillac CT6 sedans are extensively complaining of trouble with their vehicle illuminating warning lights from the vehicle’s computer systems. GM vehicle owners, for example, have complained of warning messages from the Electronic Stability Control (“ESC”) system, Anti-Lock Braking System (“ABS”), “Check Engine” lights, and other warning messages. The warning messages are often accompanied by the vehicle being placed into a different driving mode, which affects braking, steering, and other systems.  These illuminated warning signals are more than just a mere annoyance – GM has recently announced a recall of over 814,000 vehicles due to defects in the vehicle’s electronics systems.  

According to documents filed by GM with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), in “certain 2019 model year Cadillac CT6, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500… a software error can, in rare cases, disable the vehicle’s

electronic stability control (ESC) and antilock brake system (ABS) systems for a single ignition cycle.”  Also, in many vehicles, the battery cable rings were contaminated with glue residue during production. As a result, the electrical connections could become loose, “which could lead to an intermittent electrical connection or arcing… An intermittent electrical connection between the B+ battery cable and the alternator could cause the vehicle to stall. The intermittent connection could also lead to arcing, which could generate sufficient heat to damage surrounding material and increase the risk of a fire.”  

The vehicles affected by these recalls include:

• 2019 – 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trucks;
• 2019 – 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Trucks; and
• 2019 Cadillac CT6 sedans;

GM vehicle owners have complained extensively about electrical issues arising from these defects.  For instance, frustrated truck owners have complained of multiple warning sounds/lights, while driving their relatively new vehicles.  Frighteningly, GM owners have received warning of their “brake failure” indicator while driving accompanying by irregularities in the braking system.  Oftentimes, the “brake failure” light is accompanied by several other warning lights, as well. Owners have furthermore complained that, in spite of multiple visits to the dealership, GM has been unable to remedy these problems.  

Recently, in December 2019, GM issued multiple recalls to address the electronics issues arising from these vehicles.  

The lemon law attorneys at CCA are experts at handling lemon law complaints against General Motors.  If your GM vehicle has not lived up to your expectations, has spent too much time in the shop, or has scared you with an array of flashing warning lights and sounds, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation today: (833) LEMON-FIRM.  

By Brian T. Murray, Esq.

If you are driving one of the hundreds of thousands of vehicles recently manufactured by General Motors, LLC (“GM”) you may be at risk due to a dangerously defective transmission.  Francis, et al v. General Motors, LLC, a class action recently filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges that the automotive giant was aware that thousands of vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2019 contained defective transmissions, but did nothing to warn customers. The class includes customers in the United States who purchased or leased any vehicle equipped with GM’s Hydra-Matic 8L90 transmission or Hydra-Matic 8L45 Transmission.  

The alleged defective transmissions can cause unsafe conditions including but not limited to “suddenly lurching forward, sudden loss of forward propulsion, and significant delays in acceleration.”  “These transmissions have a common defect,” the complaint reads. “Drivers attempting to accelerate or decelerate their cars feel a hesitation, followed by a significant shake, shudder, jerk, clunk, or ‘hard shift’ when the vehicle’s automatic transmission changes gears.” The problem also occurs when the vehicles accelerate in a single gear, without shifting, the plaintiffs allege. “Drivers have reported that the shift is sometimes so violent, they feel as though they have been hit by another vehicle.”  The complaint alleges that, despite information from its authorized dealerships, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) and consumer complaints GM “failed to alert [consumers] of the true and unsafe nature of the Transmission Defect.” The complaint further alleges that even when consumers presented their vehicles to GM’s authorized repair facilities to address the transmission concerns, consumers were told that their vehicles we behaving normally or given ineffective repairs. 

Overall, the complaint alleges 104 separate charges relating to vehicles sold in 32 different states from California to New York.  The vehicles include: 

• 2015-2019 Chevrolet Silverado
• 2017-2019 Chevrolet Colorado
• 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette
• 2016-2019 Chevrolet Camaro
• 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
• 2016-2019 Cadillac ATS and ATS-V
• 2016-2019 Cadillac CTS and CTS-V
• 2016-2019 Cadillac CT6
• 2015-2019 GMC Sierra
• 2015-2019 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
• 2015-2017 GMC Yukon Denali and Denali XL
• 2017-2019 GMC Canyon

Furthermore, according to the class action complaint and investigations by CCA’s attorneys, the transmission shuddering, shaking, jerking and hesitation relates to internal issues within the transmission not function properly and resulting in metal shavings being circulated throughout the transmission. What is worse, over time, damage to the transmission and torque converter occurs. Thus, consumers face escalating repairs that can include flushing the transmission of metal shavings caused by the defective transmission operation, and which eventually necessitates the replacement of components such as the torque converter, valve body, or the entire transmission. 

While GM has attempted several “band-aid” fixes for the beleaguered transmission, none have proven sufficient.  In fact, since 2015, GM has issued no less than thirteen versions of technical service bulletins (or TSBs) relating to these transmission issues. The TSBs related to the transmission issues have advised dealerships to, among other things: complete the “clutch drive learn procedure,” replace the valve body, replace the entire transmission, flush the cooler lines and cooler, remove debris from and clean the transmission pan, replace the transmission filter, replace the transmission fluid, and/or flush the transmission. However, in spite of these many prescribed “fixes” from Detroit, none have sufficiently remedied the problems for countless California Consumers   

Fortunately, the experienced lemon law attorneys at CCA are well-versed in the technical and legal nuances of pursuing legal action against GM. CCA’s seasoned litigators have obtained dozens of significant settlements for California consumers from GM and are here to help you – at no charge to you. If your GM vehicle has serious, unrectified transmission problems, we invite you to call us today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.