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GM Trucks and SUV Faulty Airbags and Belts Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: A California resident has filed a class action lawsuit against General Motors (GM).
- Why: Plaintiff claims that GM trucks and SUVs are equipped with airbag and seat belt systems that fail to engage within a safe time frame.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
General Motors is facing yet another class action lawsuit alleging the automaker knew about faulty airbags and seat belts installed in millions of GM trucks and SUVs for years.
Lead plaintiff, Ramiro Pereda, says he bought a pre-owned 2010 Silverado 2500 HD in 2016 after seeing or hearing several advertisements about the safety and reliability of GM vehicles, including his model. He argues that had the automaker told him, as well as other GM truck and SUV owners, about the defective nature of the safety features, they would have not bought the vehicles or paid less for them.
Pereda is suing General Motors and wants to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who own a GM truck or SUV affected by a Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) Calibration defect, along with a California subclass. GM trucks and SUVs that were manufactured after July 10, 2009 may be affected by the dangerous vehicle safety defect, claims the plaintiff.
GM Chose ‘Reckless and Dangerous’ Airbag and Belts Design for Trucks and SUVs
The questionable safety feature prevents seat belt tightening and airbag deployment only 45 milliseconds after an initial impact to the front of the car, claims the class action lawsuit.
In more than two decades, at least 1,298 people have been injured or killed in GM trucks and SUVs where the airbag failed to deploy, according to data from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), says the plaintiff.
The defect affects GM trucks and SUVs starting with model year 1999 including the Silverado, Tahoe, Astro, and Trailblazer, according to court documents.
Delco Electronics, which designed the SDM software program in the Class Vehicles, specifically told GM in 1999 that the choice to prevent airbag and seat belt activation after 45 milliseconds was “reckless and dangerous.” The automaker ignored the warning for its trucks, a practice which the current GM continues to employ, the class action lawsuit claims.
Production Continues, Despite GM Trucks and SUVs Faulty Airbags, Belts
Pereda accuses GM of violating consumer protection laws and fair business practices with its fraudulent concealment of the alleged defect.
The class action lawsuit claims that GM knew or had reason to know about the faulty systems from at least July 10, 2009, when it acquired everything from its predecessor, the GM corporation. GM also continues to face lawsuits, complaints, and accident investigations regarding its truck and SUV airbags and seat belts, points out the plaintiff
Still, GM conceals these hazards from the general public and potential customers in order to continue profiting from sales, says the class action. GM also has yet to recall or repair the Class Vehicles.
Have you purchased a GM truck or SUV with defective airbags or seat belts? Tell us about it in the comments below!
The plaintiff is represented by Richard Heimann, Nimish R. Desai, David S. Stellings, Katherine I. McBride, and Jessica A. Moldovan of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP; Roland Tellis, David Fernandes, and Adam Tamburelli of Baron & Rudd, P.C.; David M. Birka-White of Birka-White Law Offices; and E. Powell Miller of The Miller Law Firm, P.C.
The GM Trucks and SUVs Faulty Airbags and Belts Class Action Lawsuit is Pereda v. General Motors LLC, et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-06338-JCS, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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8 thoughts onGM Safety Measures ‘Reckless and Dangerous’ in Trucks, SUVs, Claims Another Class Action
I was rear-ended six years ago in my 2007 Chevy Tahoe Z 71. I was hurt really bad. I did not know that the airbags were faulty in the car until now. As hard as I was here they did not deploy my back was injured really bad. My ankle is broken and my name is sprained and being pushed forward so far because the seatbelt did not hold me back.
I am now on my second vehicle where the airbags dont work like they should. First was a 2007 Tahoe in which i finally traded off specifically for the fact it was getting too dangerous to drive. That style of dash which is in all the Tahoes and Suburbans and also included in the LTZ, and Denali package on the trucks was faulty. Over time they are natorious for becoming brittle, cracking, and falling apart which also becomes a major hazard when you think about what will happen to what is remaining of the dash when an air bag does blast through it. You will probably end up with severe injuries and plastic pieces impailed into your face. Anyway, GM wouldnt do anything about it even though they new the piece was defecgtive so i finally just gave up and unfortunatly i was in two major accidents with that truck in which absolutely not one single air bag deployed nor did the seat belts tighten up. No warning light either telling you they need serviced, they just dont work. I hit an ELK at about 75-70 miles an hour which caused me to replace the windshield and both front doors due to how great the impact was. The Front cliip was unrecognizable and mostly in pieces scattered down the highway. Second wreck was on a 55 mph highway with a traffic light. I had a utility trailer on the back loaded doen with lumber for a project when a woman ran the red light pulling out right infront of me and i didnt even bother to hit the breaks as theres simply just wasnt any time to react. We collided hard enough to partially rip the reciever hitch from the frame and destroyed the front again but not nearly as bad as first time. However she was very lucky as i shoved her trunk lid clear into the back seat of her car and was jammed against the front seats wedging her in the car as she couldnt get the seatbelt off until i cut it. Again no airbags and no seatbelt tensioners going off. Ok that car is now gone and replaced with 2017 GMC truck and you dont ecen want to get me started on how infuriated i am over this lovely disaster waiting to happen. Long story short. Owned it one year and it has been in the repar shop/bodyshop more than i have had posession of it. Two accidents both caused by factory recalls on the unatentive braking issue. This truck also commonly displays the infamouse no brake issue which is also a recall. Oh and cant forget that this truck apparently also suffers from the air bag/seat belt issue which is also a recall on this truck. amongst many other problems ive inherited because of this overwhelming piece of sh*t, i currently am still waiting on GM to give me a conclusion to their investigation 5 MONTHS LATER!!! The field guy who came and did all the field investigating and computer recording stuff told me in person that infact its very clear non of these faulty issues where ever addressed as GM swore they were. My truck sits in my driveway just a shade from complete totalled and i cant get an answer one out of anyone from GM. The claims specialist i was dealing with will not answer or return calls. Customer service says that cant do anything about that. I was once fairly understanding that sh*t happens but ive officially lost any ability to feel sorry for them at all and look foward to what happens next as ive just plain run out of time to continue dealing with these people.
We own a 2004 Chevy Silverado Z71 and bought it brand new …still own and drive it and…was in an accident and airbag never deployed !!!
Frontal accident in 2012 GMC Terrain. November 2019 … No air bags deployed, and seatbelts didn’t lock into
Place
To participate is it required to have had an accident in one of these vehicles?
I own one but have not been in an accident with it.
My husband currently has a 2014 Chevy Silverado. My husband was involved in a frontal crash (April 2021) and the airbags did not deploy!
I bought a 95 S10 extended cab before separating from the military in 2001 and was in several car accidents with that truck including rearending a semi on the interstate at about at least 70mph with no airbag deployment and seat belt didn’t lock either head hit the windshield and I wore a neck brace for over a week while I was still on active duty.
My fiancé passed in a gm car! The car just blew up as they were driving! A week later we get a letter stating 5 recalls! I tried to sue but no help was available!! The lawyer wouldn’t even help! I still have all the paperwork