Judge grants class certification in defective GM fuel pump suit

General Motors is facing a class action CP4 fuel pump lawsuit accusing the automaker of selling vehicles with fuel pumps that are “ticking time bombs,” according to The Detroit News.

According to eight consumers who filed the GM class action, the company knowingly sold diesel trucks equipped with CP4 high-pressure fuel injection pumps supplied by Bosch. Although these fuel injection pumps reportedly saved money for GM, the pumps allegedly resulted in “catastrophic” complications.

In engines, fuel pumps are components that help draw fuel from the tank into the fuel injection system. The GM fuel pump class action lawsuit alleges that the CP4 fuel pumps are not compatible with American diesel fuel and reportedly results in “running the pump nearly dry so that it destroys itself, and — ultimately — destroys the fuel injection system and engine altogether.”

“The pump secretly deposits metal shavings and debris throughout the fuel injection system and the engine until it suddenly and catastrophically fails without warning,” the CP4 fuel pump lawsuit argues.

“Such catastrophic failure often causes the vehicle to shut off while in motion and renders it unable to be restarted, because the vehicle’s fuel injection system and engine component parts have been completely contaminated and destroyed.”

This total failure of the fuel pump allegedly happens as early as mile 0, with the process reportedly starting as soon as the tank is filled for the first time and the vehicle is used.

Plaintiffs in the CP4 fuel pump suit claim that the defective pumps were found in the following vehicles:

• 2011-2016 2500HD Silverado 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LML engines
• 2011-2016 3500HD Silverado 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LML engines
• 2011-2016 2500HD Sierra 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LML engines
• 2011-2016 3500HD Sierra 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LML engines
• 201-2011 Chevrolet Express vans with Duramax LGH engines
• 2010-2011 GMC Savana vans with Duramax LGH engines
• 2010-2011 GMC Sierra trucks with RPO ZW9 with Duramax LGH engines
• 2011-2012 Chevrolet 2500HD Silverado 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LGH engines
• 2011-2012 Chevrolet 3500HD Silverado 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LGH engines
• 2011-2012 Chevrolet 2500HD Sierra 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LGH engines
• 2011-2012 Chevrolet 3500HD Sierra 6.6-liter V-8 Duramax diesel trucks with LGH engines

The plaintiffs claim owners and lessees of the above vehicles were not sufficiently warned about the defective nature of GM vehicles equipped with CP4 fuel pumps. These consumers claim they would not have purchased the vehicles, or paid as much, if they had been made aware of the decreased performance and value reportedly caused by the fuel pump defect.

“GM promised consumers the continued reliability of their diesel engines, but with increased fuel efficiency and power at greater fuel efficiency,” the CP4 fuel pump class action lawsuit claims. “However, this came with a hidden and catastrophic cost that was secretly passed on to consumers.”

Across the country, GM and other companies are facing class actions for similar claims. According to Autoblog.com, all of the suits say the CP4 fuel pump is not equipped to handle the thinner diesel fuel found in the U.S.

The CP4 fuel pump class action lawsuit is Chapman, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:19-cv-12333-TGB-DRG, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.