Steven Cohen  |  November 20, 2019

Category: Auto News

A judge in Florida federal court has put her stamp of approval on a $42 million settlement agreement which resolves three lawsuits claiming that General Motors sold vehicles with an oil consumption defect.

Plaintiffs Ellen Berman and Dayana Guach allege that General Motors model year 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain cars that have 2.4-liter Ecotec engines suffer from the defect that consumes oil at a very high rate.

The primary cause of the defect is malfunctioning piston rings, which are prone to premature wear, the judge’s order states. The defect necessitates the need for the car owner to replenish the car’s oil more frequently.

The plaintiffs filed suit in September 2018, claiming that General Motors breached their written warranties under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and violated the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Two other class action lawsuits were subsequently filed, based on similar allegations. The judge’s approval of the settlement resolves the claims in these three cases.

Starting in 2014, General Motors issued Special Coverage Adjustments (SCAs) for the model years 2010-2012 of the class vehicles, the judge’s order reads.

The SCAs were put into effect to extend the class vehicles’ warranty for piston replacement beyond the normal warranty expiration period, which was five years or 100,000 miles.  

“The SCAs provided that owners of Class Vehicles could take their vehicles to a dealership and undergo an oil consumption diagnosis. If the diagnosis indicated excessive oil consumption, GM would replace the piston rings for free, if the vehicle was within certain time and mileage limitations,” the judge states in her order.

The Settlement Class is defined as: “All persons within the United States who purchased or leased, at any time before the Preliminary Approval Date, a new retail or used model year 2010, 2011, 2012, or 2013 Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain vehicle equipped with 2.4 liter Ecotec engines, manufactured prior to the Production Change, and who have not executed a prior release of claims related to Class Vehicle oil consumption or resulting piston or engine damage in favor of GM.”

In addition, the judge’s order states that, for model year 2010-2012 class vehicles, owners will be able to get a free replacement of piston assemblies at authorized dealerships.

Also, Class Members who already paid for covered repairs but who did not already submit a claim under the Special Coverage Adjustments will have 120 days to submit a claim.

For model year 2013 class vehicles, Class Members will receive free piston assembly replacement. Also, those who previously paid out-of-pocket for repairs can file claims for reimbursement of expenses.

Each Class representative will receive $4,500 as a service payment, which the judge determined to be “appropriate, fair, and reasonable.” This award is being paid by General Motors separately from the funds being made available via the settlement agreement.

Also, the attorneys for the plaintiffs will receive fees of $3,390,351, which is eight percent of the settlement value. Class Counsel will also receive reimbursement of $109,649 for litigation expenses.

Do you own one of the class vehicles mentioned as part of the settlement? Leave a message in the comments section below.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

The plaintiffs are represented by Rachel Soffin, Gregory F. Coleman, Adam A. Edwards and Mark E. Silvey of Greg Coleman Law PC, Robert Ahdoot of Ahdoot & Wolfson PC, and Daniel K. Bryson and J. Hunter Bryson of Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP.

The GM Chevrolet Equinox SUV Oil Consumption Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Ellen Berman, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:18-­cv-­14371, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; Hindsman, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 3:17-cv-05337, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California; and Sanchez, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 1:18-cv-02536, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.


2,106 thoughts on$42M GM Chevy Equinox Oil Guzzling Class Action Settlement Approved

  1. Luke Richardson says:

    I had a 2013 GMC TERRAIN And replaced the engine and still had issues do to the design of the motor. I spent about $8000 in repairs and need some more information to see if I qualify for reimbursement.

    1. Tomeka Hill says:

      I currently have a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. I am just finding out about this suit, but I have experienced the same problems with my oil guzzling vehicle.

  2. Michael Wall says:

    Good morning,

    I just learned about this class action lawsuit. I had a 2010 Equinox, 2.4 L engine, that had engine failure. I had no choice but to replace my car around 98,000 miles. I also had a transmission failure about a year before the engine failure (at a cost of $4,800).

    Am i able to be included in this class action? What is the next step?

    Thank you so much for this.
    Mike

  3. Ryan Lee Broschofsky says:

    I also have a 2013 Equinox 2.4 liter in the shop right now for exactly this. How can I file a claim?

    1. Tommie Mitchell says:

      We have a 2013 Equinox 2.4 liter, and just experienced while driving on the expressway yesterday, the car turned off and had to have towed and checked out. They informed us the engine had no oil in it and no warning light came on. It is currently in the shop. I need to get it to a chevy dealer as soon possible, so I don’t have to pay a daily fee to the tow company. Also, what is the procedure or the next step to file for a claim.

  4. Tyrell Scott says:

    I am an owner of a 2013 Equinox and I have been blowing through oil nonstop. Check engine light came on had to replace my catalytic converter 2x and my O2 sensor. Please point me in the right direction to get this resolved.

  5. Stacy says:

    I have been telling the dealership about my issue 3 months after I bought it from them 2 years ago and they refuse to support their customers. I am a single mother who relies on my vehicle to take care of my family.
    Please help!

  6. Mary Chambers says:

    I replaced the engine in my 2013 GMC Terrain with no warning…and engine failure. I followed every rule changing oil every schedule and before a routine oil change my engine failed and was empty of oil. 70,000 miles, otherwise in perfect condition. Dealer did not recall or contact me regarding this obvious issue.

  7. Sam says:

    My 2013 equinox just blew up today. SO IRATE!!

  8. Talia Gilster says:

    I have a 2013 equinox with this issue. Have to add oil every 700 miles at least! How do I get this replacement?

  9. Krista bontemps says:

    I have a 2012 equinox with an oil consumption issue. I actually just had to add oil to it today! Wth, how do I get in on this!?

  10. Tanner Martin says:

    I own a 2013 Chevy Silverado 1500 that I just had to replace the engine in over the summer. Sure would’ve been nice to know this before I went through this.

1 26 27 28 29 30 183

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.