GM Class Action Says Cadillac SRX Headlight Failure Merits Recall

Amid a tidal wave of litigation over other issues, General Motors is now facing claims over an alleged defect in the headlights of Cadillac SRX vehicles.

According to plaintiff Chester Steele of California, the Cadillac SRX from model years 2010 to 2015 is equipped with faulty headlights that wear out and fail prematurely.

GM has failed to properly address this issue with notification to current and prospective Cadillac owners, he claims. The company has also allegedly failed to offer a fix for the defect under its own bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Steele blames the Cadillac headlight defect on a poor seal that allows moisture to enter the headlight. That moisture causes corrosion and short-circuiting that can significantly reduce the headlight’s output or cause it to completely fail.

Failing headlights create a significant safety issue for drivers and passengers, according to Steele’s Cadillac headlight class action lawsuit. A lack of adequate illumination can seriously increase the chances of an accident that can result in injury or death.

GM has been aware of this Cadillac defect since at least 2011, Steele alleges. That year, the company issued several technical service bulletins on the subject, and it set up a customer satisfaction program.

But instead of redesigning the defective components, Steele alleges, GM simply offered Cadillac owners a replacement headlight that was just as defective as the original one. The company also allegedly failed to disclose the defect to customers both before and after their purchase.

Steele is apparently far from the only Cadillac SRX owner to have dealt with this alleged headlight defect. In his Cadillac class action lawsuit, he quotes complaint after complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from Cadillac SRX owners who say their headlights also failed.

Some of these owners say replacing the headlights did no good – the new headlights suffered from the same problem. Others say their dealership told them no GM fix was available and that they would simply have to buy aftermarket headlights from another manufacturer.

Many reports express concern about the danger of driving with dim headlights. One commenter says his passengers often tell him his headlights don’t appear to be on, and he often feels the need to use his high beams to see anything at all.

Steele proposed to bring this Cadillac class action lawsuit on behalf of all persons in the U.S. who purchased or leased any 2010 to 2015 Cadillac SRX. He also proposes three subclasses for purposes of bringing specific claims under California law.

He seeks a court order requiring GM to recall all affected Cadillac vehicles so that the allegedly defective headlights can be repaired or replaced. He is also asking the court to award compensatory, exemplary and statutory damages with interest, disgorgement of related profits, and reimbursement of the plaintiff’s court costs and attorneys’ fees.

Steele is represented by attorneys Jordan L. Lurie, Tarek H. Zohdy, Cody R. Padgett and Karen R. Wallace of Capstone Law APC.

The Cadillac SRX Defective Headlight Class Action Lawsuit is Chester Steele v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:17-cv-04323, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

UPDATE: On Aug. 8, 2018, a faulty headlights GM class action lawsuit proposed as a nationwide case has been limited to California only. The federal judge in the case determined that the federal warranty law referenced in the GM class action could not be applied to out-of-state drivers.