Update:Â
- General Motors must face class action claims that certain transmissions in its vehicles from the last decade are defective and can create unsafe driving conditions.Â
- On Aug. 28, a 6th Circuit panel rejected GM’s motion to dismiss the claims, saying it found no reason to undo class certification for the drivers.Â
- The plaintiffs say GM’s Hydra-Matic 8L90 and Hydra-Matic 8L45 transmissions manufactured between 2014 and March 2019 can cause vehicles to shudder, lurch forward or delay acceleration.
- They allege the issues are caused by transmission fluid issues, which can allegedly cause the GM transmissions to fail to purge air properly from valve bodies.
GM class action overview:Â
- Who: Thirteen consumers filed a class action lawsuit against General Motors (GM).Â
- Why: The class action lawsuit claims vehicles with a GM Hydra-Matic 8L90 or Hydra-Matic 8L45 transmission have transmission fluid and transmission issues that cause the vehicles to shudder, lurch forward or delay acceleration.
- Where: The GM transmission class action was filed in federal court in Michigan.
(April 25, 2024)
A group of 13 consumers claims certain transmissions in General Motors vehicles from the last decade are defective and can create unsafe driving conditions, according to a new GM transmission class action.
The plaintiffs say GM’s Hydra-Matic 8L90 and Hydra-Matic 8L45 transmissions manufactured between 2014 and March 2019 can cause vehicles to shudder, lurch forward or have delayed acceleration.
They allege the issues are caused by transmission fluid issues, which can allegedly cause the GM transmissions to fail to purge air properly from valve bodies. This, the class action argues, is the cause of the shudder, lurching and delayed acceleration, as well as overall poor shift quality.
GM class action: Automaker elected not to recall, replace defective transmissionsÂ
The GM transmission issues happen around the time the affected vehicles’ warranties run out, the class action claims. The plaintiffs allege that GM covers fluid flushes for customers who complain about their transmissions during the warranty period, without fixing the underlying issues.
GM engineers asked the company to fix the transmission issues for $305 a vehicle, which would have cost GM about $592 million, according to the lawsuit.
GM instead only replaced the defective transmission in 6,518 unsold Cadillacs and trucks in certain states where it expected customers to complain within warranty, the GM class action claims.
Six drivers filed a 2022 class action lawsuit alleging that several vehicles manufactured by GM are equipped with defective eight-speed transmissions and that GM concealed the defects from buyers for years.
Do you own a vehicle with a GM Hydra-Matic 8L90 engine? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Theodore J. Leopold, Douglas J. McNamara, Karina G. Puttieva and Madelyn N. Petersen of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC along with Robert Gordon, Steven Calamusa, Geoff Stahl and Rachel Bentley of Gordon & Partners PA; Russell D. Paul and Amey J. Park of Berger Montague PC; Tarek H. Zohdy, Cody R. Padgett and Laura E. Goolsby of Capstone Law APC; E. Powell Miller, Sharon S. Almonrode, Brian M. Saxe, Emily E. Hughes and Dennis A. Lienhardt of The Miller Law Firm PC; Joseph H. Meltzer, Melissa L. Yeates, Lisa M. Port, Tyler S. Graden, Jordan E. Jacobson and James A. Maro of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check LLP; Lynn Lincoln Sarko, Gretchen Freeman Cappio and Ryan McDevitt of Keller Rohrback LLP; and Michael L. Pitt and Beth Rivers of Pitt McGehee Palmer Rivers PC.
The GM class action lawsuit is Ulrich, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:24-cv-11007-JJCG-EAS, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division.
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446 thoughts onGM transmission class action to proceed
My 2007 Chevy Malibu is currently have trouble shifting ðŸ˜â€¦this is crazy
I had to get a new transmission in my 2015 GMC Sierra. Please include me, if possible.
Have this same issue with my 2013 Cadillac XTS after transmission fluid change.
I am using the second GM transmission now that pops on braking/stopping. Add me for my 2019 Chevrolet Trax.
I have owned numerous gm vehicles that I had this problem with thought it was a glitch
please contact me
I had to get rid of my 2017 for very hard shifting even after it had the transmission fluid flush out, it maybe got about 10% better after the flush but I did not want to deal with it any longer…
That’s the exact issue I had with my 2015 GMC Sierra and the transmission eventually failed. I had a new one installed at the dealership
Please have someone contact me regarding this issue. We have a 2019 GMC Denali Sierra that shortly after we purchased it the transmission began shuddering, hard shifts, would not shift down unless you took your foot off the gas. We took it right away to the dealer service department, but they said everything was fine. The problem persisted. I called the dealer and let them know about this class action and they basically said, not our problem. Go ahead and file.
This is my exact issue with my 2018 Tahoe! I completely agree that it starts this issue right after the warranty expires too! I would like more info please!
Owner of 2020 CT5. Noting gears not shifting properly and major decrease in gas mileage as opposed to original purchase. Al maintenance is up to date. Express concerns but state they can’t duplicate my concern. In owing a previous GM product, vehicle deemed a lemon. Following year class action was filed. All had the same exact issue that wasn’t able to be resolved on 4 attempts.
I’d like to receive further information. I own a 2020 CT5. I’ve noted my car not shifting gears properly, decreased gas mileage per fill as opposed to original purchase. Have all scheduled maintenance and my car just doesn’t drive the same, but I love my car.
A few back I owned a 2018 Tahoe, after GM agreed it was in fact a Lemon, a class action lawsuit was filed as so many Tahoes had the same exact issue which was welding issue on the assembly line.