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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444 thoughts onGM transmission class action to proceed
Have a 2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV with 119k, transmission recently started exhibiting the same symptoms mentioned in this lawsuit. I was told by a reputable local mechanic that I would have to get this transmission replaced entirely, around $6500 before taxes!!
I don’t know if I have that kind of transmission but I have already had to replace my transmission in my Chevy Spark and it still does the same thing before I replaced it. Also the only thing GM has done is give me a couple for 1,500 to get a new vehicle or lease one. Who can afford that now a days 🤣
2016 GMC Sierra been through replacing two transmissions already 3000 a piece and still fighting getting the second one done been without truck over 3 months this time
2019 colorado z71 37000 miles just started shuddering at low speed and shifting rough under acceration haven’t contacted dealer as it just started its just over the 5 year warranty with low mileage
I have a 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 Custom with the 8 speed transmission and it went out on me while traveling on vacation and now the truck is stuck in Louisiana with no replacement parts to be found and I have been without a vehicle in Michigan.
2015 silverado 1500. Transmission shudder at time. Once it warmup it do good
Had a shudder develope in my 2018 GMC Sierra at about 67000 miles. The dealer I bought the truck from did a fluid flush using Mobile 1 Synthetic fluid and it cleared it up . But , I do not like the way it shifts . Something seems , off.
I have a 2015 Silverado ltz z71 and it has a bad transmission. My next truck will be a ram truck
I had this problem on my 2016 Chevrolet corvette the dealership took care of it at about 6000 miles they said it was due to the type. Of transmission fluid for the area where I live I don’t know if the problem will come back or not as the vehicle only has a little over 12000 miles of it now
2019 Silverado had 31000 miles when Chevy did the transmission
flush flush . Now I have 75000 miles and Chevy dealer said I need transmission torque converter and flush . They said it might fix the problem. $4600 out of pocket to maybe fix the problem is ridiculous.
I own a 2016 Sierra 1500 with the 5.3L engine and 8L-90 8 Speed Transmission. Ben experiencing hard shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and backward. Took it to a Certified Transmission shop for a diagnostic and told me needs to get rebuild.
I have the same problem. my 2018 silverado tx. edition 5.3 liter with a 6 speed trans. my trans been rebuilt 4 time and tork converter replace 3 time with a remanufacturer . then I got the whole trans replace with remanufactor trans. it’s the rebuilt part that are defective and g.m. knows this but will not gave u a new one bc i was told they will never gave u a new one bc it there rule. I have under 100,000 k miles still have issues I done suied them once and cannot suied again. i think ,the dealership knows what’s wrong with it but the corporation will not let them fix it correctly. I need legal help to suied under my warranty bc they will not fix it correctly. help I have 30,000 miles left on my warranty