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General Motors Logo and Signage at the Metal Fabricating Division.
(Photo Credit: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock)

GM Transmission Shift Defect Class Action Lawsuit Overview:

  • Who: Six GM customers teamed up against the automobile giant. 
  • Why: The plaintiffs claim a defect in certain vehicles’ transmission that causes jerking and lurching in lower gears. They allege that GM knew about the defect for years but failed to disclose it. 
  • Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Michigan federal court.

Six drivers filed a 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.

The defect appears in first generation 8L90 and 8L45 transmissions built after Mar. 1, 2019, and “causes “harsh shifts” in lower gears, which can feel like jerking, lurching and/or hesitations,” according to court documents.

The class vehicles are 2019-2022 model year vehicles, designed, manufactured, marketed, distributed, sold, warranted and serviced by GM and equipped with GM’s eight-speed Hydra-Matic 8L90 transmission or Hydra-Matic 8L45 transmission. This includes the 2019-2022 Chevrolet Camaro, Colorado and Silverado; the 2019 Corvette; the 2019 Cadillac ATS, ATS-V, CTS, CT6 and CTS-V; and the 2019-2022 GMC Canyon and Sierra.

There are six named plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit against GM: Matthew Battle, Juan Castaneda, David Figueroa, Robert Gribble and Walter and Janice Helms. The plaintiffs seek to represent statewide classes that include all original purchasers or current owners of class vehicles who purchased the vehicles from authorized GM dealers in California, Michigan, New Jersey, Indiana and Washington. 

GM Class Action Alleges Automaker Ignored ‘Safety Hazard’ Since 2013

The shift defect detailed in the GM class action lawsuit presents a safety hazard because it affects “the driver’s ability to control the vehicle’s speed, acceleration and deceleration,” the complaint says. However, GM “has not… nor can it” fix the defect until the “planned deployment of a major redesign in MY23 models (Gen 2).” 

The plaintiffs argue that GM knew about the defect since 2013. They also allege that the defect is covered by GM warranties, but that GM’s authorized agents have denied customers meaningful remedies to the defect under warranty. 

Have you purchased any of the above class vehicles? You could be a member of this class action lawsuit! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Theodore J. Leopold of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll Pllc et al. The GM Transmission Shift Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Battle et al. v. General Motors, LLC, Case No. 2:22-cv-10783, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.


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105 thoughts onGM Class Action Claims Transmission Defect Causes Jerking, Lurching in Lower Gears

  1. Ken Warrix says:

    I’m having major trouble with my transmission jerking

    1. Ken Warrix says:

      It’s 2018 Silverado 5.3

  2. Shirley Shupe says:

    I have a 2014 Chevy suburban I have had problems with it seemingly the transmission I have reported some kind of issue but then them saying that it wasn’t warranted I also have the oil burn through problem where I have to repeatedly replace the oil in my engine as it burns through it and it just disappears it has been doing this since I have owned the vehicle my mechanic had no clue what was happening to it and I have to carry spare oil in my hatch at all times as I have been caught with it Almost completely out of oil numerous times

  3. Dan Roberts says:

    I have 2018 GMC Sierra approx 54,000 miles and has Transmission issues as described in comments and lawsuit
    Dealer changed the oil once which made it better but still has jerky shift to it most noticeable when cold and seems to be getting worse now again.

  4. Scott Blitz says:

    Please include me for my 2017 Cadillac CT6 Premium Luxury with the 8L90 transmission.
    harsh and rough shift from park to drive, 1st and 2nd. Downshifting from 2nd to 1st feels like you were hit in the rear. Reverse to drive is also rough.

  5. Tim says:

    I have already dealt with GM on a 2017 C7 Grand Sport first they changed the fluid to address the slipping then a few months later had to change the torque converter all with less than 8k miles. Now my 2019 Silverado with 22,000 is slipping and they just want to do a fluid change and mask the problem at hand. To hope it makes it outside of the warranty timeline.

  6. Mariusz Lempicki says:

    I bought a 2019 Silverado rst and at low gear coming to a complete stop and then going again the truck slams into the gear and makes the car feel like I’m driving a standard vehicle.

  7. Harry Rudy says:

    I leased a 2919 Silverado and have had serious issues with the transmission slamming into gear. Sometimes it’s so bad, I thought I got rear ended by another vehicle.

  8. Dean Vanasse says:

    I have a 2014 Silverado Crew Cab 1500 V6. Started BG Flush at 43K, torque converter failed at 49K, replaced under warranty but they did not use BG fluids, complained about “shudder” at 90K dealer flushed tranny non BG again didn’t solve shudder, third party flush at 94K BG, Flush at 110K, BG, total tranny failure at 128K!!! BG warrantied $ 1k and I am on the hook for $ 5200!!!

    Need a class action agains GM for the 6 speed transmission!!!!

    1. Roy wilson says:

      I’m in how do we get it started

  9. Eric Norris says:

    I have a 2019 GMC Denali, started the shake around 60k. I didn’t know what was going on as it got worse I around 69K I started researching and took in to dealership to check. Then verify the shake a said they needed to change the fluids. I now have 92K and now it not shifting out of first gear. I think the trans is shot. WTH!

  10. Wanda Milian says:

    2019 gmc canyon under 26,000 miles had to towed to dealership in February 2022. Just picked up September 2022 with new transmission. Extended warranty paid it. Waiting on GM for an offer

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