— A Chevy Malibu vacuum pump recall allegedly is long overdue according to a class action lawsuit that includes 2013-2022 Chevrolet Malibus equipped with 1.5L, 1.8L, 2.0L and 2.5L engines.
According to the lawsuit, the Malibu cam-driven brake vacuum pump causes a hard brake pedal, increased stopping distances and a loss of braking.
The class action also says this damages the engine components, including the camshaft.
Chevy Malibu Vaccum Pump Lawsuit Plaintiff
Maryland plaintiff Tiffany Johnson purchased a new 2017 Chevrolet Malibu in April 2017, but in September 2021 the brakes failed when the Malibu had about 78,000 miles on the odometer. The plaintiff contacted a repair shop which said the brake vacuum pump had failed, costing the plaintiff about $118 for a replacement.
The plaintiff says the Malibu experienced a hard brake pedal and increased stopping distance in November 2021 when the vehicle had 83,878 miles on it. She took her Malibu to a Chevrolet dealer where she was told the vacuum pump had failed.
The dealer replaced the brake vacuum pump, brake booster vacuum pipe, valve cover gasket and brake booster vacuum sensor. This time the repairs were covered under her Geico insurance policy but the plaintiff still had to pay a $250 deductible.
In June 2022 the Malibu vacuum pump and brake booster failed again as the plaintiff was driving, causing damage to other components.
The Chevy Malibu vacuum pump lawsuit alleges the plaintiff was told the engine needed to be replaced, but she says the dealer later denied the Malibu needed a new engine.
The lawsuit says the dealer replaced the Malibu vacuum pump, exhaust camshaft and gaskets. The plaintiff says her Geico insurance covered everything again for the repairs except for the $250 deductible.
"During every brake failure incident, no instrument cluster malfunction lamps illuminated and no warning of imminent failure of the vehicles braking system occurred. Each brake failure incident has occurred in moderate to heavy highway traffic, increasing the risk of injury or death to Plaintiff." — Chevrolet Malibu vacuum pump lawsuit
Alleged Chevy Malibu Vacuum Pump Failures
The class action lawsuit says the Malibu uses a brake booster to amplify brake pedal application, but the booster requires a steady vacuum supply to increase the forces the driver applies to the brake pedal.
The Malibus are equipped with a camshaft-driven vacuum pump that supplies the brake booster with the necessary vacuum, with the mechanical vacuum pumps mounted to and driven by the overhead exhaust camshafts.
However, the class action lawsuit claims because the vacuum pump is mounted on the camshaft, when the vacuum pump fails, "unintended mechanical resistance forms, affecting the timing of and/or damaging the camshaft and other engine components."
With hard brake pedals, increased stopping distances and failed brakes, Malibu occupants are put in danger as are others on the roads.
A Malibu vacuum pump recall allegedly should have been issued because General Motors has allegedly known about the pump failures since at least 2016. Additionally, GM dealers allegedly replace the Malibu brake vacuum pumps with equally defective parts.
In addition to not announcing a Malibu vacuum pump recall, GM also allegedly refuses to extend the warranties and hasn't been able to offer customers suitable repairs.
Chevy Malibu customers allegedly aren't compensated for vacuum pump expenses or for allegedly diminished car values.
The Chevy Malibu vacuum pump lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Tiffany Johnson, v. General Motors LLC.
The plaintiff is represented by the Miller Law Firm, P.C., Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., and DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC.
