— A GM transmission lawsuit alleges multiple models are equipped with defective Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 transmissions that jerk and hesitate.
The General Motors transmission class action lawsuit was filed by 13 owners who allege GM concealed Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 transmission problems from consumers.
The GM transmission lawsuit says the automaker concealed two known defects in these Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC models.
- 2015-2019 Chevrolet Silverado
- 2017-2019 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette
- 2016-2019 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2015-2019 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
- 2016-2019 Cadillac ATS
- 2016-2019 Cadillac ATS-V
- 2016-2019 Cadillac CTS
- 2016-2019 Cadillac CT6
- 2016-2019 Cadillac CTS-V
- 2015-2019 GMC Sierra
- 2015-2019 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Yukon Denali XL
- 2017-2019 GMC Canyon
The two alleged transmission defects are described in the class action lawsuit.
"A poorly chosen and insufficiently validated automatic transmission fluid caused the Class Vehicles to shudder at higher gears. (Shudder Defect). A defectively designed transmission that fails to adequately purge air from valve bodies causes delayed shifting, jerking, lurching, and overall poor shift quality (Harsh Shift Defect)."
This GM transmission lawsuit includes U.S. states that were not included in another transmission class action, Speerly, et al, v. General Motors.
Dangers allegedly arise when the vehicles suddenly shudder, lurch forward and suffer from serious delays in acceleration.
Even when GM dealerships replace the transmissions or components, the same allegedly defective Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 transmissions are used as replacements.
According to the GM transmission lawsuit, GM knew there were problems with the automatic transmission fluid, and in 2018 dealers were told to flush the systems with a transmission fluid called Mod1a.
The plaintiffs assert GM knew its transmission fluid (212b and Option B) "would fail in the presence of water and over time."
The class action alleges General Motors should have offered to replace the Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 transmissions.
As for flushing the transmission systems, the transmission lawsuit alleges dealers were told to flush only unsold vehicles, but not all of them.
"GM could have spent $73M to flush out all 240,893 unsold 8L vehicles in June of 2019. Instead, GM only replaced the defective ATF in 6,518 unsold Cadillacs and trucks in certain states where it expected customers to complain within warranty. GM sold the remaining vehicles knowing it had an ATF that would fail over time." — GM transmission lawsuit
GM allegedly never told vehicle owners about a new automatic transmission fluid, and the automaker allegedly hoped customers would not learn about the fix until after their warranty period elapsed.
The GM transmission class action lawsuit was filed by these customers.
- Paul Aiello / Massachusetts / 2016 Cadillac CT6
- Angela Bailey / South Dakota / 2017 Chevrolet 1500
- Dale Bland / Missouri / 2018 Chevrolet Colorado
- Jacob and Britney Brellenthin / Indiana / 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Daniel and Lynn Marie Davis / Iowa / 2017 Chevy Silverado
- Duane Egge / Minnesota / 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- Paul Northup / Rhode Island / 2018 Chevrolet Colorado
- Cole Ulrich / North Carolina / 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Ryan Volmert / Missouri / 2018 GMC Sierra
- Kenneth James Wilkinson / Oregon / 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
- Sean Joseph Zimmett / Connecticut / 2018 GMC Canyon
The GM Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 transmission class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Southern Division): Cole Ulrich, et al., v. General Motors, LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, Gordon & Partners, P.A., Berger Montague PC, Capstone Law APC, The Miller Law Firm, P.C., Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP, Keller Rohrback L.L.P., and Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers PC.
