Chevy Malibu Lawsuit Filed Over Defective Brake Vacuum Pump
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A class-action lawsuit has been filed against General Motors in U.S. District Court in Michigan over an issue related to the brake vacuum pump on certain 2013 to 2022 model year Chevy Malibu mid-size sedans.
According to Car Complaints, this lawsuit claims the factory cam-driven brake vacuum pump on affected Chevy Malibu models is defective and can cause a hard-feeling brake pedal and reduced braking performance.
The suit was filed by Virginia plaintiff Tiffany Johnson, who purchased a new 2017 Chevy Malibu in April of that year and later experienced a brake failure on the vehicle in September of 2021 when the vehicle had roughly 78,000 miles on the odometer. The repair shop replaced the vacuum pump at a cost of $118, however the pump failed once again in November 2021 when the vehicle had just under 84,000 miles on the odometer. These repairs were covered under the plaintiff’s insurance, although she still had to pay a $250 deductible.
A third brake vacuum pump and brake booster failure happened on the same vehicle in June of this year, the lawsuit alleges, which damaged unnamed “other components,” in the vehicle. The dealer replaced the vacuum pump, exhaust camshaft and gaskets in the vehicle this time, with the insurer again covering all repair expenses save for the $250 deductible.
As the Malibu uses a cam-driven vacuum pump, the suit claims that when the pump fails, “unintended mechanical resistance forms, affecting the timing of and/or damaging the camshaft and other engine components.” The suit also claims that GM is aware of the defective vacuum pump and the potential for it to cause damage to engine components, but has not done anything to address the matter. GM also allegedly refuses to extend the warranty on affected customer vehicles, Car Complaints reports.
This case will proceed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. We’ll provide more information on the suit once an update is available.
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Where do I sign up for the lawsuit
call the miller law firm in Michigan and they will take your information and will notify you if needed but pretty much anyone who is ownership. KEEP all receipts etc but they are for the people on this one!
We purchased a 2017 Malibu and immediately had the shift to park issues. We took it back to the dealer who of course could not reproduce the issue and did nothing. Recently it has started having issues with the car not restarting after auto stop. I have to carry a battery booster just in case it decides to die. It was also tested at the dealer and deemed good. Of all the cars I have owned, only the Cavalier was worse. My faith in GM is failing fast.
I’ve already had to replace mine twice
Today I experienced the call that a parent doesn’t want to have. My daughter called me today in full stress saying her car would not stop! As she tried to stop her brakes would NOT work, she said it felt like a rock was under the pedal once second and the next they went to the floor. Thank God she stayed calm and knew to just stay in the right lane and let the car come to a stop. What is needed for this to be a recall?
next time tell her to do the same but if she going at high speed , to use cruise control to help slow it down, and then take it off and roll to stop, i had to do this on the interstate…
I am currently dealing with a vacuum pump issue. I’ve since replaced the pump. The brakes work now but it’s leaking oil from the vacuum pump.
Replace the vacuum seal to the pump I just got mines done last week. Soon as I replaced the pump I started leaking oil bad. He had to take pump back off and replace the seal.
guess a little gasket sealer would help if i ever found the new pump …
I paid $106 from Chevy dealer and $5 for the sealer
We just had the same issue it cost us well over 1500 to get everything repaired. They had to replace the vacuum pump, battery, get an oil change. and engine cam. All this from the vacuum pump going out.
Hi, I bought 2018 Chevy Malibu e 1 in half years ago and it had like 25.000 and I It blew engine in fall I was driving and abs vacum pump broke when. I was driving 50 miles an hour had no brakes engine had stopped because blew and thank Go I found way with nutural and side of road to slow car down without wrecking. I drove car 4 more months after engine was replaced under warranty and now as 2 weeks ago motor blew again. Oil pooring out of oil pan car shuts off in middle of road in rush hour had push off road. Mind this is work car so know out work again first time motor blew lost 12 weeks off work waiting for car get fixed and now lost all my income to this car now and needs a 3rd engine in 9,000 miles. Worst is owe 18,000 dollars on payments still needing 3 Rd engine it basically very expensive yard decoration. They won’t fix engine this time so I don’t have 10,000 for engine. GM should took these pile of junk cars back made it right for us people. I’am ashamed of GM now my Grandpa retired working at GM My family was GM people were we have had every kind of GM cars in our lifetime and this how they repay us.
WHO DO I CONTACT TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS? I EXHUASTED THIS HAS PUT MY WIFE AND I IN A BAD SITUTATION WITH THIS CAR. THIS CAR HAS NOT BUT PROBLEMS , I HAD MINE FAIL ON ME COMING OFF THE INTERSTATE!!!!
I’m experiencing the same thing with a 2020 Chevy Malibu lt right now,Chevy keeps calling me about the car hard brake pedal and booster, I got a tune up on Friday and it wouldn’t start on Monday,between geico,simplicity car warranty,the manufacturer warranty and the finance credit union no one knows who is responsible for not paying however the 1100$ I pay monthly has me walking while they figure out who’s paying what,but 1100$ won’t come out of a check I can’t get to work to pay so I hope they figure it out soon cause this walking in nyc ain’t working for all the money I been paying.
do not drive it , if its like this do not drive, u can damage alot, FL DEALERSHIPS SAID THEY HAVE PARTS, shipping it is an issue so check around, you WILL ONLY FIND THESE AT DEALERSHIPS RIGHT NOW! they really like GOLD lol
Hi Stephanie, sorry about your car. I have had a motor replaced with faulty vacuum pump that blew motor driving and had no brakes to stop car at around 55 miles an hour had stop car without brakes by God’s power It stopped without wrecking. First time they took 12 weeks to put motor in. they put remanufactured motor in and 30,000 miles Iam sitting for 4 weeks with blown motor again My car is 2018 Malibu. So be careful if that vacuum pump brakes when driving will not have brakes to stop be careful. I have a lawyer now going at the dealer and not sure if GM yet.
I have a 2016 Malivu LS and is currently being repaired for exactly this thing. They said the booster disintegrated and pieces of it were spread throughput the engine and wanted to charge me extra to pull it all apart to clean out the disintegrating debris. I have to pay $300 to replace that pump and continue with my cay payments on top of that. Smh
There’s also many complaints about the turbo going out on the malibus as well!!
Having the same problem now vac leak hard pedal.
When I tried to put it on a trailer to get it back home 75 miles it acted like it was out of time
Hi I have a 2017 malibu with 59k miles and my brake booster is bad my car don’t stops like it should I think gm should replace my car this is crazy we chevy malibu lovers should be treated right we buy these car and they have defects and we have to pay for it not fare at all we are customers of chevy and gm I demand change can’t even drive my car and don’t have the money to fix it smh
Hi I recently had to replace to vacuum brake pump in my 2017 Chevy Malibu. The vacuum pump went bad while I was picking up my daughter. Good thing I have fairly strong legs to press the brakes. Or we might’ve been seriously hurt or even dead. Chevy needs to figure out why these pumps go bad. I spent $400 to get my car fixed and still had to make my car payment. Why do paying customers have to go through this? We still get shafted by a small settlement. We get screwed while GM makes millions!
I just bought a 2019 Chevy Malibu in may 2022, it’s Dec 2022 and my vacuum pump just locked up and took out my camshaft. $3150 in repairs and my warranty is refusing to payout! So I completely believe this suit and think I’ll be contacting my lawyer.
I purchased a 2016 Malibu LT 2.0. Had issue with Brake booster & vacuum pump in 2021. Just got car out of shop for the same issue on 1/4/2023
The same thing happened to me! The brakes went out and while pumping the brakes the car stalled three times and I 95! I think God that my children are not driving the car! January 27, 2023 we have a 2017 Chevy Malibu! All the stories are exactly the same. This company should be ashamed!
I bought a Chevy Malibu back in 2018 the worse decision I ever mad a peace of crab
ANYONE GOT ANY NEW UPDATE ON THE LAWSUIT?
I’m going though this right now where my brakes got hard and I couldn’t stop my car I had to get it towed and it’s now in the shop where they saying 2800 hundred dollars to get fixed why I’m being responsible for something that I didn’t cause I’m now scared to get it back in drive it
Best indicator to know if the pump is failing, if the idle power fluctuates in cold weather and if it stutters/ jerks through first and second gear.
This is why GM is the most sued motor company. Same exact issue as the plaintiff
This happened to me this week and the vacuum pump where it attaches to the camshaft broke into pieces inside the camshaft. Will be a costly repair. No warning except when the issue happened I received a “engine power reduced” message and lost brake power while on a major freeway in Houston. Very dangerous situation and hopefully GM won’t wait for people to die before they take action to correct this issue.