Some 2020 Chevy Traverse AWD Units Sold Were FWD Only, Alleges Class Action Lawsuit
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Positioned as the Bow Tie brand’s biggest unibody crossover, the Chevy Traverse is a popular option for large families looking for a versatile vehicle. To this end, the Traverse is available in both FWD and AWD configurations for increased piece of mind in the event of inclement weather. However, a new lawsuit claims that General Motors sold some 2020 Chevy Traverse models as AWD units, when they were in fact FWD examples.
According to a report from Car Complaints, two plaintiffs allege that their 2020 Traverse, which clearly and prominently displays an AWD exterior badge, is actually a FWD-equipped unit. The lawsuit alleges that The General knew or should have known that that the vehicles were FWD models being advertised as AWD examples.
It’s worth noting that GM allegedly identifies each vehicle with a VIN that includes an “R” as the fifth symbol, indicating the Traverse as FWD. However, the lawsuit further claims that although General Motors expressly represents the 2020 Traverse models as AWD units when they aren’t, the Detroit-based automaker has thus far refused to replace the vehicles.
Both plaintiffs claim that they need an AWD Traverse for snow use, and that they wouldn’t have purchased the vehicle had they known it was actually a FWD model. In fact, both discovered that their Traverse was a FWD example when they got stuck in several inches of snow.
As a reminder, the 2020 Chevy Traverse is powered exclusively by the naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 LFY gasoline engine, rated at 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, while the GM nine-speed automatic transmission directs the power to the ground.
In regard to structure, the Traverse rides on the GM C1 platform, while production takes place at the GM Lansing Delta Township plant.
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Defrauded owners should have filed separate lawsuits to realize a larger settlement. Only ones who “win” in most class-actions are the Attorneys filing for the “class”. What did the window sticker say on each vehicle ?
Wowser ! The dolt voting thumbs down obviously has zero experience with class action settlements or is one of the usual plaintiff-rip-off Attorneys filing them. Get a clue skippy.
It is fun watching people get offended when they get a thumbs down, you would think people can’t have a separate opinion from yours.
Please enlighten everyone on your thorough experience in law, specifically in relation to class action settlements. You must have gone through many as saying you were part of one isn’t sufficient enough to be classified as experienced…
Maybe he should take a ‘chill’, but you should take a bigger one! Back off there, tiger! LOL!
Mmmmm, that’s an odd one. But, there’s lots more to the story. Were they purchased new? What did the window sticker say? What does the original bill of sale say? What does the VIN indicate? Anybody can buy the AWD badge at Chevy parts and stick it on the vehicle. If these units were purchased used, it may be a scam. If purchased new then their beef is with the dealer and/or GM. We’re both units purchased at the same place? This should be easy to solve.
According to the article, the VIN indicated R, FWD. I’d be curious what the window sticker said. Do people even look at what they buy? And I;m so weird I have them pop the hood and have a look see before I buy. Dropping the kind of money it takes to buy a car now makes me want to know way more than the box of cereal I pick up at the grocery. And even with a lowly box of cereal, I check the ingredients to see how much sugar they add.
I saw that in the article but it wasn’t clear. The wording says that GM uses R for FWD, the article did not say that these two vehicles had an R code. Either way, customers should never be expected to decode the VIN, when purchasing new or used from a dealer. If they were purchased from an individual or used car lot, then it’s buyer beware. They still may have a fraud case if the sales paperwork doesn’t match the vehicle.
I’m one of the rare people that actually pops the hood and crawls underneath vehicle’s that I’m purchasing. I even request the dealership put it up on the lift (even when new) so I can inspect. Today’s vehicle’s cost almost as much as a small house did 25 years ago, I think it warrants a thorough inspection. I would imagine to the vast majority of today’s consumers who couldn’t tell an engine from an electric motor, that even a thorough inspection of the window sticker option list is too much of a task… At the same time, that also goes for the majority of today’s clueless car salesman.
The VIN indicates FWD. However buyers don’t decode VINs when shopping so the buyer cannot be held responsible for anything related to that. Now, if the original Monroney Label also states “Traverse AWD”, then that is a serious problem. It can be reasonably expected for a buyer to make a purchase decision based on the information on the window sticker. If that sticker is wrong, then the automaker should be held accountable for that being incorrect.
Could be a simple issue of the affected units getting AWD badges at the factory when they shouldn’t have. Could be, as you say, they were purchased used and the previous owners either put AWD badges on them or needed repairs and the body shop put them on there. Or it could be the plaintiffs themselves thinking they could get a free car by putting AWD badges on the car and then suing. So many factors at play here.
But everyone here knows that just because it says V6, Turbo, AWD, GT, SRT, SS, AMG, Si, TypeR, etc, doesn’t actually mean it is one.
If the original window stickers are wrong and state AWD, it is a pretty easy case. If the original window stickers are correct and indicate FWD, then the plaintiffs are pretty much out of luck.
I have literally known people that bought crossovers assuming they were AWD simply because it was a crossover. They had no idea that what they bought was FWD only until they had trouble driving in the winter and took it in for service. It’s astonishing the amount of assumptions that car buyers make that aren’t necessarily correct. I have also known people that bought cars that were RWD, and assumed they were FWD. That never turns out well once the snow comes. Likewise, I know people that bought FWD and brag that their new car is RWD and then talk about how amazing it is in the winter considering it is “RWD”. And don’t get me started on the number of people that talk about their brand new car having a V4 engine…not an inline 4…but a V4!
I was not suggesting customers need to decode VIN. The prior poster was asking, and I was saying the article said the VIN was correct in identing a FWD. And totally agree, if the window sticker said FWD, they are out of luck. The sticker forms the basis of the contract.
I am not saying the buyer(s) have no responsibility here. But when you talk about reading the window sticker that is not as cut and dry as you might think.
I just bought a new Chevy Silverado, and I can tell you that the window sticker is about impossible to ready through the window tint in the back door glass.
I am of the opinion that it was miss marked at the factory, last week we had a Silverado with a 2500 badge on one side and 3500 on the other. I agree if the Monroney label is wrong they have a problem.
I once had a single girl neighbor who had a CUVv(can’t remember the make any more, it was about 9yrs. ago) who thought she had AWD becasue it was a crossover.
I’d be interested to know what the bill of sale from the dealership says — and whether the prices matches the FWD model or the AWD model.
If their car has a V-4 engine, then they must be driving an old Saab Sonnet III, LOL.
My first job was at a dealership, doing PDI. I can’t count how many Silverado stickers we removed from GMCs. It happens.
Yup, not surprised.
I don’t know the end price for a FWD unit is compared to a All wheels drive but the AWD is usually more. This is a crazy story.
Sounds to me like this happened on the used front rather than new. I’d bet these were bought second hand and a dealer put AWD badging to make a sale.
Important details missing.
Maybe gma should get more info before they post stories like this .
As a retired Big 3 final assembly process engineer, I have experienced instances where an assembly team member mistakenly places the wrong badge on a vehicle on the assembly line. Some vehicles have confounding numbers of emblems unique to each option selected. As an error proofing check, most of our plants installed vision cameras at the end of line that took pictures of the emblems installed and compared them to the build manifest. A line stop was triggered if wrong and the problem corrected.
Regardless of the emblem, a vehicle with a window sticker stating AWD would never pass the DVT (Dynamic Vehicle Test dynos) at the end of the line if it was a FWD. If this was a new vehicle purchase, shame on the buyer for not reading the window sticker.
I think gm should have helped the people out, subtracting something for the use of the vehicle. Some people do not read window stickers, they are hard to read through the heavy tint on the windows especially if the sun is beating on them. I would have caught it by wondering where is AWD selector switch? Your salesman is supposed to show you all the features and how to operate them both when showing you the vehicle and at the time of delivery but most salesman go straight to trying close the deal. A lot of salesman do not take the time to learn the product they are selling, in-between customers they are on there phones texting or on social media or in the bathroom watching porn.
Article states the the customers relied on the badge. Excuse me while I go put a Porsche badge on the nose of my VW GTI so I can get more money for it. They’re like that French author, Dumas. (will anyone get that reference?)
Hmm, a class action lawsuit with two claimants.
Care to guess if anyone is going to try to add an AWD badge to their three year old Traverse then try and jump on board the class action bandwagon?
Mis-badging does occur as others have stated so we’ll see what happens.
Here’s the reason why the case will be thrown out: “The plaintiffs contend they relied on the factory-applied AWD emblem attached to the back of the Chevrolet Traverse.”
Translation: The sticker and the purchase contract say FWD.
Don’t dealerships inspect the cars when they come in to make sure everything is good on them and shouldn’t they have caught that the vans were only front wheel drive instead of all wheel drive.
‘R’ for fwd? Why? What is awd letter?