In 2023, GM Authority reported that General Motors was hit by a class action lawsuit that alleged the Detroit-based automaker knowingly sold faulty eight-speed automatic transmissions in a wide variety of its vehicles. Reuters reports that the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati has voted to decertify the class action, reversing an August 2024 ruling by Circuit Judge Karen Nelson Moore.
Drivers claimed in the lawsuit that the affected vehicles shudder and shake in higher gears, as well as hesitate and lurch in lower gears, even after repair attempts were made. They also alleged that General Motors told dealerships to provide assurance that the harsh shifts were considered normal.
This litigation involved roughly 800,000 vehicles, including 514,000 in the certified classes. The class action lawsuit claims that the 8L45E and 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmissions in thirteen different GM vehicle models produced between 2015 and March 1st, 2019, are defective. The models included full-size trucks and SUVs, the Chevy Corvette and Camaro, and various Cadillac sedans.
When General Motors opposed class certification of the case, it stated that most class members never experienced problems and therefore lacked any standing to sue. In addition, the Detroit-based automaker claimed that there were too many differences among class members to justify group lawsuits.
Circuit Judge Moore dissented on Friday, accusing the new majority of trying to erect “insurmountable barriers to certification for plaintiffs who file class-action complaints against national manufacturers.” Interestingly, all nine federal judges who voted in the majority were appointed by Republican presidents, while all seven dissenting judges were appointed by Democrats.
Although this is good news for General Motors, the story doesn’t end here. The appeals court has sent the litigation back to U.S. District Judge David Lawson in Detroit, who certified the classes in 2023. The review could result in certification of smaller subclasses.
Comments
GM made a crap transmission end of story…
To bad too because I’ve always been a gm fan and the older transmissions were stuff of legends
People love to SUE GM because of greedy lawyers. They always go after large manufactures. I feel bad for GM. They make an excellent product and my GM has over 245k with original transmission. The owners get nothing but the lawyers get money. Its time to stop these blood sucking lawyers
So you don’t think GM would sell faulty transmissions just like they did with the faulty L87s?
Really getting tired of courts siding with manufacturers too frequently.
Class action suits are a scam. Greedy lawyers put together a “class” of legitimately hurt individuals. Greedy lawyers meet with crooked defense lawyers and cook up a scheme that goes like this. Hey, if you pay our highly bloated legal costs we will agree to screw our clients by agreeing to pennys on the dollars. That way they can’t sue you any more and you save your client millions. What do say?
Bought a new 2017 Camaro RS, V6, A8 for my Junior HS son in 2018. Felt the shutter on the way home from the purchase, but thought it was just rough NE MS roads. Learned about the shutter on Camaro6 forum. Took it to Tupelo dealer for flush, but was same fluid, no help. Took it back to dealer when I read about new fluid flush in early January, 2019. No problem since. Love the car & son really takes care of it, still less than 29k miles. Third Camaro for us, 1975 RS for me in 1976 followed by a new 1979 in late 1978 and now his 2017. Chevy made a real mistake killing Chevelle ( owned six from 283 to 350 to 402 70 SS 396, real wheel drive Monte Carlo SS, had a 1984, & the Camaro.
I had 5 F series Ford pickups then I crawled under my son’s new early 2000’s F-150 4WD to help him change his oil the first time. The filter was a shortened version to fit in a very tight spot, we couldn’t get on it to get it loosened and had to have it serviced. Said right then that I wouldn’t buy/drive something that I couldn’t change the oil on myself. Been buying GM pickups ever since.
The Turbo Hydramatic 400 was the best I’ve ever experienced in any vehicle. I’d be leery of owning a modern-day GM automatic.
Never had any issues with the 283 2bbl with the 2 speed Powerglide in the 1966 Malibu coupe I has when I was 15 in 1970. No issues with all the 350’s with the Hydromatic 350 that followed or the 305 HO.
GM used to build good solid reliable drivetrains and so did Ford but they are too complicated today to run right.
GM 100% knew the transmissions were faulty as one of the service technicians told me that their dealership was “TOLD” by GM corp to tell customers the shudder and lurching was “Normal” . I own 5 cars and not any of the other cars do this and when I shared that the service technician was honest and felt the same condition on a test drive, I learned on my return visit to the dealership ship that he was no longer with the dealership. What a Nationwide cover up by GM. I’ll NEVER buy a GM again and neither will any of my family members as I have shared all the records about this case with them. Such a shame that Mary Bart’s supports this coverup and not take care of the customers who paid good money to buy their vehicles.
Why are Judges voting on party lines like this article implies? What is the matter with America? It’s become this political battle and it’s destroying the fabric of America. I’m an independent but I blame the Democrats for their poor behavior