GM Loses Engine Defect Class Action & Hit With Over $100M Verdict
Big news in another General Motors oil consumption class action case in California. A California federal jury found Tuesday that General Motors breached certain warranties and violated California Lemon Laws by selling cars with a hidden piston wring engine defect that caused excessive oil consumption. In Siqueiros v. General Motors (3:16-cv-07244), the jury ended up awarding about 38,000 owners in the class action damages totaling 102.6 million dollars, roughly equating to $3,700 per class member.
The class action trial covered the following vehicles:
2011-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
2011-2014 Silverado Suburban
2011-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
2011- 2014 GMC Sierra,
2011 - 2014 GMC Yukon, or Yukon XL vehicle equipped with a generation IV LC9 5.3 Liter V8 Vortec 5300 Engine
The jury deliberated for only two days in San Francisco and awarded the verdict in a class action trial focused on GM consumers in California who owned its trucks and SUVs manufactured from 2011 to 2014. Plaintiffs alleged that GM knowingly sold vehicles with defective piston rings that caused excessive oil consumption, resulting in early engine breakdowns. If you’ve been reading Valero Law you’ll remember that we’ve written extensively about the issues GM vehicles have with oil consumption, premature engine wear, piston ring / catalytic converter failure, namely here:
2013 Chevrolet Equinox Warranty Extension For Catalytic Converter and Oxygen Sensors
Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain Oil Consumption Class Action Settlement Nears
It is a little too soon to say how the trial outcome will work out since the jury barely handed down the verdict yesterday (Tuesday, October 4, 2022). But, for what it’s worth, here are the final jury instructions read to the jury that are fascinating to read.
And, who knows, maybe the next class action will be for the Hydramatic 8 speed
If you're in California and you’ve taken your Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Cruze, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Suburban, or ANY General Motors vehicle to a dealership for issues ranging from engine failure, piston failure, acceleration pedal position sensor failure, piston wear or any warranty condition, we can help you…. AT NO COST TO YOU! Valero Law, APC is a California consumer protection firm dedicated to protecting the lemon law rights of California consumers and ALL cases are taken on a contingency basis, meaning if there is no recovery, there is absolutely no fee to you!