GM Vehicles with Faulty Transmissions: Judge Grants Class Action Status to Lawsuit
If you are an owner of a GM vehicle with an 8-speed automatic transmission, you may be dealing with a common issue – faulty transmissions. As of today, a judge has granted class action status to a lawsuit brought by 39 plaintiffs across 26 states who claim that their vehicles’ 8-speed automatic transmissions have caused shaking, hesitations, clunking, and hard shifting when changing gears.
The lawsuit applies to GM vehicles equipped with either the 8L90 or the 8L45 8-speed automatic transmissions made between 2015 and March 1, 2019. The suit alleges that these transmissions have erratic behaviors that make some vehicles unsafe to drive.
Ted Leopold, the court-appointed lead counsel for the case, claims that GM knowingly sold over 800,000 eight-speed transmission vehicles, which they knew to be defective for years. He added that dealers were directed to tell customers that harsh shifts were “normal” or “characteristic,” which is both highly irresponsible and emblematic of what GM believes it can get away with.
The Cohen Milstein law firm, which represents the plaintiffs, claims that GM has issued thirteen versions of a “technical service bulletin” related to this shifting issue since 2015.
The statement from Cohen Milstein also notes that a second lawsuit regarding GM vehicles with 8L transmissions is underway; it features vehicles with harsh shifts made after March 1, 2019, when GM replaced the automatic transmission fluid that caused the shudder problem.
If you own a GM vehicle with an 8-speed automatic transmission made between 2015 and March 1, 2019, and are experiencing any of the issues listed above, consider contacting GM or joining the class action suit.
