General Motors is an American staple, with brands like Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac serving as key manufacturers throughout the history of the American automotive industry. That said, like virtually all manufacturers, they haven’t been free of controversy and/or negative press. The latest of this comes in the form of a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania regarding potentially dangerous brake failure.
Now, brake failure of any type is potentially dangerous, and GM is well aware of the costs, as they’ve issued several recalls in the past few years alone. The latest of their brake system woes, which led to the lawsuit in question, hasn’t been addressed publicly by GM, nor has a recall been issued by the NHTSA, though the lawsuit claims the manufacturer knew of the defect and failed to take serious action.
To provide the most accurate and up-to-date information, this article uses data sourced from GM, as well as various authoritative sources, including the NHTSA.
Lawsuit Involves Models From Chevy, Buick, And GMC
First and foremost, it’s important to understand what exactly is failing, as previous brake issues and recalls from GM models detail varying points of failure. In this case, it’s the master cylinder — a vital piece of the hydraulic brake system. The master cylinder converts pressure applied to the brake pedal into hydraulic force that engages the brakes. The point of failure, as detailed in the complaint, involves the internal seals and related components failing prematurely, allowing brake fluid to bypass or leak, resulting in a loss of brake pressure and a very dangerous situation. Models listed in the complaint are:
- Chevrolet Traverse
- GMC Acadia
- Buick Enclave
- Chevrolet Colorado
- GMC Canyon
Class members report a sudden loss of brake pressure, with some resorting to engaging the parking brake in order to stop the vehicle. We don’t have to explain why this is an obvious problem, but what the lawsuit stresses is the warning signs that were allegedly ignored by GM. According to numerous NHTSA complaints, dealership reports, and GM’s own pre-sale test analysis, the master cylinder was a problem point before the lawsuit came to be.
Frustrations Have Been Growing
As mentioned, there are plenty of records, not only owner complaints and NHTSA reports, of concern involving the master cylinder. This includes the service update N242482170 issued by GM for the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2025 Buick Enclave, acknowledging master cylinder defects, as well as the unusual number of GM OEM master cylinders being ordered by dealerships across the nation, signifying an uptick in the need for replacements. This actually caused a sizable backorder of OEM master cylinder units, which led to many owners having their repairs put on hold.
Early Component Failures Leave Owners On The Hook
While GM’s warranty covers these defects, considering the vehicle has not been subject to anything that would void the warranty, it doesn’t help the fact that the vehicle itself has lost value due to the damage and defect. As the complaint states:
The Defect substantially impairs the Class Vehicles’ ability to provide safe and reliable transportation and renders the vehicles unmerchantable and worth less money at the time of sale or lease.
— Eric Barron and Chelsey Thompson v. General Motors LLC
Affected Owners Seek Accountability
As outlined in the complaint, the plaintiffs are raising numerous allegations, including, but not limited to, fraudulent concealment, breach of express warranty, and violation of Pennsylvania and New York Lemon Laws. They are seeking class action certification for their complaint, which includes consequential and punitive damages, as well as replacement of the affected vehicle or repair of the defective component. As of writing, there have been no statements issued by GM nor recalls, though the case is ongoing.