The eight-speed transmissions installed in numerous Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, including several trucks and SUVs manufactured by General Motors, are faulty.
According to a new class-action lawsuit against GM in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, the automaker shipped vehicles with transmissions with that:
“Slip, buck, kick, jerk, harshly engage, suffer abnormal internal wear, sudden acceleration, delay in downshifts, delayed acceleration, difficulty stopping the vehicle, and eventually require replacement of the transmission or its components.”
Vehicles affected include:
Cadillac ATS (2016-2019), Cadillac ATS-V (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS-V (2016-2019), 2016-2019 Cadillac CT6, Cadillac Escalade/Cadillac Escalade ESV (2015-2019), Chevrolet Camaro (2016-2019), Chevrolet Colorado (2017-2019), Chevrolet Corvette (2015-2019), Chevrolet Silverado (2015-2019), GMC Canyon (2017-2019), GMC Sierra (2015-2019), GMC Yukon/Yukon XL (2015-2019) .
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GM knew its had issues, plaintiffs claim
According to the plaintiffs, the problems trace to an issue with the torque converter that causes excess friction.
The lawsuit also cites more than 60 technical service bulletins and service updates from the carmaker regarding the eight-speed transmission problems. The documents are evidence the carmaker was aware of the problems with the transmission and decided to sell the affected vehicles anyway.
Separately, the C7 Corvette owner complaint submitted to Car Complaints in 2015 stating they were told by a “GM insider” that the automaker was ” aware some transmissions are defective and is working on a kit to fix the fluid starvation problem internally.”
GM disputes claims, responsibility
Numerous class-action suits have been filed against the carmaker over its 8L45E and 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmissions. The automaker sought to have one of these suits thrown out last August, claiming the transmission problems are related to a design defect and not a manufacturing defect.
The carmaker’s vehicle warranties only cover manufacturing defects with parts and components and not design defects. Most of these suits claim all vehicles with these eight-speed transmissions are defective, which would imply a design defect and not a manufacturing defect.
This latest class-action suit calls on manufacturer to reform its warranties to address these transmission problems and also issue a recall for affected vehicles.
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Article Last Updated: January 4, 2022.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.