— A General Motors class action lawsuit alleges these vehicles are defective due to 1.2-liter turbo engine problems.
- 2024 to present Buick Encore
- 2024 to present Buick Envista
- 2024 to present Chevrolet Trailblazer
- 2024 to present Chevrolet Trax
The class action was filed by California plaintiffs Samantha Cook and Donna Cook after purchasing a new 2024 Chevrolet Trax.
Samantha Cook says she was driving the vehicle on January 25 when a reduced engine power message appeared and the vehicle stalled.
With the Chevy Trax knocking loudly, she coasted off the road when the vehicle had about 11,581 miles on the odometer. The dealership told her the 1.2L turbo engine had a broken connecting rod and a replacement engine was needed.
But the plaintiff complains the replacement 1.2-liter GM turbo engine is backordered and the vehicle is still at the dealership.
GM 1.2L Turbo Engine Problems
The 1.2L turbo engine problem symptoms include knocking sounds, loud mechanical bangs and a loss of power. Once a connecting rod pierces the engine block, the 1.2L turbo engine can also lose fluids that can start a fire.
According to the plaintiffs, GM covered up and concealed the engine defects and continues to do so about the 3-cylinder gasoline engines (RPO LIH or LBP).
It's clear the plaintiffs are depending on reaching the discovery phase of the class action to support some of their allegations.
"[D]iscovery will show that improperly designed and/or manufactured internal engine components, lubrication passages, and casting features result in these failures, including bearing and connecting-rod damage, oil starvation, and engine-block porosity."
"Discovery will show that, since 2022, if not earlier, Defendant has been aware the Class Vehicles’ engines were prone to premature internal failure, including bearing and connecting-rod damage, oil leakage, loss of propulsion, and fire."
"In fact, discovery will show that the Engine System Defect is so severe that it has resulted in a multiple month backorder on the Engine which in turn has resulted in Class Vehicles remaining unrepaired and undriveable for extended periods of time."
"Discovery will show that, in an effort to conceal the Engine System Defect, Defendant instructed dealers to tell consumers their vehicles are 'operating normally' or 'operating as intended' when they are not, or to give excuses for sub-par performance."
"Additionally, discovery will show that GM knew of the impact of this defect from the sheer number of reports received from dealerships."
The GM engine lawsuit says each vehicle named in the class action came with a "5-year/60,000-mile Limited Powertrain Warranty, which expressly covers the engine, transmission, drive system, and transaxle, in addition to a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty."
All the vehicles should still be covered by their warranties, yet plaintiffs Samantha Cook and Donna Cook complain numerous owners have experienced catastrophic engine failures "both within and outside the applicable warranty periods."
And even though the vehicles should be warrantied, the plaintiffs contend vehicle owners experience "substantial out-of-pocket expenses for engine replacement and related damage."
"GM’s authorized dealerships are replacing and repairing Engine Systems both within, and just outside, the applicable express warranty periods." — GM 1.2L engine lawsuit
The class action goes on to argue General Motors and its dealerships have denied warranty coverage by finding the vehicles are operating normally, or "superficial repairs" are performed that don't fix the vehicles.
According to the GM lawsuit, the automaker has issued technical service bulletins (20-NA-084, 23-NA-122, 23-NA-141, and 24-NA-021) about 1.2L turbo engine problems in the past. But the class action says some of those older bulletins say customers may complain of 1.2-liter engine noise, but the noise should be considered normal by dealers.
The GM 1.2L turbo engine class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware: Cook, et al., v. General Motors LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by Berger Montague PC, Milberg, PLCC, and the Drake Law Firm.