— GM brake booster problems have caused a class action lawsuit that alleges vacuum pump failures lead to hard brake pedals, extended stopping distances and complete brake failure.
The plaintiffs who filed the brake booster vacuum pump lawsuit complain of brake pedals impossible to push, in some cases requiring so much force drivers must turn off the ignitions to stop the vehicles.
The General Motors class action lawsuit includes these vehicles.
- 2016-2020 Buick Envision
- 2018-2022 Chevrolet Equinox
- 2018-2022 GMC Terrain
General Motors issued a recall of about 3.4 million vehicles in 2019 because of brake booster problems that caused a loss of power brakes, but that recall didn't include the above vehicles.
The brake booster lawsuit was filed by three vehicle owners.
Michigan plaintiff Kaylee Thieme owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox she was driving in January when the brake pedal became hard and wasn't working properly.
It was determined the drive gear housing of the vacuum pump had shattered, and the dealer discovered metal shards from the exploded pump inside the engine. (See above photo)
The plaintiff complains GM refused to cover the cost of removing the shattered parts from the cylinder head and changing the oil to flush the contaminated oil.
Arkansas plaintiff Rebecca Gill owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox which "experienced sudden and complete brake failure" on a freeway. She says the brake pedal was hard and a warning on the instrument panel indicated the vehicle was reduced to half power.
A repair shop discovered the vacuum pump had failed and damaged the camshaft and valve cover gasket.
New Jersey plaintiff Meghan Morley owns a 2020 GMC Terrain equipped with a vacuum pump that exploded into the engine in January.
According to the class action, GM knowingly sold and leased the above models equipped with defective brake booster vacuum pumps, supposedly placing corporate profit over safety.
The lawsuit explains the purported defects in the brake booster vacuum pump system:
"The brake booster pump assembly system installed in the Class Vehicles, including the component parts thereof (the mechanical vacuum pump, vacuum lines, power brake booster, brake booster vacuum pipe assembly, vacuum sensors, and associated seals, gaskets, and connectors), suffers from one or more fundamental design defects that prevent the system from generating and maintaining adequate and consistent vacuum pressure during normal vehicle operation, ultimately leading to catastrophic failure of the brake vacuum pump and loss of brake power assist."
According to the plaintiffs, the brake booster failure may cause hissing noise, a GM brake pedal that feels spongy, or it's possible the brake pedal stays on the floorboard. Then when owners try to convince General Motors to cover repair expenses, the class action says the typical response is a refusal from GM to pay for anything.
The lawsuit also argues the automaker clearly is aware of brake booster vacuum pump problems because "GM quietly redesigned the braking system for the 2023 model year Equinox and Terrain, transitioning to an electro-hydraulic 'e-Boost' system that eliminates the defective vacuum pump entirely."
The GM brake booster vacuum pump lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of Michigan: Thieme, et al., v. General Motors, LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Miller Law Firm, P.C., and Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.