GM Class Action Claims Certain GMC, Cadillac, Chevy Models Suffer From Dangerous Windshield Wiper Defect

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims that several 2023 and 2024 General Motors (GM) vehicles are sold with a defect that causes the windshield wipers to spontaneously cease and resume function, leading to potential safety risks for drivers.

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According to the 12-page lawsuit, an electrical defect can cause the windshield wipers on the affected GM cars to lock or freeze in the middle of the windshield without any warning or indication. The suit further claims that drivers have no clear way to get the wipers working again other than waiting for them to restart.

The vehicles specifically named in the GM class action lawsuit as having the alleged windshield wiper defect are the 2023 and 2024 models of the following:

• GMC Yukon;
• GMC Yukon XL;
• Cadillac Escalade;
• Cadillac Escalade ESV;
• Chevrolet Suburban; and
• Chevrolet Tahoe.

The windshield wiper defect, the lawsuit says, poses a serious safety risk, as it significantly and immediately reduces visibility and can, in strong weather, make it almost impossible for a driver to see. In the plaintiff’s experience, this has allegedly led to constant fear of vehicle breakdown, canceled family travel and lost work opportunities, as he has been forced to either avoid travel during inclement weather or borrow alternative vehicles so as not to risk driving a car whose windshield he cannot see through. From the suit:

“Because Plaintiff could not predict when the windshield wipers would fail, he was forced to avoid using the vehicle during periods of even light precipitation, effectively removing the vehicle from service during ordinary weather conditions.”

The complaint adds that restarting the vehicle does not solve the issue and that, in the plaintiff’s experience, the vehicle remained unfixed even after being brought to authorized General Motors dealerships on eight separate occasions for multiple hours of diagnostics and attempted repairs.

Importantly, the lawsuit says that the windshield wiper issue generates no diagnostic trouble codes and therefore many service technicians mark the vehicles as having “no fault found.”

While GM announced in early 2024 that it was aware of and investigating the alleged defect, it has not offered a repair procedure or remedy, per the filing. The complaint also claims that GM has refused to offer a refund, replacement or any other solution to the plaintiff, whose vehicle remains defective.

The filing cites estimates from Kelly Blue Book and Carvana on the 2023 Yukon XL's value, noting that the Carvana estimated value decreased by 25% after the issue was disclosed.

The lawsuit claims that GM has failed to uphold its warranty obligations and misrepresented the safety of the vehicles, selling unreliable and unsafe cars to unwitting consumers at a price point that is unfair given the significant impact of the defect on the cars’ usability.

The General Motors class action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone in the U.S. who purchased or leased a 2023 or 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon or GMC Yukon XL.

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