GM Facing Class Action Over Alleged Hydra-Matic Transmission Shifting Defect Affecting Certain 2019-2022 Vehicles

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A proposed class action alleges the eight-speed Hydra-Matic 8L90 or 8L45 transmission found in a number of 2019-2022 model year Chevy, Cadillac and GMC vehicles is defectively designed and prone to harsh shifting of the lower gears. 

The 211-page complaint against General Motors, LLC alleges the automaker has concealed the problems with the Hydra-Matic transmissions from drivers, who have described the alleged defects as producing a “jerking, lurching, and/or hesitation” during shifting. The case contests that the Hydra-Matic transmission problems pose a significant safety risk given they can affect a driver’s ability to control a vehicle’s speed, acceleration and deceleration. 

“As an example, these conditions may make it difficult to safely merge into traffic, back out of a garage or driveway, and drivers have reported sudden lurching into intersections when attempting to gradually accelerate from a stopped position and other dangerous driving conditions.” 

The lawsuit, filed by six plaintiffs, alleges General Motors has known of the Hydra-Matic transmission shifting problem since at least 2013 yet failed to alert buyers or lessees at the time of sale. Per the complaint, affected drivers have overpaid for their vehicles, which now suffer from diminished resale prices. 

The particular vehicles plagued by the alleged Hydra-Matic transmission defect include the 2019-2022 Chevy Camaro, Colorado and Silverado; 2019 Corvette; 2019 Cadillac ATS, ATS-V, CTS, CT6 and CTS-V; and 2019-2022 GMC Canyon and Sierra, according to the suit. The “class vehicles” were all made and sold new after March 1, 2019, the filing specifies. 

Further, the case claims that although the transmission defect is covered by GM’s warranty, drivers who bring their vehicles in for repair either are “told that their vehicles are behaving normally,” receive ineffective repairs or end up having their transmission or components replaced with “the same defective parts.” 

“GM knows those efforts won’t fix the Shift Defect—an August 2020 Technical Service Bulletin (‘TSB’) designed to address harsh first shifts of the day notes that ‘[r]eplacing transmission components or complete assemblies will not improve the condition,’” the complaint states, adding that GM reportedly will not and cannot fix the problem until it executes a redesign for model-year 2023 vehicles. 

The automaker has planned for this redesign since at least 2018, the case says. 

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone who’s an original purchaser or current owner of any of the Chevy, Cadillac or GMC vehicles listed on this page and who bought the vehicle from an authorized GM dealer in California, Michigan, New Jersey, Indiana or Washington. 

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