GM SUVs, Trucks’ Faulty Airbags, Belts ‘Recklessly Downplayed,’ Affect Millions, Alleges Class Action

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GM SUVs Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

• Who: Drivers of popular GM SUVs lodged a class action lawsuit against the automaker.  
• Why: The automaker allegedly knew that millions of GM SUVs were equipped with defective airbags and seatbelts that resulted in at least 1,298 injuries and even deaths.  
• Where: The complaint was filed in Michigan federal court.  

Popular GM SUVs, including Silverado, Tahoe, Astro and Trailblazer were equipped with faulty airbags and seat belts, say a group of consumers who claim the automaker knew millions of its vehicles posed serious safety risks to motorists in a class action lawsuit filed in Michigan federal court Thursday.  

Lead plaintiffs Jamar Chism, Ashley DeGruy, Kissy Elliott, William Garrison, Matthew Mastracci, Arthur Ray, Mark Silver, and Kenith Yates want to represent owners of GM SUVs nationwide. 

Like the notorious Takata airbag, the plaintiffs claim that General Motors LLC and its affiliates used outdated “dangerous and defective” software that miscalibrated important safety features — a problem that “can prevent seatbelt tightening and airbag deployment during certain types of crashes,” alleges the class action lawsuit.  

Hundreds of Complaints Lodged About Airbags, Belts in GM SUVs, Trucks 

The plaintiffs point to hundreds of complaints made to regulators about airbags and seatbelts that failed to work in GM SUVs and trucks. The automaker has also been the subject of a number of personal injury lawsuits that claimed GM airbags failed to deploy and seatbelts did not work during a crash, say the plaintiffs.  

Despite GM’s awareness of “a pattern of suspicious accidents” related to the calibration system, the automaker allegedly failed to do anything about the problem allegedly affecting millions of its most popular SUVs, claim the plaintiffs.  

“GM has concealed the defect and failed to recall or repair the class vehicles, presumably to avoid the significant costs and inconveniences of recalling millions of vehicles,” states the class action lawsuit. “GM has hidden the defect in spite of its obligation to disclose it, misrepresented the class vehicles to be safe, and continued to sell them to consumers.” 

Indeed, each of the plaintiffs say that they would not have purchased or paid as much for their GM SUVs or trucks had they known about the alleged defects. 

Millions of GM SUVs, Trucks May Be Affected 

The plaintiffs want to represent a nationwide Class of owners of the following GM SUVs equipped with defective airbag calibration systems — a category that may include millions of popular vehicles, such as the Tahoe, Suburban, Trailblazer, Tracker, and may other models, dating back to 1999, according to the class action lawsuit.  

In addition to damages, the class action lawsuit wants a court order stopping the “deceptive distribution, sales, and lease practices” related to GM SUVs and trucks equipped with the alleged defect. 

Have you owned GM SUVs or trucks? Are you concerned about airbag or safety defects? Tell us about it in the comment section below! 

The plaintiffs are represented by E. Powell Miller, Sharon S. Almonrode, Dennis A. Lienhardt, and William Kalas of The Miller Law Firm PC, David S. Stellings, Katherine I. Mcbride, Richard Heimann, Nimish R. Desai, and Jessica A. Moldovan of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP, Roland Tellis, David Fernandes and Adam Tamburelli of Baron & Budd PC and David M. Birka-White of Birka-White Law Offices.  

The GM SUVs Class Action Lawsuit is Jamar Chism et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 3:21-cv-11802, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

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