GM Vibration, Radio, & Transmission Class Action Law Suit

[Jesse Davidson]

I will agree with ya on the SR-A tires, I pulled mine the day I bought the truck and put Nitto Terra Grapplers on the truck for the very reason you stated. Worse is that GM charges another $200 for those worthless Goodyear tires on top of what they already charge you for the regular tires that is built into the price of the truck.

My sticker shows $350 because the White Outline Lettering is apparently an extra $150

Wasn't it NBC that planted a lit model rocket engine under a car (GM?) to demonstrate an explosion risk if that car were rear-ended?

 

I imagine that NBC, of all news organizations, would be cautious with faulty vehicle stories.

Because we has the Technical Service Bulletins and other documents already, I don't imagine that is will be that difficult for them

[TxTruckMan]

These types of lawsuits mostly just make lawyers MEGA rich - and the consumer gets nearly nothing. They will settle with GM for something less than requested after a couple of years. The lawyers will get 30% + all fees and expenses = another 10%. Then some type of fund will be set up to "fairly" distribute the remaining funds after a bunch of paperwork has been filed.

 

The other issue is that many here have lots of money in aftermarket parts. GM will say that contributed to your problem. GM is innocent until proven guilty. Good luck fighting that.

 

You'd be better off just fighting with your current dealer, going to another dealership, selling your vehicle now as-is, or contacting GM directly for help.

[pm26]

I remember a class action law suit by Volkswagen vehicle owners against the company. The problem here were persistent water leaks and placement of the main engine computer under the floorboards. When water leaked in, it would pool and drench the engine computer and short it out. VW refused to accept the responsibility for poorly engineered sunroof drains and blamed the owners. When the class action law suit was finally settled, lawyers got millions, while each owner was awarded only a small amount each (because of large number of plaintiffs) which was not even enough to pay for the repairs.

Edited September 10, 2015 by pm26

[Jesse Davidson]

-----UPDATE-----

 

Ok, so these attorneys seem to be like contractors in their ability to return calls..... They don't, that is not something that I am ok with. I will be contacting a new attorney tomorrow to discuss this with him, This attorney was recommended to me by another attorney I have, I checked him out and he does appear to be good. In addition, I would like to pass along a tip I got from a lemon law attorney:

 

If you don't have a minimum of 3 repair attempts, don't file any claim (breach of warranty, lemon law etc.). GM will drag it out until you are out of warranty and ready to get rid of the truck. Go to your dealer and say that it has gotten worse, if it has been a certain time period of time or miles since your last visit (I don't know how long exactly) they will be obligated to check it out and you can get another documented attempt. If you attempt to file prior to having 3 documented attempts you will essentially be black balled from all GM dealers and basically never get anything done.

 

They also said that they are seeing more and more people who are unable to get a third repair attempt because GM is refusing. they said they have seen this before, and it is done when they don't have a diagnosis yet. SO BE AWARE, fight for yourself.

 

Another thing we discussed was filing other claims in small claims court, GM is legally not allowed to send attorneys there, so they have to send a rep. This way you could get a dialogue going about all of the issues and see if you can get something done out of court, as GM will NOT want to fight you in court especially with out their attorney. To do this, you would send a 30 day demand letter under chapter 93A (Massachusetts, likely different in other states) citing the costs to fix the issues, why they are liable, proof theyy are liable, under what laws/ statutes they are in violation of etc. A chapter 93A allows the plaintiff to file for double or treble (triple) damage. ie: say you paid for th upgraded all terrain tires but didn't get them, the proper tires, Bridgestone Deuller A/T RH-s will cost you lets say 1200. your claim is filed in the amount of 3600 but you offer to settle for 2600. you do this for any and all issues in a separate suit and it totals to a lot of money and opens a way for you to get a dialogue going with GM about fixing the truck.

 

I'm going to call another dealer tomorrow to try to get my truck in. My vibration has gotten worse especially around 43 - 54 MPH. definitely not happy with GM, but we shall see.

 

Good Luck Everyone

[jlgarza15]

I see some valid issues, the main one being AM accessories, not a problem for me because I opted for a replacement.. Most of the others don't matter to the owner and your dealer is a non issue. All you do is give the dealer 3 chances to fix and GM gets one chance. If the dealer refuses you then that likely voids that requirement, or just document 3 trips to the dealer.

File with the BBB and then let GM have their shot at a fix. GM may try to bluff you but will cave quickly if it's a known issue like the vibration. Worst case, BBB sets up an independent arbitrator to review your claim and hold a hearing. This process is slanted toward the buyer not GM-if you have a real issue. You elect cash or replacement. There are no costs to you on a replacement except you pay the difference between MSRP old to MSRP new vehicle. GM wants you to take a vehicle out of stock but you can insist on ordering one as I did and wait for a 2016. It's not that tough a process and I would do it again unless I was opting for cash and had a big investment in accessories.

So you will be getting an 16 for the price you paid for 2015? Just the difference in MSRP?

[Jesse Davidson]

So you will be getting an 16 for the price you paid for 2015? Just the difference in MSRP?

yes that is basically how it works. after filing lemon law or with the BBB, you end up getting a call offering an MSRP to MSRP trade which basically means your trade your truck in to GM for the same value as the original MSRP. you can then take that MSRP number and find any GM vehicle with that MSRP and get that at no cost. if your new vehicle has a higher MSRP you only pay the difference. However, GM CAN legally assess a usage fee to the old vehicle and deduct that from the MSRP, and you pay that cost as well, but from what I've seen, most people end up getting out of that. I have finally gotten my third repair attempt, and can legally file lemon law, while they did fix one thing, they created 2 new problems and made another that wasn't fixed worse. I am going to allow 2 more months for GM to figure out what the h*ll is going on with these trucks, before I file. I love the look of my '15 but I'm not spending this much on a truck that doesn't work properly. In the meantime I will try to keep working on this case, but I started a new job and havn't had much time to work on it. If anyone with more available time would like to help/ take over, I will send them the info I have. otherwise it will be a slow process.

 

In addition when and if I end up filing, I will not be getting a new '16 Silverado, I just flat out hate the look of them, and can justify that amount of money on something I hate to look at, I would either end up with a GMC or have to go for full cash. however cash is a much harder option. I will be trying to demand a full 1 week test drive of MY ORDERED truck to confirm that there aren't any problems, if there are, I will attempt to order a new one. again if that doesnt work properly, I am going to try to get it in writing that at this point, it becomes a cash refund.

 

I know it will be ridiculously hard to get that in writing, but I'm going to try.

[Ron.s]

So you will be getting an 16 for the price you paid for 2015? Just the difference in MSRP?

Yes, my truck had an MSRP of $53,400 and I will pay the difference between that and MSRP new vehicle. What I actually paid originally is immaterial and any current incentives , discounts are not considered. I pay no useage fee even though I have 24,000 miles and counting. I have a Denali and ordered a similar 2016 Denali I but could have gone with a Chevy since my dealer sells both GMC and Chevy. You must order from the original dealer, they don't get paid much by GM.

Some of the results depend on your State's lemon law, some states like California have very generous cash settlements and cash might be better than a replacement. GM can obviously agree to anything but decisions are made by the GM DMA (District Manager Aftersales). In my situation I was told that there was nothing wrong with my truck and I was offered a $1000 accessories credit. Then I was told that GM usually prevails in Arbitration. They test your resolve.

On a replacement vehicle you are stuck with what you order. If there are obvious defects then you can refuse the swap but at that point your next step is less than certain.

GM will visit with the Dealer Service Manager so it's helpful if they agree that you have issues. In my situation they always said "operating as designed" or "no problem found" and that didn't help. I had good documentation and even video but didn't have to use them.

There is a third solution that might be worth consideration...trade assistance. I was told by the dealer that it was an option but this came up too late in the process.

 

 

Edit-you will get nothing in writing from GM, ever. Any settlement offer will be documented by the BBB. Their documentation will outline the terms of your verbal understanding. The dealer may get a letter of authorization from the DMA. I'm sure that GM has an internal process requiring a very high level of review of legal agreements. Conversations are recorded by GM but nothing written!

Edited September 27, 2015 by Ron.s

[ikaika1984]

Just dropping in. Owner of a 15, Denali CCSB, 5.3L, 4x4..

What's the issue you refer to. Just want to be informed

 

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[Jesse Davidson]

Yes, my truck had an MSRP of $53,400 and I will pay the difference between that and MSRP new vehicle. What I actually paid originally is immaterial and any current incentives , discounts are not considered. I pay no useage fee even though I have 24,000 miles and counting. I have a Denali and ordered a similar 2016 Denali I but could have gone with a Chevy since my dealer sells both GMC and Chevy. You must order from the original dealer, they don't get paid much by GM.

Some of the results depend on your State's lemon law, some states like California have very generous cash settlements and cash might be better than a replacement. GM can obviously agree to anything but decisions are made by the GM DMA (District Manager Aftersales). In my situation I was told that there was nothing wrong with my truck and I was offered a $1000 accessories credit. Then I was told that GM usually prevails in Arbitration. They test your resolve.

On a replacement vehicle you are stuck with what you order. If there are obvious defects then you can refuse the swap but at that point your next step is less than certain.

GM will visit with the Dealer Service Manager so it's helpful if they agree that you have issues. In my situation they always said "operating as designed" or "no problem found" and that didn't help. I had good documentation and even video but didn't have to use them.

There is a third solution that might be worth consideration...trade assistance. I was told by the dealer that it was an option but this came up too late in the process.

 

 

Edit-you will get nothing in writing from GM, ever. Any settlement offer will be documented by the BBB. Their documentation will outline the terms of your verbal understanding. The dealer may get a letter of authorization from the DMA. I'm sure that GM has an internal process requiring a very high level of review of legal agreements. Conversations are recorded by GM but nothing written!

Well I can say right now, if thats the case, I will be going straight for cash, my dealer only does Chevy, and I will not accept a '16 chevy due to the change in appearance. They look terrible. they will have to allow a change to a GMC dealer, allow my chevy dealer to order me a GMC or give me the full MSRP + options, accessories, extended warranty etc. in cash. I will not cave on this.

[Ron.s]

Well I can say right now, if thats the case, I will be going straight for cash, my dealer only does Chevy, and I will not accept a '16 chevy due to the change in appearance. They look terrible. they will have to allow a change to a GMC dealer, allow my chevy dealer to order me a GMC or give me the full MSRP + options, accessories, extended warranty etc. in cash. I will not cave on this.

Good luck, hope it works out for you. Cash is an option the other things you mention are very low probability. No one you will deal with at GM has any authority. If your requests are "outside the box" and too demanding you are sure to get arbitration and then run the risk of getting less not more. I found that polite but firm worked well for me. Your GM contact is a low level employee following direction from the DMA. My approach was to give them reason to recommend my request.

I actually prefer the look of the Chev Z71 but couldn't equip it the way I wanted.

[Jesse Davidson]

Good luck, hope it works out for you. Cash is an option the other things you mention are very low probability. No one you will deal with at GM has any authority. If your requests are "outside the box" and too demanding you are sure to get arbitration and then run the risk of getting less not more. I found that polite but firm worked well for me. Your GM contact is a low level employee following direction from the DMA. My approach was to give them reason to recommend my request.

I actually prefer the look of the Chev Z71 but couldn't equip it the way I wanted.

I hear ya, but I also have the benefit of filing under chapter 93A (Massacusetts) which affords me the ability to sue them for triple the cost of the truck if I so choose. So allowing me to get a GMC over a chevy because I hate the look of the new ones will be far more cost effective for them.

[CooperS7777]

Yes, my truck had an MSRP of $53,400 and I will pay the difference between that and MSRP new vehicle. What I actually paid originally is immaterial and any current incentives , discounts are not considered. I pay no useage fee even though I have 24,000 miles and counting. I have a Denali and ordered a similar 2016 Denali I but could have gone with a Chevy since my dealer sells both GMC and Chevy. You must order from the original dealer, they don't get paid much by GM.

I'm very glad to hear this Ron. I will be coming up on my 3rd attempt to resolve this issue shortly, and while Id love for them to fix it, I dont have much faith that they will. I've already begun reading up on NH lemon law, but my concern was just that - not being able to replace my 6.2 CC standard bed All Terrain with an identical truck, without loosing my butt in the process.

[Potts]

I read this whole thread. No where in this discussion are the specific issues you are filing a class action lawsuit for detailed. I am aware of the vibration issues from reading this forum. I have also read some random posts about people's radios being "slow" to respond. What are the specific radio and transmission issues this is intended to cover? I feel like you would be better off focusing on one of these three, likely the vibration issue, as that seems to be the most prevalent from what I can tell. Just my two cents. I'm interested in things like this.

 

I will say, my 2015 Silverado has thus far been nothing but perfect.

 

As for the "off road tires" part, that is exactly why I was glad I didn't bother paying for the Z71 package. You basically get shocks and crappy off-road tires. I took one look at the tires they slapped on the Z71 and said yeah no way that's worth the extra 5k in sticker price. You can put a better set of shocks, tires AND wheels on your truck for way less than $5k and get much better components.

 

 

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[Jesse Davidson]

I read this whole thread. No where in this discussion are the specific issues you are filing a class action lawsuit for detailed. I am aware of the vibration issues from reading this forum. I have also read some random posts about people's radios being "slow" to respond. What are the specific radio and transmission issues this is intended to cover? I feel like you would be better off focusing on one of these three, likely the vibration issue, as that seems to be the most prevalent from what I can tell. Just my two cents. I'm interested in things like this.

 

I will say, my 2015 Silverado has thus far been nothing but perfect.

 

As for the "off road tires" part, that is exactly why I was glad I didn't bother paying for the Z71 package. You basically get shocks and crappy off-road tires. I took one look at the tires they slapped on the Z71 and said yeah no way that's worth the extra 5k in sticker price. You can put a better set of shocks, tires AND wheels on your truck for way less than $5k and get much better components.

 

 

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I have been getting some messages and even calls from people I know who are complaining of a "clunky" transmission, the truck basically lurches forward randomly and there is basically a banging sound when it happens. basically bad shifting. The radio isn't necessarily that it is slow, it is that it can't hold proper reception. There have been a number of people, myself included, whose radio basically loses all of the highs and mids when driving. When the truck isn't moving it is normally fine, but when moving, I can't even listen to the radio because it sound so bad. XM is the only thing that sounds good and isn't affected by this. then obviously there is the rough idle (raises hand again) and the other vibration problems (once again, raises hand). What I was looking for from this is to get the names of people to submit as having these issues, I even specify what problems each person has in my list.

[Ron.s]

My issues were rear end clunk-deemed normal; slip joint sticking-driveline shop greased twice; transmission hard downshift (infrequent)-dealer couldn't replicate. I also had a slight vibration with the factory tires but none with my Michelin winter tires.

Another issue I could prove was kind of minor but affected phone, Nav, radio and iPod. To begin, my Nav screen would stay blank at startup requiring that I stop, shut off and restart. Dealer couldn't duplicate so I took pictures and they found a GM service bulletin so applied an update. The update must have corrupted my software and created many issues that got worse over time, nothing worked correctly now and even controls malfunctioned. Dealer applied a patch and that helped but then things got progressively worse again. Selling dealer opened a case with GM but no error codes and no solution. 2nd dealer observed some issues and did a global reset in concert with GM tech support. I requested twice that they return my truck to stock or replace the head unit and software. At this point someone got to dealer 2 (can't help you) and referred me back to dealer 1. Ticked off at this point I documented issues with video and pictures And filed a claim with BBB.

I'm leaving out a lot of detail but also spent time with a GM employee in the Executive Referral Dept. Total waste of time, found out later that they have no authority...PR person but she did try to help. There is now a bulletin that would probably have solved my drive train issues. GM discourages dealer diagnostics unless something is broken or unless error codes appear. Dealer may not get paid. Looking back it seems trivial that my situation got to this point. Maybe it's more cost effective this way-larger loss occasionally vs lots of small diagnostic charges. There's also a wide variation in customer knowledge so some complaints may be unfounded or erroneous.

Long ago I started providing written documentation to the Dealer service writer for my protection. They don't normally provide much of a write up and in fact are limited in how much detail they can put into the system. I really loved my truck but......