The main Chevy Equinox class action lawsuit, Berman v. General Motors LLC, covered 2010–2013 Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles with the 2.4-liter Ecotec engine and received final court approval on November 18, 2019. The claim window for that settlement has closed, so there is no application to file and no way to “join” it now. If you own one of those vehicles, your best remaining route is GM’s Special Coverage Adjustment, which can still pay for piston ring repairs at no cost when the vehicle falls within the extended time and mileage limits. Owners of newer Equinox models may be covered by separate, more recent lawsuits, including one filed in late 2025 over an alleged fuel pump defect in 2020–2024 vehicles.
Which Lawsuit Covers Which Vehicles
The Berman case, filed in the Southern District of Florida as Case No. 2:18-cv-14371, targeted a specific defect: piston rings that wore out prematurely and let engine oil seep past the pistons into the combustion chamber, where it burned off. Owners reported adding oil constantly between changes, and some engines ran low enough to sustain internal damage. Plaintiffs alleged the vehicles’ oil pressure warning also failed to alert drivers in time.
The class was narrow. It covered 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with the 2.4L Ecotec engine only. The 2.4L was one of two engine options during that production run, so not every Equinox from those model years qualifies. Your VIN, on your registration or the driver’s-side dashboard, confirms the engine.
Owners of other model years or engine configurations were never part of Berman. At least one later class action has alleged oil consumption problems in Equinox and Terrain vehicles outside the 2010–2013 range, and a separate class action filed in late 2025 targets 2020–2024 Equinox and Terrain models over an alleged fuel pump defect that can cause stalling or failure to start.
One case that sometimes gets confused with Berman is Siqueiros v. General Motors LLC, a $150 million oil consumption settlement in the Northern District of California. Siqueiros covers 2011–2014 Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL trucks and SUVs with the LC9 engine. It does not include the Equinox.
Status of the Berman Settlement
Berman is closed. After Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, objected that the original settlement limited reimbursement to piston assembly replacements, the parties expanded the terms so class members could recover the cost of any repair caused by the oil consumption defect, including full engine replacements. The revised deal also gave class members an additional 120-day window to submit reimbursement claims for repairs they had already paid for, along with related rental car expenses.
That 120-day window has since expired, along with the claim windows tied to GM’s Special Coverage Adjustments for the earliest model years. There is no live claim form to submit for the Berman settlement itself.
The Free Repair That May Still Be Available
Separate from the class action, GM issued Special Coverage Adjustments (SCAs) for each affected model year, extending the factory warranty to cover piston and piston ring replacement at no cost when the vehicle falls within the coverage window. The 2010, 2011, and 2012 model years each had their own SCA (numbers 14159, 15285, and 16118). The 2013 SCA is N192291100, and it runs 7 years and 6 months or 120,000 miles from the original in-service date, whichever comes first.
To qualify for the free repair, a GM dealer performs an oil consumption test. If the engine burns more than one quart of oil per 2,000 miles, GM authorizes replacement of the pistons and rings, along with any other engine component damaged solely because of the excessive oil consumption. Consumption at or below one quart per 2,000 miles is treated as normal, and no repair is authorized.
Call a GM dealer with your VIN and ask whether your vehicle is still within its SCA window. If it is, the repair should be performed at no charge regardless of whether you ever participated in the class action.
How Class Membership Actually Works
People often assume joining a class action means filing an application. In federal class actions certified under Rule 23(b)(3), that is not how it works. The court defines the class — for example, “all persons who purchased or leased a 2010–2013 Chevrolet Equinox equipped with a 2.4L Ecotec engine” — and everyone who fits the definition is automatically included unless they affirmatively opt out.
When a settlement is reached, the court requires notice to class members, usually by mail or email. That notice explains the settlement terms, how to submit a claim for payment, and how to exclude yourself if you would rather sue on your own. It also states the deadlines. If you do nothing, you remain in the class and give up the right to sue individually over the same defect, but you also have to submit the claim paperwork if you want a payment.
For a newer lawsuit still in its early stages, there is nothing to sign up for. If your vehicle fits the class definition when a settlement is eventually proposed, you should receive notice at that point.
Options If You Missed the Berman Deadline
If you own a 2010–2013 Equinox with the 2.4L Ecotec engine and never filed a claim, a few paths remain, though none guarantees a recovery.
- Check your SCA eligibility with a GM dealer using your VIN. If the vehicle is still within the time and mileage limits, GM should perform the piston ring repair at no cost.
- File a defect complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at safercar.gov. It will not compensate you, but enough complaints can trigger an investigation or recall.
- Consult a consumer protection attorney about an individual claim. Depending on your state’s statute of limitations, breach of warranty or state consumer protection statutes may still support a lawsuit. You take on more risk, but you keep more control over the outcome.
- Look into your state’s lemon law. Many state lemon laws cover vehicles with persistent defects the manufacturer has been unable to repair, filing fees are modest, and some states require the manufacturer to pay your attorney fees if you win.
The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act also gives consumers a direct right to sue a manufacturer that fails to honor its warranty. It prohibits manufacturers from voiding a warranty because you used aftermarket parts or an independent shop, unless those parts or services are provided free. If you win a Magnuson-Moss claim, the court can order GM to pay your reasonable attorney fees, which is what makes these cases financially workable for individual owners.
One caveat: if your GM warranty includes an informal dispute resolution requirement, you may need to complete that process before filing an individual suit. Check your warranty booklet for any arbitration or dispute resolution clause before contacting a lawyer.
If You Own a Newer Equinox
Owners of vehicles outside the 2010–2013 range were never part of Berman, but they are not out of options. At least one additional class action has alleged oil consumption in Equinox and Terrain vehicles beyond that model year range, and the 2020–2024 fuel pump case filed in late 2025 is active. If your model year and problem match one of those suits, you are likely already a class member. Watch for a court-ordered notice when a settlement is proposed. You can also search by party name or case number on the federal PACER system to see whether any pending case applies to your vehicle.
Documenting Your Vehicle’s Condition
Whatever path you take — SCA repair, individual lawsuit, or a claim in a future settlement — your records determine what you can recover. Start pulling them together now.
- Maintenance and repair receipts, including every oil change and every top-off between changes. These establish a pattern of excessive consumption.
- Dealer repair orders. If a dealership diagnosed the piston ring issue or performed any work under an SCA, those documents show GM’s own technicians confirmed the defect.
- Timestamped photographs of a low dipstick reading, visible leaks, engine warning lights, or fouled spark plugs. Worn rings can also damage the catalytic converter, worth photographing if you see it.
- A diagnostic report from a qualified independent mechanic. Expect to pay between $100 and $200, depending on your area and whether you go to a dealership or an independent shop.
- Oil purchase receipts. If you were buying extra oil between scheduled changes, these help quantify what the defect cost you.
Keep the originals and make digital copies. A folder organized chronologically, with each receipt tied to a specific service date, is more useful than a stack of loose papers when a claim form or an attorney asks for proof.
What Legal Fees Look Like
In a class action, you pay nothing upfront. Class counsel works on contingency and is paid out of the settlement fund only if the case succeeds. Courts typically approve fees between 20 and 33 percent of the fund, under what is known as the common fund doctrine, and your individual share is calculated after those fees come out. You never receive a bill from class counsel.
If you hire your own attorney for an individual case, the fee structure is between you and that lawyer. Consumer protection attorneys handling automotive defect claims usually work on contingency in the range of 33 to 40 percent. Under Magnuson-Moss, a prevailing consumer can ask the court to make the manufacturer pay reasonable attorney fees, which can significantly reduce or eliminate what you owe your own lawyer.