General Motors has faced several class action lawsuits involving the Chevy Traverse, and if you own one, three cases matter: a “Shift to Park” settlement that received final approval in October 2025, an active lawsuit over defective brake master cylinders in 2025 models, and a sprawling eight-speed transmission case that covers certain Traverse model years alongside many other GM vehicles. Two smaller suits have also touched the Traverse but are no longer active.
The Shift to Park Settlement (Jefferson and Riley v. GM)
This is the Traverse case that has actually paid money out. Drivers of certain GM vehicles reported shifting into Park and seeing a dashboard message telling them to do it again. The car didn’t register that it was in Park, so the engine wouldn’t shut off, electrical systems kept draining the battery, and sometimes the doors wouldn’t lock. Owners often had to jiggle the shifter to get the vehicle to recognize the gear.
Rilla Jefferson sued GM in the Western District of Tennessee in August 2020, and Mark Riley filed a similar case in the Southern District of Ohio in March 2021. Riley’s case was transferred and consolidated with Jefferson’s under Case No. 2:20-cv-02576 before Judge Jon Phipps McCalla.1STP Lawsuit. Frequently Asked Questions The claims included breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranty, and violations of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.2ClassAction.org. Jefferson et al v. General Motors LLC Settlement Agreement
Which Traverse Owners Qualified
For Traverse owners specifically, coverage was narrow. Only 2018–2019 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles originally purchased or leased new in Ohio were part of the settlement class. Tennessee’s class covered only the 2017–2018 GMC Acadia, so Tennessee Traverse owners were not included.3GM Authority. GM Shift to Park Lawsuit Settlement Gets Final Approval
What the Settlement Paid
Qualifying class members received a $500 cash payment, split among any co-owners or co-lessees. Owners who had paid out of pocket to fix the Shift to Park issue could claim reimbursement of up to $375 with supporting documentation such as invoices or repair orders.1STP Lawsuit. Frequently Asked Questions To qualify, an owner had to show they went to a GM dealer for the defect while still under warranty and that the dealer either did nothing or failed to replace the shifter assembly or wire harness with a silicon-free part.3GM Authority. GM Shift to Park Lawsuit Settlement Gets Final Approval
The $500 payment went out automatically to class members already in GM’s warranty records. Anyone not in GM’s data had to file a claim by August 19, 2025.4STP Lawsuit. Jefferson and Riley v. General Motors Settlement The court held its fairness hearing on August 22, 2025, and granted final approval on October 9, 2025. Class counsel received $2,035,000 in fees, and each named plaintiff received a $10,000 service award. GM denied wrongdoing throughout.2ClassAction.org. Jefferson et al v. General Motors LLC Settlement Agreement The claim window is now closed.
The 2025 Traverse Brake Master Cylinder Lawsuit
The most serious active case involving the Traverse targets 2025 models over defective brake master cylinder assemblies. Plaintiffs Eric Barron of Pennsylvania, Chelsey Thompson of New York, and Simon Moeller of Missouri allege that the brake cylinders fail abruptly, causing partial or complete loss of braking power.5ClassAction.org. Chevy, Buick, GMC Vehicles Plagued by Master Brake Cylinder Defect, GM Lawsuit Alleges
Reported symptoms include brake pedals that become stiff and nearly impossible to press, pedals that sink to the floor, and warning messages like “Service Brake System” along with ABS lights. According to the complaint, internal seals and other components inside the master cylinder fail early, letting brake fluid leak and hydraulic pressure drop.5ClassAction.org. Chevy, Buick, GMC Vehicles Plagued by Master Brake Cylinder Defect, GM Lawsuit Alleges
Vehicles Covered
The proposed class covers the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, 2025 GMC Acadia, 2025 Buick Enclave, 2025 Chevrolet Colorado, and 2025 GMC Canyon.6Top Class Actions. General Motors Class Action Claims Vehicles Have Defective Brake Assemblies The complaint notes GM had prior awareness: in December 2024, GM issued service update N242482170 telling dealers to inspect and, if needed, replace brake master cylinders in the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2025 Buick Enclave. No similar bulletin or recall was issued for the 2025 Traverse or the other newly affected models.5ClassAction.org. Chevy, Buick, GMC Vehicles Plagued by Master Brake Cylinder Defect, GM Lawsuit Alleges As of mid-2026, neither GM nor NHTSA had announced a recall for the 2025 models named in the suit.7Lemberg Law. Chevy Traverse Brake Problems
Where the Case Stands
Barron et al. v. General Motors LLC (Case No. 2:25-cv-05696) was originally filed October 2, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.6Top Class Actions. General Motors Class Action Claims Vehicles Have Defective Brake Assemblies The initial complaint was dismissed for failing to show concrete harm, then refiled in early 2026 with an amended complaint that added Moeller as a plaintiff and expanded the class to Pennsylvania, New York, and Missouri consumers.8The Brake Report. GM Brake Master Cylinder Lawsuit Refiled With Three Plaintiffs The claims include breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment, and violations of state consumer protection laws.9ClassAction.org. Barron et al v. General Motors LLC Complaint
On May 18, 2026, Judge John F. Murphy denied GM’s motion to dismiss and denied its motion to compel arbitration, ruling that GM, as a non-signatory to the arbitration agreements between the plaintiffs and their dealerships, could not enforce them.10ALM. Barron v. General Motors Memorandum Opinion GM appealed on June 5, 2026, and the case is currently stayed pending that appeal.11PACER Monitor. Barron et al v. General Motors LLC Docket No settlement, no class certification, no payouts yet.
The GM Eight-Speed Transmission Class Action
This case is not Traverse-specific, but it involves defect patterns Traverse owners have reported and covers a range of 2015–2019 GM vehicles. Speerly v. General Motors LLC (Case No. 2:19-cv-11044) was filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. The lawsuit alleges that GM’s Hydra-Matic 8L90 and 8L45 eight-speed automatic transmissions contain defects in their torque converters, friction surfaces, and hydraulic systems that cause violent shuddering, hesitation, and hard shifts.12Cohen Milstein. General Motors Litigation
The district court certified 26 statewide classes in March 2023, covering more than 800,000 vehicle owners, and a Sixth Circuit panel affirmed certification on August 28, 2024.13Cohen Milstein. Sixth Circuit Affirms Class Certification Against GM in Massive Defective Transmission Lawsuit GM sought rehearing, and on June 27, 2025, the full Sixth Circuit, sitting en banc, vacated certification and sent the case back down. The court found the lower court had analyzed “defect” too abstractly and needed to work through the 59 individual state-law claims one at a time.14Justia. Speerly v. General Motors, No. 23-1940
A companion case, Ulrich v. GM, was filed in April 2024 to cover consumers in states left out of Speerly. In June 2025, a district judge denied GM’s motion to compel arbitration in Ulrich.12Cohen Milstein. General Motors Litigation Both cases remain active with discovery ongoing.15Keller Rohrback. Faulty GM Transmission Litigation
Two Other Traverse Cases That Have Closed
If you come across older headlines, two additional Traverse-related suits are no longer live:
- Green v. General Motors, filed April 2024 in the Eastern District of Michigan, extended Shift to Park allegations to 2020–2022 Chevrolet Traverse, 2021–2023 Chevy Trailblazer, 2020–2023 Chevy Malibu, and 2020–2023 Buick Encore models. It was dismissed without prejudice on February 27, 2025, after the parties reached a private settlement.16ClassAction.org. GM Shift to Park Lawsuit Says Newer Trailblazer, Traverse, Malibu, Buick Encore Models Equipped With Faulty Shift Assemblies
- Casey v. General Motors, filed in the Southern District of California, alleged defective fuse blocks in 2013–2017 GM crossovers, including the Traverse. It was dismissed in April 2021 on threshold grounds, including a failure to show GM had pre-sale knowledge and to meet the $5 million jurisdictional threshold.17CarComplaints.com. GM Class Action Lawsuit Fuse Blocks Dismissed
What Traverse Owners Should Do Now
If you own a 2018–2019 Traverse bought new in Ohio and think you should have received a Shift to Park payment but didn’t, contact the settlement administrator listed at stplawsuit.com; the claim deadline of August 19, 2025 has passed, but administrators can address payment issues for people who were in the class.4STP Lawsuit. Jefferson and Riley v. General Motors Settlement
If you own a 2025 Traverse and have experienced brake pedal stiffness, a sinking pedal, or a “Service Brake System” warning, keep every repair invoice and dealer communication. The Barron case is stayed on appeal, but its class definition and any eventual settlement or judgment will turn on documented experiences like yours. Owners outside Pennsylvania, New York, and Missouri are not currently in the proposed class.
Broader NHTSA complaint data for 2018 and 2020 Traverse models shows transmission shuddering, slipping, and Shift to Park errors are widespread, with repair costs running roughly $4,000 to $11,000 when failures occur just outside warranty.18Center for Auto Safety. 2018 Chevrolet Traverse Vehicle Safety Check19Center for Auto Safety. 2020 Chevrolet Traverse Vehicle Safety Check Filing a complaint with NHTSA and holding onto documentation is how vehicles like yours end up counted if the transmission case is certified again or a new suit is filed.