General Motors is defending or resolving a broad set of lawsuits touching engines, transmissions, diesel fuel pumps, vehicle theft vulnerabilities, driver data privacy, and design patents. Some cases have ended in nine-figure payouts to owners. Others are just beginning. Here is what each of the major GM lawsuits covers, which vehicles are involved, and where things stand as of mid-2026.
The $150 Million V8 Oil Consumption Settlement
The largest resolved case is Siqueiros v. General Motors LLC, a class action in the Northern District of California over 2011–2014 Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs with the Generation IV LC9 5.3-liter V8 Vortec 5300 engine. Plaintiffs alleged defective piston rings let oil seep into the combustion chamber, causing excessive oil consumption, fouled spark plugs, and in some cases engine failure. They pointed to GM’s 2014 switch to a redesigned Generation V engine as evidence the older design was flawed. GM denied wrongdoing.1ClassAction.org. Class Action Claims Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines Plagued by Abnormal Oil Consumption
A jury awarded roughly $102.6 million to about 38,000 class members in California, North Carolina, and Idaho.2Motor1. GM Loses $103 Million Class Action Lawsuit Over Engine Flaws The parties then negotiated a $150 million settlement covering more than 40,000 owners, and Judge Edward M. Chen granted final approval on October 8, 2025.3Bloomberg Law. GM’s $150 Million Engine Defect Settlement Earns Final Approval
Covered Vehicles
Eligible vehicles are 2011–2014 model year Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL models with LC9 engines built on or after February 10, 2011, and purchased or leased in California, Idaho, or North Carolina.4GM Engine Litigation. GM Engine Litigation Settlement Website
Payments
Each class member was guaranteed a minimum of $2,149 after expenses, and the average per-vehicle payout topped $3,300, according to class counsel DiCello Levitt.5DiCello Levitt. Class Action Trial Win in GM Engine Defect Case Most owners did not have to file a claim; the settlement administrator identified them from GM records. The court awarded $57 million in attorneys’ fees out of the fund.6Law360. GM Judge Says Extraordinary $57M Atty Fees Are Warranted Distributions began on December 23, 2025, for class members who submitted a W-9, and on January 9, 2026, for those who did not.4GM Engine Litigation. GM Engine Litigation Settlement Website
The 6.2-Liter L87 V8 Recall and Class Action
A newer engine controversy involves the L87 6.2-liter V8 in 2021–2024 full-size trucks and SUVs. In April 2025, GM recalled roughly 598,000 U.S. vehicles after 39 NHTSA complaints about engine failures traced to manufacturing defects in the crankshaft and connecting rods.7Car and Driver. Chevy Silverado, Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade Defective V8 Recall The affected list covers the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, and Suburban, the GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.8TFLTruck. GM Recalls 6.2 V8 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra for Engine Failures
GM’s fix was to inspect each engine and, for those that passed, switch to higher-viscosity 0W-40 synthetic oil in place of the originally recommended 0W-20. Engines that failed inspection were replaced. About three percent of recalled vehicles required a new engine, and GM added a 10-year, 150,000-mile extended engine warranty.9GM Authority. GM Seeking to Get L87 Engine Lawsuit Dismissed
By January 2026, NHTSA had received 36 complaints from owners whose engines failed even after the recall remedy. The agency opened Recall Query RQ25001 to evaluate whether the fix is adequate, and that inquiry remains open.10GM Authority. NHTSA Investigating Post-Recall GM 6.2L L87 Engine Failures
The private litigation is consolidated as Rittereiser v. General Motors, LLC in the Eastern District of Michigan, a 389-page complaint on behalf of 44 current and former owners.11GM Authority. Consolidated GM 6.2L V8 L87 Engine Class Action Lawsuit Begins Plaintiffs allege a design defect and call GM’s recall remedy “egregiously inadequate.” GM contends the problem stems from limited manufacturing and supplier quality issues, not a design flaw. GM has moved to dismiss, and the court had not ruled as of mid-2026.9GM Authority. GM Seeking to Get L87 Engine Lawsuit Dismissed
Transmission Defect Cases
GM faces parallel transmission litigation on two fronts.
Eight-Speed 8L90 and 8L45
Speerly v. General Motors, LLC in the Eastern District of Michigan alleges that eight-speed transmissions in 2015–2018 Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles shudder, hesitate, lurch, and jerk. The district court certified 26 statewide classes covering more than 800,000 owners.12Cohen Milstein. Sixth Circuit Affirms Class Certification Against GM in Massive Defective Transmission Lawsuit On June 27, 2025, the full Sixth Circuit sitting en banc reversed that certification, ruling the lower court needed a more rigorous, state-by-state analysis under 26 different consumer protection laws.13FindLaw. Speerly v. General Motors, LLC The case is back at the certification stage with no trial date.14Ballard Spahr. One Size Fits None: Sixth Circuit Demands State-by-State Analysis in Auto Defect Class Actions
A companion case, Ulrich v. General Motors, targets the same alleged defects in 10 additional states. In June 2025, the district court denied GM’s motion to compel arbitration, finding GM was not a party to the arbitration clause in the plaintiff’s dealer purchase agreement.15Cohen Milstein. General Motors Transmission Litigation
Ten-Speed Transmission
Separate litigation covers GM’s ten-speed automatic, with owners alleging violent shifting, delayed acceleration, clunking, and surging in Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, and Camaro; GMC Sierra and Yukon Denali; and Cadillac Escalade, CT4, CT5, and CT6 models. The Sixth Circuit also reversed class certification here in June 2025 and remanded for potential smaller subclasses or individual claims.16Morgan & Morgan. GM Transmission Lawsuit Eligibility and How to Join
The $50 Million CP4 Diesel Fuel Pump Settlement
Chapman v. General Motors LLC in the Eastern District of Michigan alleged that GM knowingly sold 2011–2016 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks with 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engines whose CP4 high-pressure fuel pumps were prone to failure. The settlement covers vehicles purchased from GM-authorized dealers in California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.17GM Fuel Pump Litigation. GM Fuel Pump Litigation Settlement Website
Judge Terrence G. Berg granted final approval of a $50 million settlement on May 8, 2025, and awarded $15 million in attorneys’ fees.18Law360. Chapman et al v. General Motors LLC Of the remaining money, $30 million goes to owners who paid out-of-pocket for CP4 repairs, and $5 million to owners who overpaid for the vehicle.19Hagens Berman. CP4 Fuel Pump Defect Litigation A reimbursement program also covers 50 percent of future CP4 repair costs at GM dealerships through May 6, 2026, or 200,000 miles. Initial payments went out on March 23, 2026, and the deadline to submit a reimbursement request for a qualifying repair is July 5, 2026.17GM Fuel Pump Litigation. GM Fuel Pump Litigation Settlement Website
Keyless Theft Lawsuit
In June 2025, a Texas plaintiff filed Burkett v. General Motors Company in the Eastern District of Texas, alleging GM vehicles from 2010 onward are prone to electronic theft. The complaint says thieves can intercept and replay key fob radio signals to unlock and start vehicles without triggering alarms, and that an unprotected onboard diagnostics port lets criminals program new fobs in minutes.20ClassAction.org. GM Lawsuit: Chevy, GMC, Cadillac Models Are Theft-Prone Due to Hackable Key Fob System
Covered models include the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and Silverado; GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, and Sierra; and Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV. The suit alleges violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and claims GM failed to issue a recall or warning despite knowing about the vulnerability.21ClassAction.org. Burkett v. General Motors Company et al. Complaint By April 2026, a federal judge had trimmed the case but allowed the core unjust enrichment claims to proceed.22Law360. GM Keyless Theft Suit Trimmed, Core Claims Survive
FTC Order Over OnStar Driver Data
The Federal Trade Commission announced enforcement action against GM and its OnStar subsidiary on January 16, 2025, alleging the company collected precise geolocation and driving behavior data as often as every three seconds and sold it to consumer reporting agencies that insurers used to set rates, without meaningful consent through the “Smart Driver” feature.23FTC. FTC Takes Action Against General Motors for Sharing Drivers’ Precise Location and Driving Behavior Data
The FTC finalized the consent order on January 14, 2026. It bars GM from disclosing geolocation and driving behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years and requires affirmative express consent before collecting or sharing connected vehicle data for the next 20 years. GM must also let consumers access their data, request deletion, and disable precise geolocation tracking. Violations can carry civil penalties of up to $51,744 per incident.24FTC. FTC Finalizes Order Settling Allegations GM and OnStar Collected and Sold Geolocation Data Without Consumers’ Consent
Canadian Ignition Switch Settlement
North of the border, a CA$12 million settlement resolves economic loss claims tied to GM’s 2014 ignition switch recalls. Oberski v. General Motors LLC was approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Québec, with an effective date of February 6, 2025.25GM Ignition Switch Settlement. GM Ignition Switch Settlement FAQ The underlying complaint alleged GM knew about the defect for as long as 12 years before recalling.26Law360 Canada. Ontario Court Approves $12M Settlement in GM Ignition Switch Defect Class Action
The claims deadline was June 6, 2025. Cheques for eligible claimants were expected to be mailed around May 29, 2026.27GM Ignition Switch Settlement. GM Ignition Switch Settlement One boundary matters here: the settlement covers only economic loss. Personal injury and wrongful death claims were excluded and can be pursued separately.25GM Ignition Switch Settlement. GM Ignition Switch Settlement FAQ
Design Patent Suits Against Aftermarket Parts Suppliers
GM has also moved from defendant to plaintiff. On February 3, 2026, the company filed four federal lawsuits accusing aftermarket parts manufacturers and distributors of infringing GM design patents covering vehicle body parts. Defendants include LKQ Corporation, Keystone Automotive Industries, CCC Intelligent Solutions, and more than a dozen other suppliers. Cases were filed in Michigan, Illinois, and Delaware.28USITC. USITC Institutes Investigation No. 337-TA-1491
Two days later, GM filed a parallel complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, which instituted Investigation No. 337-TA-1491 on March 10, 2026. GM is seeking exclusion orders that would block the importation of allegedly infringing replacement parts.28USITC. USITC Institutes Investigation No. 337-TA-1491 Both the ITC investigation and the federal cases remain in early stages, with no substantive rulings on the merits.29CourtListener. General Motors LLC v. LKQ Corporation Docket