GM Sued for $10 Billion Over Losses on Recalled Cars
General Motors was hit with its biggest lawsuit so far over serial recalls, brought on behalf of drivers of 27 million vehicles who are seeking more than $10 billion in compensation for fallen car prices, reported Detroit Free Press. The class action against GM aims to represent everyone who bought or leased a recalled car ... Read More »
General Motors was hit with its biggest lawsuit so far over serial recalls, brought on behalf of drivers of 27 million vehicles who are seeking more than $10 billion in compensation for fallen car prices, reported Detroit Free Press.
The class action against GM aims to represent everyone who bought or leased a recalled car from July 2009 to July 2014 and still owns it, or sold it after mid-February when the recalls started, or had an accident that destroyed it after that date.
The automaker spurred the price drops by hiding at least 60 serious defects in around 27 million vehicles sold in the U.S., according to the complaint filed yesterday in federal court in Manhattan against “New GM,” as the carmaker became known after its 2009 bankruptcy and government bailout.
“New GM repeatedly proclaimed that it was a company committed to innovation, safety and maintaining a strong brand,” according to the filing. “The value of all GM-branded vehicles has diminished as a result of the widespread publication of those defects and New GM’s corporate culture of ignoring and concealing safety defects.”
Hundreds of individual car-price complaints against GM were combined in two separate class actions, according to a Web post by Steve Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, one of the lawyers leading the fight against the automaker.
The larger suit concerns cars made after the bankruptcy.
A smaller one, focused on ignition-switch faults in cars made before the bailout, may be curtailed by a bankruptcy judge’s ruling next year on whether older claims for accidents and economic losses are allowed. GM asked the judge to rule that his earlier orders, which enabled the U.S. to rescue the stumbling company, bar most of the claims over old cars.
According to the suits, 2010 and 2011 Chevy Camaros lost $2,000 in value as a result of recalls. The price drop of the 2009 Pontiac Solstice is $2,900.
GM spokesman Pat Morrissey didn’t respond to an e-mail seeking comment on the suits.
The number of fatalities tied to the ignition-switch defect has more than doubled from initial company estimates, based on the latest data from the automaker’s compensation program that aims to settle, rather than fight lawsuits.
The victims’ fund, run by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, said this week that it approved 27 payouts as of Oct. 10 for cases of death. At least 151 other fatality claims are under review.
GM, the largest U.S. automaker, said in July that it was setting aside $400 million to $600 million to pay victims. Feinberg received 1,371 claims in total, 1,193 for non-fatal injuries. Twenty-five of those injury claims so far have been ruled valid.
An investigator paid by GM said this year that for at least a decade the company failed to promptly resolve complaints from consumers, dealers and others about abnormal crashes in the Chevy Cobalt and Saturn Ion, and later it replaced the faulty ignition switch without alerting the public or changing the part number as required.
More Industry

Nebraska Rooftop Changes Hands
The Gregg Young Automotive Group has sold its second dealership to Janssen Auto Group, both in Plattsmouth, Neb.
Read More →
Penske Auto Group Deal a Record
The deal to take the dealership and transportation services company private sets a new pace for industry buy-sell transactions.
Read More →
War Toll a Damper on Used Auto Prices
Cox Automotive found wholesale depreciation to be elevated in September amid high fuel prices and this year's unusual hurricane season.
Read More →
Bridge the Maintenance Gap
With many drivers missing recommended maintenance, service departments offering transparency and efficiency have a better chance of reaching financially strained consumers.
Read More →
California Store Has New Owner
The longtime dealership in the northern part of the state is known for robust fleet sales and has served the state capital for 115 years.
Read More →
BMW Plant Pursues Cleaner Energy
BMW Group Plant Leipzig has utilized hydrogen to help power its production since 2013, but a new pipeline is planned to take it to another level.
Read More →
Auto Affordability Inches Up
The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.
Read More →
Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership
After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.
Read More →
RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →