Alleged Shift To Park Defect Leads To Lawsuit Against GM

Alleged Shift To Park Defect Leads To Lawsuit Against GM

Chevrolet Malibu (2016-2019), Volt (2016-2019), Traverse (2018-2019), Blazer (2019) Vehicles Subject Of Class Action Suit

Consumers should be aware that on December 2, 2021, a class action lawsuit was filed against General Motors LLC (“GM”) in United States District Court, Northern District of California, on behalf of persons or entities who purchased or leased a Chevrolet Malibu (2016-2019), Chevrolet Volt (2016-2019), Chevrolet Traverse (2018-2019), Chevrolet Blazer (2019) in California. 

Allegedly, the vehicles, contain a defect which fails to detect that the driver has placed the automobile in “Park,” thereby preventing the driver from shutting off and locking the vehicle. According to the lawsuit, the subject vehicles display a “Shift to Park” error message on the instrument cluster, even though the gear shift is already in “Park.”

As a result of the “Shifter Defect,” members of the Class, allegedly, cannot turn off their vehicles and, to avoid battery discharge, are forced to resort to try to trick their vehicles to detect that the shift lever is, in fact, in “Park.” The “Shifter Defect,” according to the complaint, prevents the vehicle from shifting into gear, leaving the driver stranded. Consequently, the driver must have the vehicle towed for repair. 

GM, according to the suit, had knowledge of the defect, issuing the first in a series of service bulletins on January 9, 2017.  Allegedly, despite these notices, GM, through its Chevrolet dealerships, has refused to acknowledge the defect. According to the complaint, when customers press the issue, GM, through its Chevrolet dealerships, refuses to honor its contractual promises to fix the defect, forcing owners and lessees of the subject vehicles to pay for the repairs at their own expense or forgo servicing the issue.

VEHICLE OWNERS AND LESSEES AFFECTED BY AUTOMOTIVE DEFECTS OR SAFETY RECALLS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT KEHOE LAW FIRM, P.C., [email protected], FOR A FREE, NO-OBLIGATION EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS.  
Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.