$1.2 billion class action lawsuit filed against General Motors
April 25, 2006 - 12:49 pm
By: Anne Winstanley
A $1.2-billion class action lawsuit has been filed against General Motors of Canada Limited and General Motors Corporation.
The suit alleges the carmaker used a defective engine part on various Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Pontiacs in the 1995-2003 model years.
The suit claims GM used a defective intake manifold gasket. Colin Stevenson, a partner at Stevensons LLP in Toronto, tells 680 News the part was made of plastic and degraded prematurely, causing the coolant to leak.
He says the problem is that "the coolant can cause serious problems once it escapes. In some cases the engines overheat and seize completely. The vehicles often need complete engine replacements at considerable expense to the owners."
The statement of claim notes that General Motors introduced a new gasket in 2004 but General Motors still refuses to acknowledge the general defect in the pre-existing gaskets.
The suit estimates 400,000 vehicles are affected in Canada. An average claim of $3,000 makes the claim worth $1,200,000,000. Any Canadians concerned about their GM vehicle are encouraged to visit
www.classproceedings.ca, and fill out and remit the questionnaire.
The vehicles include those listed below:
1995-1997 Buick Riviera
1995-1998/2000-2003 Buick LeSabre
1995-1998/2000-2003 Buick Park Avenue
1996-1998/2000-2003 Buick Regal
2000-2003 Buick Century
2002-2002 Buick Rendezvous
1996/1998-2001 Chevrolet Lumina
1998-2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1997-2003 Chevrolet Venture
1999-2003 Chevrolet Malibu
2000-2003 Chevrolet Impala
1995-1998 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight
1995-1998 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight
1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1996-2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
1999-2003 Oldsmobile Alero
1995-1998/2000-2003 Pontiac Bonneville
1997-1998/2000-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
1996-1999 Pontiac Trans Sport
1999-2003 Pontiac Grand Am
1999-2003 Pontiac Montana
2001-2003 Pontiac Aztec
http://www.680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20060425_124947_908