GM joins five other manufacturers alleged to have used emissions defeat devices in its cars.
GENERAL MOTORS HAS been named as the defendant in a US class-action lawsuit which claims the alleged use of a defeat device – similar to what VW has since admitted it used in some of its cars – in over 700,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups sold between 2011-2016.
The complaint also lists German company Bosch as a co-defendant, and claims it knowingly developed the device in collaboration with GM.
Currently two plaintiffs are represented, and claim the vehicles were equipped with three different defeat style devices which would reduce emissions only when the car was being tested, and not in real-world driving situations.
The plaintiffs also said they would not have bought, or would have paid less for the cars, had they known of the alleged emissions defeat devices.
The case is not, however, a civil lawsuit brought against GM by the U.S. Department of Justice, such as the one brought against Fiat Chrysler earlier this week.
Law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, which successfully represented VW owners during the diesel-gate scandal and reached a multibillion-dollar settlement, are helping to represent the plaintiffs.
A 184-page complaint has been lodged and it claims that real-world testing found the vehicles named produced up to five times more nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution than allowed by federal and state legislation, and the lawsuit alleges violation of consumer protection laws.
Compensation for lost resale value, possible refunds, and punitive damages have been listed as possible remedies sought.
GM now joins VW, Daimler, FCA, Peugeot and Renault as manufacturers alleged to have used defeat devices to cheat emissions testing. GM has previously paid over $2.5 billion USD in damages and settlements over faulty ignition switches that led to over 100 deaths.
However, GM says it will fight the case brought against them:”These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves. The Duramax Diesel Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra comply with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations,” GM issued in a statement.
Bosch is yet to comment on the claims brought against it.
How many of the six manufacturers named have their emission control software supplied by Bosch?? And I wonder how many other manufacturers do??