General Motors Facing Class Action Over Allegedly Defective Air Conditioning Systems

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General Motors Company and General Motors, LLC find themselves as defendants in a proposed class action case out of Texas in which four plaintiffs allege the companies designed, advertised and released onto the market pickup trucks and SUVs with defective air conditioning systems. The 60-page suit additionally alleges GM “concealed the existence and exact nature” of the alleged defect from vehicle owners and lessees. According to the lawsuit, the vehicle models supposedly affected by the defect—Class Vehicles—may include: 

• 2015-2017 Chevrolet Suburban;
• 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV;
• 2015-2017 Chevrolet Tahoe;
• 2015-2017 GM Yukon and Yukon XL;
• 2014-2017 GMC Sierra 1500;
• 2015/2016 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty;
• 2014-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500; and
• 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty.

The complaint goes on to explain the alleged defect found in the above vehicles stems from the failure of certain components of their air conditioning systems that can cause refrigerant to leak. In such an event, the case says, the supposed defect can prevent evaporators from becoming cold, which can cause the system to blow hot air into a vehicle’s passenger compartment.

Per the complaint, the supposed defect involves two air conditioning system components:

“The first is the line leading from the compressor to the condenser. This line consists primarily of an aluminum tube connected to a rubber hose. On information and belief, the compressor to condenser line fails in two ways. First, the aluminum tube can become disconnected from the rubber hose, creating an opening in the line that allows the refrigerant to escape. Second, the aluminum tube itself can rupture, also allowing refrigerant to escape.”

The second aspect, the case continues, involves the condenser itself:

“On information and belief, the condenser that was original equipment also lacks sufficient strength to withstand the day-to-day normal operation of the Class Vehicles. On information and belief, the condenser is prone to rupture at its neck where the defective line from the compressor enters the condenser. It appears General Motors recognizes the condenser installed as original equipment in the Class Vehicles is defective. On information and belief, the condenser installed as original equipment on these vehicles is no longer manufactured and/or distributed in the United States for the Class Vehicles.”

The full complaint can be read below.