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GM 8-speed transmission lawsuit granted class action certification

A story on Autoblog about potentially faulty 8-speed automatic transmissions from General Motors in 2019 has, as of the day this was published, 166 comments, mostly from owners of cars and trucks who say they are experiencing "a hesitation, followed by a significant shake, shudder, jerk, clunk, or 'hard shift' when the vehicle's automatic transmission changes gears." At the time, lawyers were seeking statewide classes in at least six states. As of today, the Detroit Free Press reports that a judge has granted class action status to a lawsuit brought by 39 plaintiffs across 26 states covering the transmission issue. The lawsuit specifically applies to vehicles that are equipped with GM's 8L90 or 8L45 8-speed automatic transmissions made between 2015 and March 1, 2019. Both of these transmissions are similar units, the 8L45 being slightly lighter version used in fewer vehicles than the beefier 8L90, and are designed for front-engine, rear- or all-wheel drive applications. The lawsuit alleges that the erratic transmission behavior makes some vehicles unsafe to drive. Ted Leopold, partner at Cohen Milstein and the court-appointed lead counsel for the case, said in a statement, "General Motors knowingly sold over 800,000 eight-speed transmission vehicles, which they knew to be defective for years, and yet made the business decision not to tell its customers before purchase." He added, "Dealers were directed to tell the customers that harsh shifts were ‘normal' or ‘characteristic.Â’ Such decision making is both highly irresponsible and emblematic of what GM believes it can get away with." The vehicles included in the court order with potentially faulty transmissions includes: 2015-2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2017-2019 Chevrolet Colorado 2015-2019 Chevrolet Corvette 2016-2019 Chevrolet Camaro 2015-2019 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV 2016-2019 Cadillac ATS, ATS-V, CTS, CT6, and CTS-V 2015-2019 GMC Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, and Yukon Denali XL 2017-2019 GMC Canyon Some additional details of the lawsuit can be found at the Cohen Milstein site, including claims that "since 2015, GM has issued thirteen versions of a “technical service bulletin,” or “TSB,” related to this shifting issue alone." The statement from Cohen Milstein says that a "second action regarding GM vehicles with 8L transmissions is also underway in Battle v. General Motors, LLC, 2:22-cv-108783.

Aston Martin DBX and the craziest car redesigns | Autoblog Podcast #716

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick. They chat about slumming it in the Aston Martin DBX, the brand's first SUV, which they didn't have terribly high expectations for yet utterly blew them away. Riswick in particular notes it's one of the best cars he's ever driven, describing it as a family GT car. They then switch to a very different family vehicle: the 2022 Kia Carnival, and the unique second-row seating arrangement we've dubbed the "Captain Kirk chair." Greg has also been driving the Chevrolet Tahoe Premier. They also chat about two of Riswick's recent features: the 20 craziest car redesigns of the past 20 years and the best cars for snow.  Autoblog Podcast #716 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving Aston Martin DBX 2022 Kia Carnival 2022 Chevy Tahoe Features 20 craziest car redesigns of the last 20 years Best cars for snow Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: 2022 Chevy Tahoe Premier Walkaround | Autoblog Short Cuts

GM recalls half-million full-size SUVs to address seatbelt issue

GM is recalling its redesigned full-size SUV models to address improperly riveted mounts securing the third-row seatbelts that may fail in the event of an accident. The population includes the 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, 2021-2022 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, and 2021-2022 model year GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, for a total of 484,155 vehicles. "Operators at the supplier’s manufacturing plant may have not properly followed manufacturing processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation," GM said in its defect report to NHTSA. "In certain of these vehicles, the rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seatbelt buckle assembly may not have been properly formed during the manufacturing process. If the third-row seatbelt assembly is not properly riveted, it may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury." Fortunately, the fix is relatively simple. GM service technicians will inspect the rivets on the rear seatbelt buckle assemblies and replace the entire unit if the rivets are not to spec. Dealer notifications have already been distributed; owners should receive notice start in September. Related video: Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Ownership Safety SUV