- Owners say GM’s 1.2-liter turbo engines can fail.
- The lawsuit includes Chevrolet Trax and Buick Envista.
- Plaintiffs claim GM knew but sold the vehicles anyway.
Chevrolet set a new bar when it introduced the latest version of the Trax. The badge-engineered Buick Encore GX, the Chevy Trailblazer, and the Buick Envista all share the same 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine. Now, all of them are under scrutiny in a new lawsuit against GM alleging that the automaker knew these engines were defective. We’re not talking about minor issues either. Evidently, owners are reporting catastrophic failure.
The case also arrives shortly after GM faced legal action over alleged failures in some of its V8 engines, with a consolidated lawsuit, putting two very different ends of the company’s powertrain lineup under scrutiny.
More: GM Faces Massive Lawsuit After Tens Of Thousands Of Complaints Over Its V8
California plaintiffs Samantha Cook and Donna Cook filed the complaint after purchasing a new 2024 Chevrolet Trax. According to the lawsuit, first spotted by Car Complaints, Samantha Cook was driving her vehicle on January 25 when a “reduced engine power” warning appeared on the dashboard. The lawsuit claims the SUV soon stalled while making loud knocking sounds.
Alleged Engine Failure After 11,581 Miles
With about 11,581 miles on the odometer, Cook allegedly coasted the Trax to the side of the road before it was towed to a dealership. Technicians reportedly found a broken connecting rod that had damaged the engine block, requiring a full engine replacement. However, the plaintiffs claim replacement engines are currently backordered, leaving the vehicle sitting at the dealership awaiting parts.
Read: Nine Years Later, This Chevy Lawsuit Is Back For Blood
The suit claims that some of these engines develop loud knocking, mechanical banging, and sudden loss of power. In extreme cases, it says that connecting rods forcefully make their way out of the engine. Clearly, none of that is good, and what’s more, the loss of fluid could lead to a fire in some situations.
The plaintiffs argue the problems stem from internal engine defects involving components such as bearings, lubrication passages, and casting design. While not directly connected, there does appear to be a link between modern super-efficient engines, tight tolerances, and engine issues.
They also claim GM knew about the alleged issue through dealership reports and internal data but failed to disclose it to consumers.
Importantly, GM has issued several technical service bulletins related to engine noise in the 1.2-liter engine. One notes that owners could hear a deep thudding noise under low-speed acceleration when the engine is cold. On the other hand, it also says this could be normal operation. For now, the allegations are unproven, but if it lawsuit moves forward, discovery could be a very interesting process.
