Good news for thousands of Chevrolet and GMC truck owners in the US: a long court case is coming to an end. GM has agreed to pay up to $50 million as part of a preliminary deal. This will help drivers who have been affected by a known problem with the CP4 fuel pump. Duramax engines made between 2011 and 2016 have been severely damaged by the bug, and owners have had to pay for expensive fixes on their own.
PR says that even though GM hasn’t admitted to being legally responsible, the settlement includes payments of up to $12,700 per affected car and an extra year of warranty coverage. Thousands of people could benefit from the class action case, which is based on the claim that the CP4 pump did not work with the diesel fuel that was sold in some parts of the country.
How much do we know about the failure? Who can make a claim?
The issue started with a very important part: the CP4 fuel pump that is found in some Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups with Duramax LML and LGH engines. The type of diesel sold in California, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania did not work with these pumps. As a result, metallic residues built up and caused internal engine problems.
The judge in the case decided that General Motors knew about the problem with the cars while they were still being made, but they still sold them, leaving owners with fixes that often cost thousands of dollars.
What should owners do and how much can they get?
The most that can be paid is $12,700, but the actual amount will rely on how much each driver has been sued for and how many people join the case. In addition to the extra 12-month warranty, the average cost per person is thought to be $6,300.
In order to get the money, owners must make sure that their car is on the list of types that are affected. On the court-approved portal, you can enter the car identification number (VIN) to do this. If you are qualified, it is very important to get proof of how much the repairs cost because the pump broke.
People file this kind of class action case when a company has hurt a lot of people in the same way. The settlement lets the legal process end without hurting General Motors’ reputation or future sales, even though the company hasn’t accepted fault.
A final meeting has not yet been set, so the process is not yet over. But drivers who are affected should stay tuned and be ready to turn in their paperwork as soon as the next steps are released.