General Motors is facing a $340 million lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Michigan, alleging that defective ignition switches in its 2024 Chevrolet Silverado line caused sudden engine shutoffs while vehicles were traveling at highway speeds.
The lawsuit, consolidated from 14 separate complaints, claims GM knew about the defect as early as January 2026 but delayed initiating a recall while continuing to sell affected vehicles.
What the Plaintiffs Allege
According to the complaint, the ignition switch can slip from the “run” position to “accessory” during normal driving, cutting power to the engine, power steering, and antilock brakes simultaneously. At least three plaintiffs suffered injuries in resulting accidents; one plaintiff, a 58-year-old woman from Ohio, sustained a fractured vertebra after losing control on I-71.
“This is the same pattern we saw with the 2014 Cobalt scandal,” said lead attorney Marcus Delgado of the firm Delgado & Kwon. “GM’s internal communications show they had field reports flagging this issue months before a single customer was notified.”
GM’s Response
GM issued a statement denying the allegations, saying the company “takes safety seriously and has cooperated fully with NHTSA during its preliminary investigation.” The automaker says it issued a technical service bulletin in March 2026 and that an “ordered recall has not been warranted based on current data.”
NHTSA opened a formal investigation in July 2026 covering an estimated 186,000 vehicles.
What Damages Are Being Sought
Plaintiffs are seeking $340 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Legal analysts say punitive damages could be substantial if GM’s internal communications show deliberate concealment — a pattern that resulted in a $900 million Department of Justice settlement for GM in 2015 over the earlier ignition switch scandal.
The case is expected to go to trial in early 2028.