Impala owners sue GM in New York over faulty suspension
Three owners of model 2007-08 Chevrolet Impala sedans are suing General Motors Corp. for failing to repair rear-end suspension problems that the company fixed for the version of the Impala used by law enforcement agencies. The suit, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in New York City, is the second filed by owners of that Impala model. GM, now known as General Motors Co., said it is not the manufacturer’s responsibility because the current incarnation of the company was created after General Motors Corp., now known as Motors Liquidation Corp., filed for bankruptcy in 2009 as a condition for receiving federal bailout funds and cannot be held liable for “old” GM’s design issues. The Impala owners said the repairs on the police Impalas were equal to a “silent recall.” The lawsuit states that the rear-end suspension problems leads to drivers burning through tires, a dangerous safety issue, and wants faulty suspension rods replaced.
The lawsuit also states that GM served notice to owners of police Impalas in 2008 and made the repairs while not notifying the approximately 400,000 owners of the nonpolice version. GM said the problem is due to a faulty spindle rod design, and not a manufacturing error, but the lawsuit states there are “no material differences” between the rods in police Impalas and the nonpolice models.
A hearing date for the lawsuit has yet to be scheduled. If successful, the “new” GM would be on the hook for millions in replacement parts. Impala owners have complained for years about the problem, along with accusing auto manufacturers of trying to limit recalls. A 2006 government report found that Americans spend approximately $20 billion a year on replacement tires.
If someone owned one of the model Impalas in question and was injured as a result of the defect, it would be worth consulting an attorney experienced in products liability to determine what compensation for their injuries they may be eligible to receive.
Source: The Detroit News, “Impala owners sue ‘old’ GM over suspension problems,” David Shepardson, Sept. 27, 2011
