General Motors Sued Over Previous-Generation Cruze Diesels

A Seattle law firm famous for going after automakers (and lately, diesel-producing automakers) has another target in its sights: General Motors.

According to The Detroit News, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro filed a class-action lawsuit in California yesterday, accusing GM and Chevrolet of misleading buyers of Chevy Cruze models equipped with the 2.0-liter diesel engine.

Much like in its two suits against Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz, the firm accuses GM of using software to cheat on emissions tests, citing high emissions recorded during real-world testing. The six plaintiffs behind the suit want a vehicle buyback, reimbursement for the premium they paid over a regular Cruze, and punitive damages.

Chevrolet briefly offered a diesel version of the 2014 and 2015 model year Cruze, but uptake wasn’t high. The automaker pulled the plug as the second-generation Cruze loomed, and a spokesperson said they hadn’t sold one since May 2015.

The evidence behind the suit, at first glance, seems questionable. The law firm says its clients measured their own tailpipe emissions using portable equipment, which showed the Cruze diesel exceeded acceptable emissions levels at certain times.

In response to the firm’s earlier lawsuits, Mercedes-Benz said the effectiveness of its AdBlue urea-injection systems diminishes in cold weather to prevent condensation in the exhaust system. Since the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, other automakers accused of polluting have pointed to the challenge of keeping a diesel engine running clean under all conditions. TTAC once took a close look at how the technology on the Cruze diesel stacks up against a recalled Volkswagen TDI.

Responding to the lawsuit, GM stated, “These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves. GM believes the Chevrolet Cruze turbo diesel complies with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations.”

[Image: General Motors]