GM faces class action in Australia over Holden transmission issues

MELBOURNE: Australian law firm Maurice Blackburn said it had filed a class action lawsuit against US carmaker General Motors' local unit, alleging the transmission systems of some models of its now-defunct GM Holden brand were defective.

The class action covers people who bought certain models of Holden vehicles between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec 24, 2024, Maurice Blackburn said in a statement today.

The alleged defect resulted in various problems, including intermittent transmission shudders and leakage of automatic transmission fluid, Maurice Blackburn said.

"The class action alleges that General Motors failed to comply with the guarantee of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law and engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct," the law firm said.

GM was not immediately available for comment.

The US carmaker had retired the Holden brand in 2021, saying that with sales plummeting, it could not justify the investment to continue building right-hand drive vehicles.

The class action is seeking compensation for loss and damage.

Maurice Blackburn did not immediately respond to a request to clarify the number of vehicles affected and the amount it was seeking.