Two owners of diesel-powered General Motors vehicles are accusing the car maker of producing an engine that exceeds U.S. standards for pollutant emissions under normal driving conditions, in a lawsuit that targets more than 700,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Truck Models equipped with 6.6L Duramax Diesel Engines.
The class-action lawsuit accuses GM of using “at least three separate ‘defeat devices’ to increase engine power and efficiency” in its Duramax diesel engines, citing tests on vehicles during several minutes of driving as well as at temperatures outside of the certification range of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The plaintiffs say GM engaged in “unfair, unlawful, and deceptive conduct” in producing, marketing, and selling vehicles that lack proper emission controls.
GM denies the accusations, saying its engines meet standards set by U.S. and California environmental agencies.
“These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves,” the company says. “The Duramax Diesel Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra comply with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations.”
In addition to GM, the lawsuit names Bosch, noting that the same Electronic Diesel Control Unit that the parts maker supplied to GM was also used by other manufacturers — most notably by Volkswagen, which was found to have deployed defeat devices in millions of its diesel vehicles worldwide. It may also have been used by Chrysler, according to a recent suit brought by the United States Department on Justice.
