General Motors 2000-2008 Truck & SUV Airbag Failures

In 2021, Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel filed a proposed class action lawsuit in federal court in California on behalf of GM vehicle owners alleging that General Motors hid a software defect in its trucks and SUVs that can airbag and seatbelts to fail during certain types of crashes.

Plaintiffs claim that many GM trucks and SUVs, including the Silverado, Tahoe, and Trailblazer from model year 2000-2008 (full list below), were made and sold with an issue in their sensing and diagnostic modules (SDMs) that prevent airbag and seatbelt deployment early on in a crash sequence, creating dangerous risks in crashes that last longer than that short period.

When working properly, during any severe frontal crash seatbelts should tighten to hold occupants in place and airbags should inflate to protect from hard impacts. The alleged defect in GM trucks and SUVs, however, can prevent seatbelt tightening and airbag deployment during certain types of crashes, leaving vehicle occupants without protection exactly when they need it most.

“Despite its knowledge of the defect and its impact on safety, GM has concealed the defect and failed to recall or repair the class vehicles, presumably to avoid the significant costs and inconveniences of recalling millions of vehicles,” the complaint states. “GM has hidden the defect in spite of its obligation to disclose it, misrepresented the class vehicles to be safe, and continued to sell them to consumers.”

The affected vehicles include all vehicles in the United States that contain the SDM Calibration Defect that were manufactured, sold, distributed, or leased by a class member after July 10, 2009. The list includes:
Model year 2000-2008:

  • Buick Rainier
  • Cadillac Escalade
  • Chevrolet Astro Van
  • Chevrolet Avalanche
  • Chevrolet Blazer
  • Chevrolet Colorado
  • Chevrolet Express Van
  • Chevrolet S10 Pick Up
  • Chevrolet Silverado
  • Chevrolet SSR
  • Chevrolet Suburban
  • Chevrolet Tahoe
  • Chevrolet Tracker
  • Chevrolet Trailblazer
  • GMC Canyon
  • GMC Envoy
  • GMC Jimmy
  • GMC Safari
  • GMC Savana
  • GMC Sierra
  • GMC Sonoma
  • GMC Yukon / Yukon XL

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