Owners and lessees of 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles in eight states may be covered by two proposed class actions alleging General Motors sold them with master brake cylinders that can fail suddenly. No class has been certified and there is nothing to file yet.
Allegations Only · No Settlement Yet
This article describes class action complaints. The statements below are unproven allegations. General Motors LLC has not been found liable, there is no certified class, and nothing to claim at this time. This page is informational and is not legal advice.
Latest: A Second Lawsuit, and the First Case Moves Ahead
On October 6, 2026, owners and lessees from Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Texas filed a new class action against General Motors over the same alleged brake defect: Fehrmann v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:26-cv-07669, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It covers the same five 2025 models as the earlier case and proposes classes in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Texas.The first case, Barron v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:25-cv-05696, filed in the same court in October 2025, cleared an early hurdle on May 18, 2026. Judge John F. Murphy denied GM’s motion to send two of the buyers’ claims to arbitration, finding GM could not enforce arbitration agreements the buyers signed with their dealerships, and denied GM’s motion to dismiss. GM filed its answer to the amended complaint on July 10, 2026, and the court entered a scheduling order on July 16. The docket also shows a notice of appeal filed June 5, 2026. Neither case has a certified class, and no court has found the vehicles defective.
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What the Lawsuits Allege
Both complaints describe the same problem. They say the master brake cylinder assembly, the part that turns pressure on the brake pedal into hydraulic force, can fail without warning weeks or months after delivery because internal seals give out. When it does, the complaints say, the dashboard lights up with the red “Brake” light, the ABS warning and a “Service Brake System” message, and the brake pedal either goes stiff or sinks toward the floor, causing partial or total loss of braking.The complaints allege that GM:
- Knew about the problem before selling the 2025 vehicles, from pre-sale testing, warranty and dealer data, and complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Issued Service Update N242482170 in December 2024, telling dealers to inspect and if necessary replace brake master cylinders on 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2025 Buick Enclave vehicles, which the complaints say use the same part as the other vehicles
- Has not issued a safety recall or a dealer bulletin covering the other 2025 models
- Did not fix the defect under its new vehicle warranty within a reasonable time, leaving some owners without their vehicles for weeks while parts were ordered
The Fehrmann complaint quotes more than two dozen complaints filed with NHTSA by Traverse and Acadia owners describing brake failures. GM has answered the amended complaint in Barron, and none of the allegations has been proven.
Who Is Covered by Each Case
Neither lawsuit proposes a nationwide class. Each seeks state-by-state classes of people who bought or leased one of the five 2025 models:- Barron: buyers in New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri
- Fehrmann: buyers and lessees in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Texas
Owners in other states are not part of either proposed class as filed. The definitions are proposals; a court would have to certify a class before anyone is formally part of either case, and the classes could change.
Legal Claims and What the Lawsuits Seek
Fehrmann brings 17 claims: fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment for every state class, plus breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty and state consumer protection claims under Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Texas law. It asks for damages, restitution, repair or replacement of the vehicles with extended warranties, an order requiring GM to recall and repair the vehicles, and attorneys’ fees.Barron’s amended complaint brought 13 claims under Pennsylvania, New York and Missouri law. The plaintiffs withdrew their three state lemon law claims, and the court let the other claims go forward.
What Happens Next
Barron is in discovery under the court’s July 2026 scheduling order. The next major milestone is a motion for class certification. GM has not yet responded to Fehrmann; because the cases involve the same vehicles, the same defect and the same court, they may be coordinated or consolidated.No settlement has been proposed and there is no claim form. If either case settles, a court-approved notice would explain who qualifies, what the settlement provides and how to file. Brake problems themselves are a separate matter from the lawsuits: NHTSA’s recall lookup shows any open recall for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Questions
Is there a class action over GM brake cylinders?
Yes, two. Barron v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:25-cv-05696, was filed in October 2025 and Fehrmann v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:26-cv-07669, on October 6, 2026, both in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Neither has a certified class or a settlement, and there is nothing to claim yet.
Which GM vehicles are involved in the brake cylinder lawsuits?
Both lawsuits cover the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, 2025 GMC Acadia, 2025 Buick Enclave, 2025 Chevrolet Colorado and 2025 GMC Canyon.
Which states are covered by the GM brake lawsuits?
Barron proposes classes of buyers in New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Fehrmann proposes classes of buyers and lessees in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. Neither case proposes a nationwide class, and no class has been certified.
Has GM recalled the 2025 Traverse or Acadia for brake master cylinders?
Both complaints say GM has not issued a safety recall for the alleged defect. They say GM issued a December 2024 service update, N242482170, telling dealers to inspect and if necessary replace brake master cylinders on 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2025 Buick Enclave vehicles.
What did the judge decide in the Barron case?
On May 18, 2026, Judge John F. Murphy denied GM’s motion to compel two of the buyers into arbitration and denied its motion to dismiss, letting the case proceed to discovery. The plaintiffs had withdrawn their state lemon law claims, which the court dismissed. The ruling does not decide whether the vehicles are defective.
Barron Class Action Complaint
Sources
• Class Action Complaint, Fehrmann v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:26-cv-07669 (E.D. Pa., filed October 6, 2026): Fehrmann complaint (PDF) and docket.• Memorandum and Order, Barron v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:25-cv-05696 (E.D. Pa., May 18, 2026): memorandum (PDF) and docket.
• GM Authority report on the Barron filing.
