The nationally renowned law firm, Finkelstein & Krinsk LLP in San Diego, has filed another class-action lawsuit in California for claimants against General Motors LLC.

The IOR-7 audio entertainment system is allegedly defective. The lawsuit claims that General Motors knew of the issues with the entertainment in-dash audio media system and did not tell the owners and lessees of GM trucks and SUVs upon purchase.

The lack of disclosure for the defective vehicles enticed drivers to purchase these cars with faulty IOR-7 systems. Furthermore, GM has not recalled these vehicles nor offered any financial assistance for repairs.
 

Infotainment System Defects

The noticeable defects are internal in the system. When the driver is on the state roads or the highway, the infotainment system automatically and unexpectedly drives up the audio system to maximum sound, alarming and startling the driver. The aggressive sounds could lead to freak freeway accidents which is an imminent safety concern.

Besides this, the infotainment system may die completely, go black, and then start up again while the driver is operating the vehicle. Another dangerous aspect of the infotainment system is that while the driver is switching from "reverse" to "drive" mode, the image-display screen goes black. The driver could become confused and accelerate the car in "reverse" mode when the driver thought he was in "drive" mode.
 

GM Fix

GM believes that a software programming issue is what is causing problems with the lack of volume control. But, unfortunately, GM has not constructed a permanent "fix" for the issue.

In October and November 2020, GM sent a software download to affected vehicles. However, owners stated that the software download failed to remedy the issue with volume control; instead, the problems with dysfunctional volume control became worse.

The affected 2018-2020 vehicles include:
 

1. GMC Canyon


2. GMC Sierra


3. Chevrolet Equinox


4. Chevrolet Colorado


5. Chevrolet Silverado







 

Furthermore, these are the affected 2020 vehicles:
 

1. Chevrolet Blazer


2. Chevrolet Sonic


3. Chevrolet Camaro


4. Chevrolet Trax


5. GMC Terrain







 

GM did issue a technical service bulletin advising vehicle owners that the volume from the infotainment system increases or decreases unexpectedly, disturbing the driver. GM will not replace the 7-inch entertainment system either.
 

The Florida Class-action Lawsuit

A similar lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court. This case was for the Middle District of Florida in September 2020, for complaints against the 7-inch infotainment system. The Florida class-action lawsuit is for consumers who leased or purchased their vehicles in Florida. Additional infected vehicles for the Florida class-action lawsuit include:
 

• 2020 Chevrolet 2500HD


• 2020 Chevrolet 3500HD


• 2020 GMC 2500HD


• 2020 GMC 3500HD







 

These vehicles had a myriad of known issues. One main problem is the Bluetooth ringer sound function. When a driver is talking to a friend on the wireless cell phone, the Bluetooth ringer will not stop for the entire call.

To stop the Bluetooth ringer, the driver must stop the car, turn off the ignition, open and close the car door, and then start up the ignition again.

In addition to this, the rearview camera is also defective. While driving the truck or the SUV on the highway, the previous image from the rearview camera would remain on the screen between 30 to 50 seconds. This leads to confusion and distracts the driver while on the road.

The lawsuit alleges that the defective infotainment systems are "ticking time bombs." The value of the vehicles is diminished considerably on the second-hand market because of the entertainment system.
 

GM Service Bulletin

GM has issued a service bulletin for the affected vehicles. Drivers may experience unanticipated noises that may cause the driver to become disorientated and distracted, leading to a potential injury or an accident.

Like the recently filed lawsuit, SUVs and trucks infotainment system screens also go black during operations. The apparent defects can cause immediate harm and danger when used for their stated purposes. And, of course, GM knew about these defects and did nothing to remedy the situation.

Besides negligence, GM has committed acts of fraudulent omission and breaches of warranty, according to the lawsuit. Attorneys for the claimants seek adequate compensation and damages.

Consumers who are experiencing difficulties with the infotainment system are encouraged to contact Finkelstein & Krinsk LLP and report any issues. Claimants may be entitled to relief, including monetary damages.