Federal suit claims Chevrolet falsely and deceptively marketed its Cruze Diesel as a “clean vehicle”

Staff/wire report

DETROIT

A class-action lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in California, alleging General Motors Co. and Chevrolet falsely and deceptively marketed its Cruze Diesel as a “clean vehicle.”

According to The Detroit News, the suit also claims that GM and Chevy used emissions-cheating software that allowed the vehicles to pollute at higher than standard levels. The Cruze is built in Lordstown.

The lawsuit, filed by the Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro law firm in Seattle on behalf of six individuals, is seeking buybacks, reimbursement for the $2,000 or more premium customers paid over the gasoline Cruze model and compensation based on any “fix” and extended warranties that aren’t used. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages, the News reported.

GM said in a statement, “These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves. GM believes the Chevrolet Cruze turbo diesel complies with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations.”

Diesel emissions were brought into the limelight after Volkswagen AG admitted last year that it had cheated on U.S. diesel-pollution tests. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has only said one automaker, Volkswagen, has used software to cheat on diesel-emissions testing.

The lawsuit says plaintiffs have tested the Cruze Diesel using a portable emissions measurement system and found that in some cases, the vehicle failed to meet U.S. emissions standards.

“Diesel emissions fraud didn’t stop with Volkswagen or Mercedes,” Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman, said in a statement. “GM has proven that it too placed greed and profits ahead of thousands of owners who paid premium prices for what they thought were clean diesel cars.”

The 308-page filing cites a German environmental group’s report that GM’s Opel brand uses a device that disables some pollution controls under some speeds and temperatures. Opel and GM have repeatedly denied they use any illegal software or any defeat device and say their engines are compliant.