GM Sued Again for Alleged Defective Engines—Now It’s for Chevy Trax’s Inline-Three

Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commissions from links in this article.

A small engine with some big problems

The redesigned Chevrolet Trax has won praise for being affordable, practical and well-equipped. But now attention has shifted to what goes on behind the scenes.

The Trax is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine shared with the Buick Envista, Encore and Chevrolet Trailblazer. In theory, the compact power plant promises to combine efficiency and day-to-day performance while reducing costs.

For most owners, it appears to deliver as promised. But some drivers have begun noticing strange knocking or thumping sounds from their engines, which was enough for General Motors to issue new service guidelines to technicians. However, according to the advisory, these sounds can be considered normal operating characteristics and may not require repairs.

Some owners remain unconvinced by GM’s explanation. Two Trax owners whose vehicles stalled believed the noises were indicative of a more serious problem and opted to take legal action.

Litigation and alleged failure

Just last week, California plaintiffs Samantha Cook and Donna Cook filed a class action lawsuit against General Motors after purchasing a new 2024 Chevrolet Trax.

The complaint states that on Jan. 25, while Samantha Cook was driving the vehicle, a reduced engine power warning appeared on the dashboard. Shortly after she hit the road, the SUV stalled. When she pulled over to the side of the road, the engine began making a loud knocking sound, the lawsuit states. At this time, the Trax’s odometer showed approximately 11,581 miles.

When Trax arrived at the dealership, technicians discovered a broken connecting rod damaging the engine block. repair? Complete engine replacement. But because the replacement engine was out of stock, the SUV was left at the dealership while the owner waited for parts.

The lawsuit alleges that the 1.2-liter turbo engine is prone to internal failures involving connecting rods, bearings, oil flow, etc. The plaintiffs also claim GM learned about the problems from dealer reports and technical bulletins.

This case, Cook et al. v. General Motors Co., Ltd.has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and is seeking class action status for owners of affected vehicles.

what happens next

For now, these are just accusations – the courts have not yet weighed in. The case still needs to clear the usual early legal hurdles before moving forward.

If the court approves the class action, the next step is discovery. At this point, lawyers dig into internal documents, engineering reports and dealer communications to learn what GM knew and when.

Plaintiffs hope the findings will show exactly when GM first learned of the alleged defects and how the company responded to early complaints. Currently, the vehicles named in the lawsuit are still covered by GM’s five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty, as well as its standard three-year or 36,000-mile vehicle warranty.

Whether the lawsuit results in repairs, compensation, or nothing at all will depend on how the courts weigh the claims and evidence in the coming months.

View 7 images from this gallery in the original article

This article was originally published by Autoblog on March 9, 2026 and first appeared in the News section. Click here to add Autoblog as your preferred source.