GM sued for €856 million in Canada

Car giant General Motors has been sued for negligence in Canada for producing vehicles from 1995 to 2003 with an allegedly defective part that caused engines to overheat and seize.

The lawsuit could cover as many as 400,000 GM car owners in Canada, and with each owner claiming CAD $3,000 (€2,142) in damages, the claims may total CAD $1,200 million (€857 million) , Colin Stevenson, partner at Toronto-based Stevensons LLP, said in a statement today. The suit was filed in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto.

GM used nylon or other plastics in the intake manifold gasket (IMG), which seals the cylinder head and engine block to the intake manifold, a part that channels an air-fuel mixture to the engine, the claim said. The seal degrades prematurely, causing coolant to leak into the engine, according to the claim against Detroit-based GM.

``In some cases the engines overheat and seize completely,'' Stevenson said in the statement. ``The vehicles often need complete engine replacements at considerable expense to the owners.''