A new proposed class action alleges that defective brake components in five 2025 General Motors models can cause drivers to suddenly lose some or all braking power, sometimes within months of buying their vehicles.
Six owners filed the lawsuit on October 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Their complaint alleges that brake master cylinder assemblies fail prematurely and that replacement-parts shortages have left some owners without their vehicles for weeks or months.
Which Vehicles Are Named?
The complaint identifies these models:
- 2025 Chevrolet Traverse
- 2025 GMC Acadia
- 2025 Buick Enclave
- 2025 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2025 GMC Canyon
The owners allege that internal seals or related components can fail, reducing the hydraulic pressure needed to operate the brakes. Reported symptoms include a brake pedal that becomes unusually difficult to press or sinks toward the floor, along with brake and ABS warning lights and service messages.
One plaintiff, Stephanie Fehrmann, alleges that her Traverse required substantially more pedal pressure to brake while she was driving with her children. According to the complaint, the vehicle had approximately 3,692 miles when the dealership replaced its brake master cylinder and was out of service for 36 days.
The lawsuit seeks compensation, repairs or replacement vehicles, and a recall. It alleges warranty violations, concealment of the defect, and violations of state consumer-protection laws.
GM’s Service Bulletin Covers a Narrower Group
GM has issued a service update addressing a missing internal cartridge seal in the braking system’s eBoost module in certain 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2025 Buick Enclave vehicles.
The official GM bulletin hosted by NHTSA, revised in August 2025, instructs dealers to replace the brake master cylinder in involved vehicles. Dealers must check GM’s vehicle-history system to determine whether a particular vehicle qualifies.
That service update is not a safety recall covering all five models named in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs allege that the problem extends beyond the vehicles identified in GM’s bulletin.
What Owners Can Do Now
Owners experiencing abnormal braking should arrange prompt professional inspection. If braking performance is impaired, stop driving as soon as it is safe and arrange roadside assistance or towing.
To check your vehicle and document a problem:
- Check for open recalls. Enter your vehicle identification number in NHTSA’s recall lookup. A result showing no open recalls does not rule out a mechanical problem or an applicable service update.
- Ask the dealer about service updates. Owners of a 2024 Traverse or 2025 Enclave can specifically ask whether GM Service Update N242482170 applies to their VIN.
- Keep your records. Save repair orders, diagnostic findings, mileage, towing and rental receipts, and communications about parts delays. Photograph warning messages only when safely parked.
- Report a safety problem. Submit a report through NHTSA’s vehicle safety complaint page. Include what happened, the vehicle’s mileage, any dealer diagnosis, and whether a crash or injury occurred.
The case is Fehrmann et al. v. General Motors LLC, No. 2:26-cv-07669. The complaint presents the owners’ allegations and asks the court to certify classes of purchasers and lessees.
Read the complaint: Fehrmann v. General Motors LLC (PDF)
