State v. General Motors Corp.

120 Misc. 2d 371, 466 N.Y.S.2d 124, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3721
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 8, 1983
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 120 Misc. 2d 371 (State v. General Motors Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. General Motors Corp., 120 Misc. 2d 371, 466 N.Y.S.2d 124, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3721 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Eugene R. Wolin, J.

In 1979, in response to numerous consumer complaints, the Attorney-General initiated an investigation of the Turbo-Hydra-Matic 200 Transmission (THM 200), a component installed in various models of General Motors (GM) automobiles. GM began to equip its automobiles with the THM 200 in 1976 and the transmission was covered by GM’s new-car limited warranty against defects appearing during the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever [372]*372came first.1 The investigation of the Attorney-General was based upon an analysis of approximately 1,600 consumer complaints. That analysis indicated that, on average, the THM 200 failed to perform properly after 22,000 miles and that in approximately 75% of the cases studied, the THM 200 failed shortly after the expiration of the warranty period. The average cost to repair the transmission after the warranty had expired was $430 and there were several instances of repeated failures of a single transmission. In addition, for the years 1976 through 1979, the owner’s manual supplied by GM indicated that the transmission required no maintenance whatever until 60,000 miles when the transmission fluid and filter were to be changed. In the owner’s manual supplied after 1979, GM states that the transmission requires no maintenance until 100,000 miles when the filter and fluid should be changed. Further investigation revealed that by means of internal reporting procedures, e.g., dealer complaints and claims under the warranty, responsible officers and employees of GM became aware of significant defects in the THM 200. It is alleged that this information was available to GM as early as 1977 and that in response GM issued several internal information bulletins to dealers and service engineering personnel. However, this information was not made known to the public.2 In March, 1982, the Attorney-General instituted this action against GM pursuant to subdivision 12 of section 63 of the Executive Law. In essence the Attorney-General alleges that the failure of GM to disclose the defects in the THM 200 to prospective customers was a fraudulent practice and further, that because officers of [373]*373GM knew of the premature failure rate of the transmission, the new car limited warranty and disclaimer of all other warranties was an unconscionable contract provision. It is alleged that GM is liable for reimbursement to all owners of vehicles with THM 200 transmissions for the cost of repairing or replacing that transmission. The Attorney-General also seeks to enjoin GM from equipping its automobiles with those transmissions. The complaint itself alleges five causes of action: failure to disclose a known defect; unconscionable limitation of warranties; deceptive warranty; failure to honor implied warranty; and unconscionable business practices. The matter is now before the court on the motion of GM to dismiss pursuant to CPLR 3211 (subd [a], par 7) for failure to state a cause of action or in the alternative to stay this action pending a resolution of other litigation.

Of the causes of action asserted in the complaint, the first, second, third and fifth arise from GM’s conduct and the application of the limited express warranty. The remaining cause of action, the fourth, claims a breach of an implied warranty. As this latter cause of action requires a different analysis it will be treated in a separate part of this opinion. The other four causes of action will be considered together.

In view of the defendant, subdivision 12 of section 63 of the Executive Law has no application to litigation arising from a typical consumer complaint, i.e., questions concerning the performance or durability of the product. Rather, defendant contends, subdivision 12 of section 63 was intended to regulate only such activities as pyramid sales, bait and switch sales and such statutory violations as misleading advertising (General Business Law, § 349) or violations of the Home Solicitation Sales Act (Personal Property Law, art 10-A). While the Executive Law clearly applies to such activities, the language of subdivision 12 of section 63 does not require the restrictive interpretation urged by the defendant. Although the suit of the Attorney-General arises from the factual context of a consumer product complaint, the essence of the suit is not the quality of the product per se, but the knowledge of the defect and [374]*374the attempt by GM to limit its liability by means of concealment and limited warranties for the defective product.

In the context of actions brought pursuant to subdivision 12 of section 63 of the Executive Law, the courts have recognized that the statute incorporates the common-law definition of fraud, but also expands that definition to create a new standard of liability (State of New York v Cortelle Corp., 38 NY2d 83). Scienter need not be established and courts have predicated liability upon a finding that the defendant had created an atmosphere conducive to fraud (Matter of Lefkowitz v Bull Inv. Group, 46 AD2d 25; Matter of People v Compact Assoc., 22 AD2d 129; Matter of State of New York v Bevis Inds., 63 Misc 2d 1088). The statute defines the word “fraud” or “fraudulent” to “include any device, scheme or artifice to defraud, and any deception, misrepresentation, concealment, suppression, false pretense, false promise or unconscionable contractual provisions.” In the view of the court, the conduct of the defendant, as alleged in the complaint, runs foul of the statute in at least two particulars.

With regard to the allegations of knowledge by GM of the defective nature of the THM 200, the rule is clear that caveat emptor is no longer an effective shield. If one party has superior knowledge or has a means of knowledge not available to both parties, then he is under a legal obligation to speak and silence would constitute fraud. (People v Federated Radio Corp., 244 NY 33; Rothmiller v Stein, 143 NY 581; Matter of Lefkowitz v Bull Inv. Group, supra; State of New York v Middletown Beef Co., 84 AD2d 834; Noved Realty Corp. v A.A.P. Co., 250 App Div 1; Matter of State of New York v ITM, Inc., 52 Misc 2d 39; Matter of State of New York v Bevis Inds., supra.) The complaint alleges that the responsible employees and officers of GM knew that the THM 200 would fail prematurely, that it required substantial repair or replacement prior to the mileage limits indicated in the owner’s manual and that defendant knew that the limited warranty was inadequate. Assuming the allegations of the complaint to be true as the court must on this motion (Rovello v Orofino Realty Co., 40 NY2d 633; 219 Broadway Corp. v Alexander’s, Inc., 46 NY2d 506), the [375]*375court finds that a cause of action has been stated for suppression and concealment of a material fact.

The complaint also states a cause of action for an unconscionable contractual provision. The concept of unconscionability is a flexible one and should be applied within the framework of the commercial transactions under scrutiny. Generally a clause will be found to be unconscionable if it is one which no person in his right senses would make and which no honest or fair man would accept (Industralease Automated & Scientific Equip. Corp. v R.M.E. Enterprises, 58 AD2d 482; Matter of Friedman, 64 AD2d 70).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
120 Misc. 2d 371, 466 N.Y.S.2d 124, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3721, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-general-motors-corp-nysupct-1983.