Thieves Are Exploiting A GM Truck Vulnerability, Lawsuit Claims
A new class-action lawsuit is claiming General Motors trucks and SUVs are way too easy to steal and that GM isn't doing enough to fix it. Originating in the Eastern District of Texas, the lawsuit revolves around a weak point in GM's keyless entry system. Allegedly, this weakness lets thieves unlock GM vehicles and drive off with the car in under 30 seconds flat. What's more, it's possible to do using cheap and readily available signal-cloning devices.
The complaint focuses on GM models manufactured between 2010 and 2025, which would include the Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, and Tahoe, the GMC Sierra and Yukon, and the Cadillac Escalade. If the class-action suit is to be believed, these models are all susceptible to this major exploit. Knowing what we know about the keyless systems that every car seems to have these days, it's not hard to believe: All they do is transmit low-frequency radio signals between the vehicle and the fob. And unlike newer, more secure systems that use encrypted ultra-wideband signals, GM's technology is behind the times — and, therefore, more vulnerable.
This isn't GM's first rodeo, so to speak
The GM lawsuit claims that thieves can intercept a GM fob's signal using devices no larger than a smartphone, then relay (or "clone") the signal to unlock and start the vehicle. This can supposedly be done without triggering any alarms or leaving behind signs of forced entry, either. Plaintiff Jeremy Burkett, whose 2016 GMC Sierra was stolen from his driveway in 2022, claims that even the newer 2023 Sierra he purchased as a replacement is just as exposed to the same kind of theft.
It's not GM's first brush with the law over security flaws in its electronic systems, either: In 2023, the automaker was slapped with a similar class-action lawsuit over its Chevy Camaro models, which were said to suffer from the same vulnerabilities in their keyless entry fobs. That suit also said GM had been aware of the issue for years and failed to tell customers or roll out any recalls. This new lawsuit picks up where the Camaro one left off, only on a much broader scale: It now covers an entire lineup of GM's most popular (and most expensive) vehicles. We know GM isn't scared of recalls — they just recalled SUVs and pickups with the L87 engine — so it's unclear what the hesitation is for.
What GM should have done the first time
Other automakers have been quick to respond to similar theft threats — something GM probably should have picked up on. Companies like Jaguar-Land Rover have introduced ultra-wideband signal protection to prevent these relay thefts, while Hyundai and Kia recently settled a $200 million class-action suit after their cars became targets of the so-called "Kia Challenge" on TikTok. That trend caused theft rates of Kia and Hyundai vehicles to soar by more than 2,500%.
For many truck owners, particularly those who rely on their vehicles for work, family life, or both, the idea that a thief could drive away with a $70,000 truck in less than a minute is pretty unsettling. Nevertheless, GM has not yet issued a recall, let alone acknowledged a fault in the design of its keyless entry systems. This is all happening while the company deals with another controversy involving the sale of driver data without owner consent, too. As the lawsuit continues, the manufacturer could see hundreds of thousands of eligible owners seeking compensation. It's in their best interest to upgrade their security architecture before they lose any more credibility (or revenue).