Owners of a specific model of vehicles made by General Motors could get hundreds of dollars as part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit. A Poteau man is the class plaintiff on the suit who took GM to court over problems with a truck he bought from a dealership.

"At about 35,000 miles, I noticed that it was burning more oil than usual," said Durwin Hampton, truck owner. "It just kept getting worse as it got more miles on it."

The lawsuit claims GM markets and sells certain vehicles as safe and reliable without disclosing some consume an abnormally high quantity of oil, resulting in low oil levels, insufficient lubricity levels and engine component damage.

GM agrees to put millions in settlement pool

General Motors agreed to pay just under $25,000,000 into a pool as part of a settlement. Clay Barnett, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, says those who join and are deemed eligible will likely get a check for $500.

What are the affected cars?

The settlement outlines cars within the following ranges:

1. 2011-2014 Chevy Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe.
2. 2011-2014 GMC Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL SUV and trucks with Generation IV Vortec 5300 LC9 engines manufactured on or after February 10, 2011.

Thousands of vehicle owners could be eligible to join the class action suit

Hampton has been named the class plaintiff, but Barnett estimates there are 30,000 other vehicles registered in Oklahoma that fit the parameters of the settlement.

Barnett says half of those customers bought their vehicles from authorized GM dealers and should have received information about the suit in the mail. However, Barnett believes around 15,000 customers bought their vehicles elsewhere and will need to fill out information to get included in the suit.

How do I know if I'm eligible to join the suit?

You can visit the website https://www.oklahomagmenginelitigation.com/ to learn more information and see if you qualify to get in on the settlement money.

Those eligible would have purchased the vehicle in the state of Oklahoma. A federal judge ruled the deadline to join the suit is July 28th.

Did General Motors have a response to the settlement?

GM denies any wrongdoing or liability in this case. News On 6 emailed two people in the company for comment, but has not yet heard back.