# GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
> **Judicial** · FY1996 · — · Final Order With Penalty
## Case
- **Activity ID:** `57059`
- **Case Number:** HQ-1996-0001
- **Type:** Judicial
- **Lead:** EPA
- **Outcome:** Final Order With Penalty
- **Penalty assessed:** $11.00M
- **Cost recovery:** —
- **Compliance action $:** —
- **Multimedia (multi-env):** N
## Defendants
- GENERAL MOTORS (complaint) (settlement)
## Summary

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS ALLEGED TO HAVE INSTALLED DEVICES ON  500,000 CADILLACS BETWEEN THE 1991 AND 1995 MODEL YEARS THAT DEFEAT THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM WHENEVER THE VEHICLE'S    AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER IS ACTIVATED IN VIOLATION OF THE   CLEAN AIR ACT'S PROVISIONS GOVERNING MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSIONS THESE ILLEGAL DEFEAT DEVICES LED TO 100,000 TONS OF EXCESS   CARBON MONOXIDE BEING EMITTED SINCE 1991.  GM IS ALSO        ALLEGED TO HAVE FAILED TO FULLY AND ACCURATELY REPORT THE    USE OF CERTAIN REGULATED EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES TO EPA     WITH RESPECT TO SEVERAL MODELS OF PASSENGER CARS AND HEAVY-  DUTY ENGINES.  A CONSENT DECREE RESOLVING THE VIOLATIONS     WAS ENTERED INTO BY GM AND THE UNITED STATES ON NOVEMBER 30, 1995.  THE DECREE REQUIRES GM TO RECALL AND FIX 500,000      CADILLACS WITH DEFEAT DEVICES ON THEM AND TO PAY $11 MILLION IN CIVIL PENALTIES, WHICH IS THE LARGEST MOBILE SOURCE PENAL TY, THE SECOND LARGEST CLEAN AIR ACT PENALTY, AND THE THIRD  LARGEST CIVIL PENALTY RECOVERED UNDER ANY ENVIRONMENTAL      STATUTE.  IN ADDITION, GM IS REQUIRED TO SPEND AT LEAST      $7.05 MILLION ON PROJECTS THAT REDUCE REGULATED AIR EMISSION S, SUCH AS PROVIDING ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO STATE AND MUNICI-  PAL FLEETS TO REPLACE HIGHER POLLUTING GASOLINE POWERED      CARS.

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*Source: [EPA ECHO](https://echo.epa.gov/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*