Class Action Lawsuit Claims GM 5.3L V8 Engines Burn Oil
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A recent class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Ohio claims General Motors‘ 5.3-liter LC9 V8 engine burns high amounts of oil and has other design flaws that could lead to engine damage.
The suit alleges the 5.3L V8 engines found in a number of 2010-2014 model year GM vehicles have flawed piston rings that don’t maintain tension well enough to keep oil in the crankcase. Additionally, the PCV system may vacuum engine oil out from the valvetrain and expel it into the intake, where the oil is then taken in and burned in the combustion chambers.
The active fuel management compounds the oil burn problem, as well. The system uses an oil pressure relief valve that sprays oil directly onto the piston skirts, but this oil spray can allegedly overload the piston rings, leaking past the rings and burning off, or accumulating on the surface of the combustion chamber and causing carbon buildup. Furthermore, the plaintiff says the oil monitoring system will not inform the driver about the low oil levels, so some owners may not be aware when the engine runs low on oil.
These issues can lead to spark plug fouling, ring wear, lifted collapse, bent pushrods, camshaft wear, valve wear, rod bearing wear, rod breakage and other major failures in the engine, the class action suit claims.
According to Car Complaints, GM told dealerships to carbonize the rings and combustion chambers of affected vehicles, but it did not remedy the problem. GM also apparently knew about potential problems with the engine as far back as 2007, based on consumer complaints and Technical Service Bulletins it issued. The TSBs indicate the problems are caused by PCV issues, piston rings and the active fuel management system.
GM redesigned its 5.3-liter V8 engine after the 2014 model year, using redesigned piston rings and adding a shield to deflect oil away from the piston skirts. The newer versions of the engine also feature an oil level sensor and new valve covers. Vehicles involved in this class action were all built between 2010 and 2014. They include:
- 2010-2013 GMC Canyon
- 2010-2013 GMC Savana
- 2010-2013 GMC Sierra
- 2010-2014 GMC Yukon
- 2010-2014 GMC Yukon XL
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2010-2013 Chevrolet Express
- 2010-2013 Chevrolet Silverado
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
The plaintiff in the lawsuit is looking to represent current and former owners or lessees of affected vehicles in the United States that have experienced similar problems. The case is Szep v. General Motors LLC (Case No. 1:19-cv-02858) and was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
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Source: Car Complaints
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How do I enter into this lawsuit it is not only that year model I have 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and it has all of the same issues the oil
Just disappears I have had to replace my engine and still the same. I live in Georgia but the money I have spent on oil and engines and trying to get it fixed I could have bought a new car by now. Also anyone I know driving a 2008 and up flex fuel has this problem
I to have been experiencing alot of these problems with my 2012 Chevy Silverado 5.3L. just in the last month, I’ve dealt with, well first a collapsed lifter on cylinder 1, which then started a misfire on cyl 1. Since i had just done all the lifters w/trays and gaskets and vlom and spark plugs not even a year ago. So i was able to warranty out the parts. Fixed lifter, and replaced the fouled up oily sparkplug from cyl 1, with no luck. Still had misfire. I replaced so many parts and sensors and today, as i stayed tearing it down to now do the cam, i see oil down in the combustion chamber. I am at my witts end. It is possible to get involved with this lawsuit?
I have a dead cylinder in my 2013 GMC Yukon XL As I f the is contact.
I’m trying to understand why the 4.8 is not an issue. The only difference in the motor is the crank, giving it more stroke, which increases the displacement. Even the piston rings are the same part number. I see many abused fleet savana’s with over 300,000km still running strong. What am I missing here?! I think its the 4 cylinder mode/fuel saving mode. Without fuel spraying into the cylinder you really aren’t lubricating the rings.. causing excessive heat and wear. Thats my guess.
The 4.8 didn’t get AFM so it won’t suffer the occasional cylinder/lifter issues.I had one in a 2010 Silverado and it was awesome.
How do we join this lawsuit because I have a 2011 chevy Avalanche and have had to replace the oil pressure sending unit several times within the last 3 years because of its design. This truck has had several issues with oil regulation and its ridiculous.
How do I join the lawsuit.
This problem will fall on deaf ears just like the law suite about the cracks in the dashboard and all around the passenger side air bag GM does not care about its customers all they want is your money the there over priced product
Please contact me as. I have a 2011 Chevy Avalanche and it’s burning oil and smoking out the exhaust. I just had a mechanic check and this is the exact problem.
Where do we sign up on this class action? I have a 2013 Avalanche …
From what I understand the lawsuit was thrown out by a judge years ago. What I did for my 2013 suburban 130k mi. was install an oil catch can and a Range device in the OBD port to keep it from going into AFM mode. 8 cylinders all the time. Trying to prolong the life of the Burb. Now the oil consumption is minimized at the 3000 mi. oil change. Best of luck.
I am having several related issues on my 2012 Chevy Suburban. How do I file a claim?
Do not waste your time.
sell now and cut your losses courts have already said that gm engineers have “big guy” moments and these moments are not covered by any warranty.
Husband has cancer. We can ‘t buy another vehicle. We need this one for work and family, to work properly..,
Not an option. Not everyone has money floating around. I am a disabled Veteran.. Can’t afford to replace it now.
If you are burning oil your only option is replacing the motor, I would rebuild my own using an independent mechanic and machine shop and a AFM eliminator kit.
No cash ? shut off AFM and keep adding oil.
I have a 2014 GMC Sierra & I having similar if not exactly the same problems as listed in this lawsuit. Could you please add my name & truck make & model to your lawsuit, please & thank you.
I have a 2013 silverado that just started burning 1 quart every thousand miles the truck barley has 90k miles on it I’d would like more info on weather a class action would be a possibility.
I have a 2021 Suburban High Country 6.2 with 15000 miles and it burns a quart of oil per 4000 miles. My theory about this is that they drop the RPMS dn to 100 at idle and this causes low oil to cylinders and the oil burns dew to higher heat in cylinder and less oil. Absolutely no need to ask Chevrolet service about it because Chevrolet keeps them dumb down due to “proprietary” reasons…….just like the GMC Terrain 4 cylinder internal oil burn, the Arcadia 6 cylinder internal oil burn and the infamous 2017 5.4 Suburban blowing injectors by drowning them with oil. All part of that diabolical WOKE nut job who is RUNNING/RUINING GM. Her plan is to get us to HATE gas engines so bad we will ride electric bikes instead. It sounds far fetched but not in todays world where corporate America is nothing but an extension of our SICK government! I think I’m pretty BURNED OUT!
Ohio Judge threw out the case stating the engine defect did not cause the plaintiff harm. just stupid!!
i bought a used 2012 GMC Sierra with 67k miles on it, now im right at 100k miles, and i change my oil myself and noticed alot of oil missing during changes. It takes no time for an oil change because theres probably half in there. Im gonna be checking it more often now to make sure im not running it dry. Is there anyway to fix this yourself besides a rebuild? Im not that mechanically inclined so I have no clue what the afm is nor ever heard of it. Guess ill do some research. Has anyone found a way to enter the lawsuit?
The best thing you can do is buy a RangeTech it disables the 4 cyclinder mode. Switching back and forth from 4 and 8 cylinder mode was where I was losing most oil. I was burning almost a quart every thousand miles at 100K mileage. I’m only missing 1/2 quart now in 5,000 miles. I also put the updated valve cover on (improved baffle design supposed to stop oil from getting sucked into the intake). That may have helped some, but not much according to my records.
I see a lot of people complaining here, but are they also complaining to the right people. I have the oil issue plus my frame on my 2013 Silverado has holes in it. Not only holes both rear shocks broke free of the frame. I have a truck that is not even 10 years old that is basically a lump of trash. Until you complain to the NHTSA, BBB and maybe your Consumers affairs office in the State Attorney Generals office GM will not be compelled to do a damn thing. We need everyone who complained here to file a complaint with the state and federal authorities or nothing will ever be fixed by GM. The more everyone screams the more pressure will be put on GM.
You need The Range Technology AFM disabler (part# RA003R)and an oil catch can.The catch can keeps the oil from going back through the throttle body via pcv and corrosion of the intake manifold and combustion chamber ensues.All GDI engines suffer from blow bye,some more than others.I have used these add ons and the catch can reservoir(3oz) is always at least half full. I only lose .5mpg. About $235 fixes it.
So a catch can and the AFM disabler is all you need to bypass this flaw in the motor? Whats the down sides to this? Im not savvy on working on or doing anything inside the motor nor do i know what the disabler is and does. But will google/youtube accordingly.
The disabler plugs into the OBD port under the dash and simply stays in,very easy.The effect is keeping it all 8 cylinders full time,the AFM shuts down 4 cylinders at various rpm&gear intervals.The problem with this system is when the oil blow bye gets returned into the throttle body and enters the intake manifold causing corrosion and build up. There is a VLOM(valve lifter oil manifold) that squirts oil to the deactivated cylinders,if clogged it will starve the lifters and engine failure occurs,or if it oils too much it corrodes the piston rings causing oil consumption.Simply deactivating the VLOM solves the issues as best it can if it’s an engine with miles,if new it prevents those issues.The catch can installs simply by being between both ends of the pcv line,when the oil vapors are heavy enough they fall into the canister and keeps the air intake hose and throttle body clean without corrosion. Racers have used catch cans for decades.