GM Experiencing An Increasing Amount Of V8 Engine Valve Lifter Issues
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GM Authority has received a growing number of emails and messages from General Motors pickup truck and SUV owners experiencing valve lifter problems.
Some of these owners are stating that their vehicle has been at the dealership for several weeks while waiting on repairs. The valve lifter issues seem to concern the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84 gasoline engine and the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engines, which can be found in 2019-and-later model year Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, as well as 2021-model-year full-size GM SUVs, including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Suburban, Chevy Tahoe, and GMC Yukon.
To note, the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84 is rated at 355 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm, while the naturally aspirated 6.2 V8 L87 gasoline engine is rated at 420 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 460 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm.
Repairs for the V8 engine valve lifter issues are currently being performed under warranty.
The uptick in complaints from GM Authority readers regarding valve lifter issues follows a service bulletin issued in September of 2020 addressing valve spring issues in newer 6.2L V8 engines, including the L87, LT1, LT2, and LT4. The service bulletin states that certain GM V8 engines may produce a service engine light, along with a misfire and peculiar engine noise, which is the result of faulty valve springs. The bulletin instructs technicians to check for a broken valve spring and, if necessary, perform a cylinder leakage test. For other GM V8 engines, including the L82, L84, and L8T, technicians are instructed to replace the affected valve spring, and if there is a cylinder leak, perform further inspection to determine the extent of the engine damage.
A report from GM TechLink also indicates that GM pickups and SUVs equipped with either the L84 or L87 could experience a “misfire condition with a bent pushrod that leads to a collapsed lifter or the lifter comes apart.”
GM Authority will follow this story closely and report back any further updates as we receive them.
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This is very disconcerting. We bought a 2017 Yukon XL in May of 2021 with 48k miles. I took it in a few days before Christmas and it needs the lifters and VLOM replaced. It’s been sitting there waiting on parts. For the money and size for my family, with HD towing for camper, I couldnt find a better truck (on paper). No end in site as to when it will be repaired as they can’t update when the part will be manufactured and received.
I had the lifter issue with my 2021 Tahoe at 4700 miles back in September. Took 6 weeks for the repair. I just received word from the Dealership that GM approved a warranty extension for the full powertrain and electronics to 100,000 miles. CCL letter should be in hand this week. I made sure the extended warranty is be transferrable in the event I sell the vehicle before 100,000 miles. It was not a huge issue to get the extended warranty – a couple of emails and a phone call with the service manager at the dealership.
Good luck to all!
I just got my 2021 GMC Denali 5.3l out of shop today, 1-22-22. My check engine came on first at 3,500 miles code multiple misfire. Took to Dealership after 3 rd cel. Nothing found. Told it happens a lot. So after no noise or not feeling or hearing a misfire I didn’t waste my time taking to Dealer and them do nothing. CEL four more times , same code P0300- multiple misfire. Reset code. But on 1-8-22 it started vibrating and popping indicating misfire and multiple messages came up, service electric parting brake, Service ESC, steering assist reduced, lane keep assist system not available, etc. The computer was obviously overwhelmed. Took to local GMC dealer and told it was lifter failure. Parts back ordered and told by service tech that would only fix one side per GM with only 8039 miles and an oil change at 2000 miles. I was persistent with owner that fixing one side set me up for failure and another repair down the road. Even if repaired under warranty I would be without my truck and would not trust going on a long trip for fear of failure will out of town . The owner understood my point and talked with service manager and they did the right thing and replaced both sides. I was fortunate but reading all he horror stories in comments really angers me that GM is not recalled all the vehicles with faulty parts. They will eventually be sued enough to trigger a recall but at the expense or losing many long time faithful customers because of poor and possibly criminal customer service by knowingly selling vehicles with faulty parts. I was one of the lucky ons I guess as I was without my truck for only 12 days but no loaner. I have a spare vehicle so no big problem but lots of owners don’t gave that option.
A class action lawsuit has finally been filed (December) on this lifter issue. Not sure it has been mentioned yet on this site.
My 2020 1500 is currently at the dealership waiting on back ordered parts due to the lifters…for the second time! One side was replaced already…fast forward 8 months and took it back in for the same thing. I was told that there was an update to fix the problem. I picked it up and had it back the next day because it was doing the same thing. Now they are replacing both sides…ffs
What’s the update on fixing the problem??? Just replace until they go out again or actually fixing something that prevents the lifters going bad or push rods bending?
This firm is working my case contact them,
Attorney at Law
Krohn & Moss, Ltd.
Contact this lawers firms they will take care of business,
Attorney at Law Krohn & Moss, Ltd.
Haven’t even had my Denali 1500 for a year and the left side lifters are done .
I have a 2021 GMC sierra with the 5.3L that has 26,427 KM’S and im starting to get a ticking noise on cold start ups and when reving the engine.
Lifters going out, just like mine did
2017 GMC 30k miles. Lifters,push rod and a valve. Truck tied up for weeks . This problem has been going on for years. How can they not do something sensible with this? Just keep replacing them instead of fixing the problem. Just the same thing until the warranty runs out. Then scrap the truck. LOL What a joke. Have been a lifetime GM man.
6.2L 2021 AT4 just failed while hauling a trailer – major misfiring, lack of power and lifter noise. The outcome was a bent lifter and downtime for the repair. The truck has never run so well since.
My 2021 GMC 1500 AT4 with 5.3L engine, 16,000 miles broken lifter and bend pushrod. This shouldn’t happen.
I left a lengthy comment on 1-22-22 on my lifter repair on my 2021 GMC Denali 5.3L. I ask my local dealerships Service Manager to get me a ComponentCoverage Letter (CCL) after reading in this GM Authority forum where others had gotten CCL for engine extended warranty after having engine repairs. I received my CCL today from GMC giving me 6 years and 108322 miles coverage on all engine repair. I had 4 years and 51,678 left remaining on factory drive train warranty. I am very pleased with GMC stepping up to keep a valued customer. Be persuasive and beg if you have to to get this CCL if your lifters fail( or any other engine repair). Good luck and your welcome.👍
Im glad you got some additional warranty – but asking people to “Beg” to get something that GM is ignoring and is clearly a problematic defect sounds somewhat ridiculous to me. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE VALUED THEN YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE PERSISTENT NOR BEG. GM is patching this problem REACTIVELY and one customer at a time and ignoring the bigger issue. The extended warranty of getting you to 108K miles maybe good enough for some but for a large number of people who expect their vehicles to last upwards of 200K miles or more is not a comforting policy – yes its better than nothing but its simply kicking the can down the road. Most ordinary people who spend $50-$80K for a truck or SUV expect GM to be more proactive. Best of luck to you.
They should be fixing all the apes that’s had this lifter problem I had it on the left side set me back almost $6000 minds a 2009 GMC with a 5.3 V8 and that was with a extended warranty GM should be replacing all the lifters and everything from when it started till now
My lifter failed at 16.000 miles on my 2021 5.3 engine. They replaced half (8). Waiting for my second failure.
2021 Silverado manufactured in September 2021
15,000 miles setting in shop with cracked head and busted lifters. GM should be recalling these trucks.
16,000 miles 5.3L GMC Sierra AT4 collapsed lifter bent rod. Replaced bent rod and 8 out of 16 lifters. Refused to replace all lifters or offer extended warranty. GMC advised on second failure repairs will be covered if under warranty. GMC said they would possibly work with me if out of warranty but of coarse they said the possibility of standing behind there product after warranty is only speculation.
We have a 2022 Siverado with only 4400 miles with this exact problem of the failed #7 cylinder misfire with check a Po300 misfire check engine light code, and what sounds like a valve hitting the piston. It is one of our latest fleet vehicles.
Sorry to hear this. I was hoping that GM had very quietly fixed the issue and we would not see this with 2022 engines – but I guess they prefer to burry their head in the sand and hope people are satisfied with getting a lifter or two or at best one bank fixed at a time.
That’s right KSM. The Dec 2021 service bulletin was for build dates of Sept 2020 – March 2021 so I thought my August 2021 5.3 was safe. I didn’t want to wait longer because the 8 sp with 5.3 was being replaced with 10 for 2022 and I didn’t want 10.
Thanks for your comment Petey. I’ve been reading looking for info that relates to my August 2021 build date in Silverado 5.3. I understood the service bulletin they released in Dec 2021 was relating to trucks with build dates of Sept 2020 to March 2021. I hoped being built 5 months later was the safe range, I guess not.
Biden is now running GM. Problem solved!
Wow, sounds like I am not alone. 2021 Silverado Trailboss with a 5.2 and 20,000 miles. Last week multiple codes went off and the engine was misfiring. Diagnosed yesterday with a broken lifter. Like everyone else, GM will only replace one bank and of course the parts are backordered. In the meantime I get to drive a loaner equinox while my $60,000 truck sits in the shop with an unknown repair date. When I pressed that they replace the other bank, the service manager said it would take 3-4 additional hours that GM will not authorize. It makes zero sense! If you have a bad lot of raw material for the lifters it is logical to assume the other side could also be effected. Why wait? Why not just address the problem and move on. I love my truck and am very disappointed in how GM is handling this issue. I reached out to GM customer service to request an additional warranty. That should be an automatic for these types of major engine issues.
GM is a clown show. I went through the same thing, my 2021 Tahoe had been in twice for lifter repair, GM couldn’t document what style lifters had been put in for previous repairs. My third failure on my last visit at 21,000 miles I only accepted repairs with both sides of engine installing new lifters, extended warranty adding 100,000 mile to the 21,000 miles on the truck so a total coverage up to 121,000 miles, and a detailed cleaning before I take possession of truck. They did those things I asked for and I imagine they will do yours too if you throw enough of a fit with them. I still don’t trust this vehicle and expect more problems, but at least it will be warranted. What a horrible experience and a bad taste in my mouth, long time GM owner but no more after I get rid of this piece of crap.