GM Hit With 2.4L Ecotec Engine Class Action Lawsuit In Missouri
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A new class action lawsuit was recently filed against GM in regard to alleged oil consumption issues with the automaker’s naturally aspirated 2.4L I4 LEA gasoline engine.
According to a recent report from Car Complaints, GM knowingly sold vehicles equipped with the atmospheric 2.4L I4 LEA despite knowledge of the engine’s oil consumption issues. The lawsuit alleges that the engine introduces an excessive amount of oil into the combustion champers, leading to low oil levels, low oil pressure, engine knock, and fouled spark plugs, among other issues.
The lawsuit includes all current and former owners or lessees of 2014 through 2017 model year Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers equipped with the 2.4L I4 LEA engine who reside in or purchased their vehicle in Missouri.
According to the lawsuit, Missouri plaintiff Rachel Buchholz purchased a new 2015 Chevy Equinox LT and began to notice the excessive oil consumption in November of 2021. The plaintiff apparently lost engine power when reversing out of a parking space, and although she managed to restart to vehicle, the Equinox lost power again while driving on the highway.
After a third power loss, the plaintiff brought her vehicle to the dealer. A technician allegedly told her that the 2.4L I4 LEA was known for consuming excessive oil. After discussing the issue with the dealer further, the plaintiff was told to bring her vehicle in for an oil change every 2,500 to 3,000 miles, and that in order to permanently fix the issue, she would need to replace the engine at a cost of $9,500.
After asking if GM would pay for the engine replacement under warranty, she was asked to bring her vehicle in for an oil consumption test every 500 miles. After a few tests, dealers technicians said that the engine had a failed piston ring, and that the repair would cost $2,200, $1,900 of which was the Plaintiff’s responsibility.
The latest 2.4L Ecotec class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri (Western Division). The plaintiff is represented by Williams Dirks Dameron LLC.
The 2.4L I4 LEA has been the subject of several other lawsuits against GM in the past, including a lawsuit filed last year, in 2021, and in 2019.
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I bought my 2.4L Terrain in Michigan, so I’m good.😀
I have an older version 2.4L engine in the 2009 Pontiac G-6 that I bought new. It now has 98k on it and still uses no oil. A few years ago I switched from conventional oil that I changed every 3k to full synthetic oil that I change every 5k. It is my third vehicle (backup) but I won’t sell it because it’s in great shape and just as dependable as my new car and truck. Although, my 14 year old granddaughter has her eyes I on it as a first car and she may get it. Granddaughters seem to have a way with their grandpas.
Yeah the story I heard was that GM intentionally loosened the piston rings to create less internal friction and thus better mileage. Of course, with weak rings, oil blew right by and burned off. Duh! I know two people who had V-6 Impala’s that drank oil.
Yeah, they also increased the oil pan capacity to keep people from running them out of oil between changes.
My daughter had an SC-1 Saturn coup with a 4-cyl single OVC engine that burned oil like crazy, more than any car I‘be ever seen except for one. That Saturn burned a quart in less than 1000 miles. The only other car I ever saw that used more oil than that belonged to a high school buddy. It was a 66 or 67 Ford Fairlane GT with a 390 engine and it got so bad before we pulled it that it used a quart of oil in less than 100 miles. Several of us guys saved our used oil for him to use instead of buying so much new oil. He build a real nice 351 Cleveland engine for it that was a screamer. Those old memories are fun, we did all of our work in our dirt floor barns and exchanged those engines using an old Ford tractor with a manure bucket. Fun times!
Wonder when the oil consumption issue starts. I know a few people with 2.4’s in their Buick Lacrosse that have had no such issues. They are only at 50k miles or so. The Buick dealer did say to keep a tight oil change schedule fwiw.
I had a 2015 nox 6 yrs and 80k miles no oil problems. I never waited on oil change lite, changed at 4k to 5k miles with full syn oil. Never wait on that idiot lite.
There are plenty of owners of just about any vehicle that thinks saving a few cents on maintenance is a smart thing. I know of an owner of two Fords that had timing chain failures at less than 100k who never considered lube changes as necessary until the change oil alert was on for a few weeks. And even then, cheap oil was good enough. But if you were to ask him why he had those failures, it was because of a “bad design”. Lawyers and class action suits are mostly fishing expeditions. This one is no different.
all engines use a small amount of oil the owners manual stated the owner should check the oil every fill up.the biggest issue is the oil LIFE monitor if you go more than 5 or 6 thousand miles on an oil change then you risk sludge buildup which can shorten the life of the engine .
The greedy law firm knows it do not have a prayer with the information in this post. They better have a lot more admonitions to fight with than this B/S
Never heard of “tight” rings. Have heard of improper or too little gap not allowing for expansion. The rings are supposed to be placed on the piston with the gaps 120 to 180 degrees opposed. There should be enough ring tension to produce firm contact with the cylinder walls to provide a seal on compression rings and wiping on the next set and oil distribution on the oil rings. Under size or loose rings are a no no.
I heard they intentionally lessened the outward ring pressure on the cylinder walls to reduce internal friction, which probably worked but the unintended consequences were bad.
Who do I talk to about this lawsuit?? I own a 2015 terrain and my friend had a equinox both had the same issues and I spoke to GMC in January and they knew about the lawsuit didn’t say anything O had the same ex act issue and I had the plus and a few other things replaced multiple times due to oil consumption
I am having these same issues with my 2014 Chevy Captiva with the 2.4L L4 LEA engine
I would love to be added to this lawsuit but I am in South Dakota I have a 2016 Equinox that now needs a full engine replacement due to Chevy negligence and using faulty parts.
I have a 2016 GMC 2.4 that had oil problems and now my car is no longer running the shop said I’ll need a new motor. I got the car from a dealer in Alabama and still paying on it. How do I go about signing up for the class action lawsuit ?
I just found out today that although my Chevy Equinox 2015 2.4 l uses less than 1 quart of oil per thousand miles. Endurance warranty will not honor and engine failure based on the fact that the car used excessive amounts of oil. It never used more than what GM said was allowable which is one quart per thousand miles. Now I’m stuck with the repair of a stuck exhaust valve due to neither GM nor endurance auto warranty wanting to cover the cost of the expense
2017 Terrain. Garbage due to cylinder issues and drinking oil. I will never buy another.