General Motors is facing a new class action lawsuit targeting the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine, alleging that the L87 is equipped with defective bearings that could result in outright engine failure.
The 6.2L V8 L87 is widely used across several key GM vehicles, including some of The General’s most-popular pickup and full-size SUVs.
Per a report from CarComplaints, the lawsuit alleges that the following GM vehicles may be equipped with defective L87 engines:
- 2019 through 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500
- 2021 through 2024 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban
- 2019 through 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2021 through 2024 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
- 2021 through 2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
The new lawsuit states that a critical defect in the engine’s connecting rod bearings can lead to catastrophic engine failure, often without warning. Many of these alleged engine failures occurred at highway speeds, and the lawsuit alleges that the issue makes the vehicles in question dangerous to drive, as well as decreases the overall vehicle value.
The case was filed by James S. Powell, II, an Illinois resident who purchased a new 2023 GMC Yukon Denali in 2022. Within a year of purchase, Powell’s SUV reportedly exhibited several issues. Powell brought his SUV in for service after the check engine light was illuminated, at which time technicians discovered metal shavings in the oil and internal engine damage. The diagnosis was a failed connecting rod bearing, and GM replaced the engine under warranty. However, Powell claims the replacement engine had the same defect, prompting him to pursue more than $5 million in damages.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an own investigation after receiving 39 complaints and numerous field reports concerning the L87 engine. The agency estimates the issue may impact more than 877,000 vehicles.
Owners affected by the alleged defect claim that failures occur despite low mileage and consistent maintenance. The suit also argues that GM has been aware of the bearing defect, but failed to disclose the issue to owners or issue a recall.
The case is being handled in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Just last week, GM Authority published a poll asking if lifter issues affecting GM’s Small Block V8, which includes the L87, were actually a major issue, or blown out of proportion. A majority of poll respondents voted that the lifter issue was indeed a major problem.
Comments
GM has neglected these owners. Replacing the engine with the same bad engine. Plus, two to three months to get a replacement. GM should be paying for long term rentals. If the dealer doesn’t step up, the customer is walking. GM at its worst with their best customers.
Greedy turd. Hence the warranty! Warrentys exist for a reason, and you were taken care of. Why do you need 5 million??? Saddest thing is this is Illinois so he’s likely to win in their corrupt courts, though probably not on appeal.
GM will dance him around for the next 11 years. It will cost him thousands to keep the action going, then GM will write him a check for 150 K when he signs a no fault release. Law and GM are pretty predictable.
Yes GM will throw all sorts of stuff out and stonewall until he’s broke. Was all service done by a dealer? Can he prove it was never neglected, abused, overloaded, over-revved, etc. etc.? Yes bull # that GM can’t build a better engine but that’s how the world works; all he’s getting is the motor already replaced under warranty.
Yes, he point is, after purchasing an ALREADY overpriced truck that is ranked to do all sorts or things to the max, touts longevity and quality, etc etc and then they put another faulty engine FINALLY in his truck after he’s STILL paying monthly on the payments and then they just replace it with the same faulty engine is scape goating the initial issue and fraudulently not fixing/”warrantying” the engine. THAT’S the reason for the lawsuit and rightfully so as they should be recalling these engines!
They won’t. GM took a bailout a few yrs back and will say that replacing all those engines will bankrupt them again. It’s alot to do with the Gov mandated emissions requirements to build a piece of junk. Look at Ford, Chevy, Dodge and now Tototas.
5 Million is not enough
GM looks at vehicle failures and an inconvenience to the customers
Only with the cost of vehicles and the urgency of GM to address anything
all to get out of paying claims
what a vehicle cost today. This is more then my first house cost
make them bleed
No way in hell this sob needs reimburse d at that figure , crazy people!
reach for the stars and hope to get the top of a cell tower.
To level an accusation that our courts are corrupt without providing any proof is defamation and maybe against the law. None of our Judges run around in a Prevost or fly the flag upside down. Try saying that in El Salvador or requesting relief in Russia for a defective motor.
What the hell is his statement got to do with El Salvador or Russia, we are in AMERICA, and if you don’t believe there is corruption in the in the courts, then you need to start beating your head against that rock your under because you don’t have a clue of how the system works
And Mary makes 30 million a year.
She is more worried about stock price than owner loyalty.
the stock price will go down when people stop buying your junk … If Mary really thinks that way, she is ignorant.
Not so sure about that. Dont think she gives a S— about that, not with the coin she’s stealing for being incompetent. But she is all in on using the term sustainable, so that at least makes her a media darling.
The once good company, GM, needs to address this before they get the pants suit sued off of them.
“The suit also argues that GM has been aware of the bearing defect, but failed to disclose the issue to owners or issue a recall.”. Trust me, they know. At GM, fixing a problem means that it’ll interrupt production, could mean product revisions, drawing revisions, production line interruptions. Therefore, the goal is to put those issues up against the profit loss for correcting the problem, until a model year change over when all of the above issues “might” be accounted for. With GENVI engines so close to replacing GENV, the hope is that they can mitigate the publicity as much as possible, while continuing to “address” all of the engine issues, the way that only GM does. This lawsuit makes me very happy. The buck stops right square and center, at the top.
Regardless of what Gen built or being built, it won’t survive as long as Gov mandates choking the engines on their own puke recycling exhaust gasses in the name of Saving the Planet.Does the world revolve on an axis? Yes, so we get to breath all the air other countries pollute with without regulations. Electric cars don’t work because the mineral mining and production of a battery can and will total the cost of the vehicle out of warranty. Plus lots of energy wasted on harvesting raw materials and production cost it cannot sustain itself.
If our Government would have us get rid of gasoline and change over to a fuel that even some US farmers setup engines on the Whitehouse lawn years ago and showed how they made a fuel out Marijuana and Corn that make Gasoline obsolete as they ran it in their farm engines . It only made a little watervaper that we could run our vehicles engines we had without all the pollution. Engines could be use to turn generators to make electricity ,no longer need of dangerous Nuclear Powerplants. Only use crude oil for lubrication. Our Planet wouldn’t be dealing with what the pollution caused since then. If we don’t do something about it. The Oil Barrons greasing the palms of Politicians so it doesn’t happen don’t care if people have to wear a apparatious on or backs to
breathe in afew hundreds of years from now because they and their families be mostly gone.
But, but, sustainability, but, and all of the other weenie buzz words, but!
Just had mine replaced. 2023 Silverado ZR2 with 24004 miles. #7 rod bearing was spun and the others were severely scored. The engine died suddenly at a stoplight. No warning. Amazingly I didn’t get rear ended. Bad enough, but then the transmission wouldn’t go into neutral to tow it off. Another issue. Last week check engine light came on for Camshaft Position Sensor. Looking for a new High Country with a 5.3 L this week.
Did you service at the dealership or a local person you know? This is important because if at the dealer they didn’t tell you about the engine starting to have issues is a much bigger issue and why people are sueing!
Why would you buy another POS at this time?
And all the short bus window lickers out there think this is only a GM problem ! 40 engines out of 900,000 equates to a %.00004 failure rate ! Worst case scenario this will just turn into the everyday ho hum $ grab !
So far give some time.
It’s waaaay more than 40. I bet my dealer has seen 20 or more at one location of their 5 alone. It’s going to be in the thousands nationwide. The word is already out and the 5.3s are getting snapped up left and right.
I had 2 alone. First one failed at 80 on the freeway. Whole car shut down and couldn’t get it out of gear to tow. Replacement failed at 500 miles. GM took it back as a lemon.
These small block V-8’s were bullet-proof, in their day, what the heck happened? Now GM has both 10L1000 Allison transmission valve body “lock-up issues/recall” on both diesel and gas configurations, coupled with this rod bearing problem. Both can result in catastrophic failure on the road on high production volume vehicles. Maybe GM is so focused on getting another 1/2 mpg on ICE vehicles that the product reliability turns to s&$t! Lest we forget about the AFM/lifter issue- recall. These trucks also finance the EV debacle that chew thru cash and profit! As an ex-CFO, a simple rule for keeping stakeholders happy; don’t mess up your key cash and profit generators. GM has lost sight of this concept evidently.
Made in China parts. Trump is right. Take your medicine America (and world), China is trash.
Absolutely True. Politicians sold out American production 50+years ago to line their pockets with big corporations kick backs, just as the insurance companies and drug companies. We’ve been screwed over worldwide for decades, now we’re feeling the pains of their profits. 1st Chinese Toys introduced had lead paint for kids to stick in their mouthes.
It’s completely ridiculous that GM can’t build good reliable drive trains any longer.
I’m ready the write the check for a new truck but I’m not convinced that the new ones are as good as my current one. I’m not a gambler, I’ll keep my current one going.
A wise decision Mel.
Is the problem the bearings, or that variable displacement oil pump that’s been barely working since 2015?
Most of yall just complain online at forms but never complain to NHTSA, IF ALL OF YOU REGISTER YOUR COMPLAIN they have to do something about this issue
Forum complaints are a valuable asset to people. They’re warnings of failures happening to actual owners.
I read forum input when shopping for my cars. Not hard to separate out the whiners, but failure trends are easily discernable.
I wonder if GM used the same supplier Toyota did on the V6. Toyota V6 on all the tundra had massive failure as well. Weird that Toyota and GM both have had similar bearing failures. I wonder if someone is using bad metal from China.
This really is a shame. I’m going to show my age here, but I can remember when, MADE IN USA, used to mean that you were buying a good, no, GREAT product. Haven’t felt that in a long, long, very long time. Way too many things I could go off on explaining why this happened, but, if you know, you know. Currently I own 5 Corvettes, 2 El Caminos, 2 Camaros, a Trans Am, a diesel dually, and my daily driver is a 2018 Sierra with the 5.3. Everything else I own, with the exception of my dually, is pre-73. That alone should speak volumes. I personally have touched every nut and bolt on all of them except for the Sierra. Once it dies, I hate to say it, but I’ll most likely make one of my others my daily driver before coughing up what they want for what they’re building nowadays. I’m obviously a fan of GM, but until some MAJOR changes are made….
True. My ‘02 Ford Super Duty with the 6.8L V10 and 4 speed automatic just keeps on running. Coughed up a fuel pump earlier this year, first issue in 23 years and 200k miles. New vehicles are just too complicated with VVT, cylinder deactivation, turbos, superchargers and excessive ratios in the gearbox. More complex, more problems. I’d like my ‘87 Suburban 1500 with the bulletproof 5.7 Vortec back, please.
So two days ago I was driving my 2024 Silverado Trail Boss with just 10,000 miles on the highway at 70 mph. Suddenly the engine started rapidly losing power. I was in the left hand lane and quickly started moving to the right lane, and then to the shoulder. This whole process took about seven seconds. In that seven seconds, the engine started knocking loudly and I started smelling oil. Just as I stopped the truck on the shoulder, the engine seized and I lost all power. This all happened with no warning at all. Luckily the dealership that I bought my truck from is owned by a friend of mine. He immediately sent a tow truck to my location with a replacement vehicle on it, and then towed my truck back to the dealership. They won’t get a chance to look at it until Monday, but i’m very familiar with vehicles and know that this is catastrophic engine failure. He basically told me that they’ve had this problem with like five other vehicles and it would be a minimum of four months until I see a new engine. GM should not be able to sell this engine any longer until this problem is resolved and the people affected are taking care of first. I’m just scared they’re gonna put the same piece of crap engine in the truck again. I’ve never been at Ford guy, but they’re looking pretty good right now.
I say give the F-150s a chance. It couldn’t be any worse than what you just went through.
I’ve had two and I thought they were great, to be honest.
F150 with the 5.0 or 2.7 is a very solid truck. Lots of miles on Ford’s with the 3.5 EvoBoost, it’s an awesome engine with incredible power but the cam phaser and leaking issues, while not debilitating like the GM issues, are too much for a 70 grand truck.
I owned Ford products for a long time. My new 2017 3.6 Turbo and I only used The Best Full Sinthetic oils on every Oil change . Well then after 48KL. Canadian… Engine seized up same issues. So yes looks GMC is having issues but All have some of the same issues. Could it be CHINA ? Time will tell. FYI after the Ford dealer re-built it , I traded in for a 2022 King Ranch.
Traded in for a 2022. Sold that one made $$ Now looking at a Pre-owned 2024 1500 Denali 6.2 with 14KL. Wish me luck !
They won’t do anything until the Feds get seriously involved. It’s the only thing that’ll get their attention.
As for class action lawsuits. GM really couldn’t care less about them. They just consider those another cost of doing business. That and the victims get almost nothing while the attorneys get most of any agreed upon financial settlement. They’re a waste of time and won’t change a thing.
I do wish you the best on getting your vehicle repaired.
Or you should have just bought the silverado with the 3.0 Duramax.
There’s a reason you don’t see lawsuits and recalls for that engine.
Really??, I can remember seeing transmission issues with 10 speeds that attached to the diesels. So the 3.0’s have their own issues as well.
Does this problem have anything to do with the engine power delay feature that disables the running engine upon stopping at a stop sign? We own a 2020 GM Siera and were advised to purchase a disabling device that plugs into the port under the dash to stop that fuel saving feature.
I still can’t get over their Ignitions.
GM..refine the 5.3 and 6.2 Liters without the AFM / DFM features for the 2027 1500’s.
That should even be done sooner for the 2026 Model Year.
Is this engine more isuzu garbage, like their duramax?
Well it appears Toyota and GM both have resolved the supplier issue with bearings. Both car companies had major engine failures. Just time to Move on. A bad supplier can kill any car company no matter how good the design is.
I think your right. Toyota had far more problems with its new tundra V6 with its bearings. I was reading it was cheap metal from a bad supplier along with GM this makes sense.
Low bidder and non existent QC
So, how many same year range L84, 5.3 engines, have the same issue and parts? Fellow pilot and army buddy of mine, bought a brand new GMC Sierra with the 5.3, when we got back from Europe deployment in 2022. We’re done in texas, we are all in our late 40s, so Drive everything correctly, take care of it and treat it right. I don’t think he had 60,000 miles on it yet, smooth open Highway miles. Driving it like a grandpa, and his engine did the exact same thing. Just died on him, and when he got it towed to the shop, it was internal bearing failure. Just like the L87. And he was just out of warranty, so he shelled out $12,000 for a new motor. I can’t imagine that some of those same Parts aren’t interchangeable, and in the same year of the 5.3, L84 engine.
We are seeing the same issues here in Australia under GMSV, those have experience engine failure range with engine bearings and mostly lifter failures. I have not seen anyone at this stage report the transmission failure potential issue. Those who have had their engines fail have had to wait months with GMSV some virtually with very low kilometer readings many around the 30 k make and some as high 90k mark. Mine is now chewing oil after 65k mark, engine pressure dropping. I have seen documentation claiming certain manufacturing issues in relation to the lifters. I know of one dealership who currently has 36 of these motors. GM are playing with people’s lively hoods with these engines. Whilst GMSV are replacing the engine they are also using servicing as an excuse to reject warranty claims. I change my engine oil every 6k without fail. I do not need a dealership to be charging outrageous monies for servicing. This has led to me doing my own servicing as I do not have any other GMSV dealers local to me. I will not be putting up GMSV nonsense if mine should fail.
I believe the lifter issue is a result of the “displacement on demand” or as Chrysler/Dodge/Ram called it, “Multi-displacement system.” It was an issue in the Hemi V8s as well.
Hyundai (2.4L I4) has the same issue as the L87, bearing failure. They have replaced thousands of engines free of charge and the lifetime warranty extends to the new engines. Some of which have failed as well. If GM loses this law suit it will be very, very expensive, and they earned it.
I owned a 2005 1500 Chevrolet Silverado for 15 years and it gave me excellent experience and service it had 269879 miles on it when I traded it in on a 2021 Equinox AWD with only 42334 miles on it I had it about 2 months and it’s doing great I have always been a Chevrolet man I hate that GMC is having issues with those engines they just need to do the right thing get the issues taken care of and make sure that there customer’s are taken care of and that this issue never happens again enough said.
Who the hell is Mary??
I think she’s the new GM CEO.
I have a 2013 Escalade that needed a new engine last year (under 100k miles), lifters broke off. Engine was replaced with a 75k mile 6.2 V8 L87. Sounds like the lifters are about to go on this one too. Smh. Called Cadillac before I got the replacement engine, they already knew my Vin #, they said the issue started in 2014 not 2013. Lol!
China bought GM. It wouldn’t surprise me if the car fell apart. The Subaru sounds like a good car. I want nothing to do with GM anymore.
I left GM after my owning a new ‘97 Grand Am. They put the ignition on the bottom of the engine block. The car stalled in some water and I was almost killed. The Hyundai’s, Yugo’s, Toyotas ahead of me didn’t crap out.
I do not trust the new stuff. That’s why I drive the old stuff. Buy used with a track record.
My 2008 Silverado MAX Z-71 6.0 has 627,941 miles on it and it is going strong. I did replace the lifters at 250,000 miles as a precaution. The a/c is currently not working, and I will address that next week at the dealership. People bitch about the dealer, but if something breaks while I am on a trip, there is always a Chevy Dealership, but Joe Blow’s garage does not travel with me.
I have a GMC Sierra 2022 and the engine locked without any warning.
I have one of these. I have 212,000 miles and was lazy changing the oil. Just added it when low. I’m too busy with my lady and another gal or two to worry about it. No problems. Best truck ever!
How do we know that Elon Musk isn’t behind this to smear GM so he can sell his dumpster looking Swasticar?
I only hope that they get it resolved and GM makes it good with all the customers. It’s a great engine and performance wise it makes the truck fun to drive. It’s a shame low bid vendors don’t manufacture quality parts. You get what you pay for!
Now what
This has nothing to do with government emission standards. There is no mystery why the main bearings fail. First off these engines have variable oil pumps….Stupidest thing ever to save the tiniest bit of HP. There could be issues with oil pressure or lack of it. Second….These cranks run through a series of machines that polish the rod journals to the correct spec. The parameters could be wrong, faulty machine work. The connecting rod Journals could be off too. They could be to big or to tight not allowing enough of an oil film between the crank bearing and the crank journal. Lastly the crank bearing material. Im sure a major supplier supplies these and they have their own quality control. I highly doubt it is a material issue with the bearing itself. GM knows if they have a bad batch of Rods, Cranks or if they variable oil pump is junk trust me. All this start stop, variable oil pumps, cylinder deactivation, double VANOS, crazy cam chain arrangements etc contribute to such a small gain in efficiency but add more complexity and failures that it’s just not worth it. They could improve efficiency with high flow headers, exhaust, high quality internal parts, better intake designs but then they would loose money in their aftermarket performance catalog. If they are so concerned with mpg and efficiency they could reduce weight from these grossly overweight, super sized trucks and SUVs that no one asked for. Also how often do you see any of these vehicles towing anything near their capacity so do you really need all of that…No. The consumer wants a normal sized truck without all these gimics, tech BS…etc….And they want it affordable and to last at least 200k without major problems..
I just reported the same issue last week,. Bought the truck off a used lot (4/1/25) a week later going over the mountain pass, shut off at 70mph. I had no where to get off the road, guard rails both sides, semi trucks in front and back of me.. i didn’t buy a warranty on this 2022 with 120k miles on it.
Bought an engine from Jasper, they do the upgrades, but said they sold 16 of these engines last 3 months.. The local GMC dealer said you can’t get the engines unless it’s a warranty issue, they(local) have sold 10 of these engines in last three months.. And if I were to get it from the local dealer, it’s a 3 month back order, they will put the same crap engine back in it… I reported to NHTSA…. Someone is going to die before GM takes action, they know it’s an issue and keep pumping them out without re-engineering the issue out.
I would like to know who the attorney is handling this case because I have a 2019 Sierra gmc denila that uses oil in between a 3000 mile oil change and I don’t think I should have too add oil between oil changes and it’s 6.2 engine
I recently bought a 2016 Silverado LTZ. Fully loaded. I bought it for a work truck. I told her 8 ft by 18 ft trailer behind it for my tools.
Worst purchase I have ever made. I want my Ford back!
My 2022 Silverado 1500 LTZ bearings failed at 70mph, 23,000 miles on it. I think its funny how people on here are asking if it was service at the dealership, for what a over priced oil change smh? Yes the oil was obviously changed when it should of been. Also after getting stopped we was not able to get it into neutral to get towed. Had to drag it on the truck with sleds. It was 14° that night with no way to stay warm while waiting on the tow truck. It took 3 months to get a new motor, the dealership scratched up a headlight and chrome bumper, left parts off the truck, had oil all over the engine bay and under the truck. I do have a Camaro and the dealership asked if I’d be driving that instead of a loaner vehicle. I said absolutely not in the winter would I be driving a sports car that I keep in the garage. I need compensation for my truck. I want a new one without this problem and I want the LTZ also but for what I owe now. I don’t want to start my payments all over. I paid 73k for the truck and only owed 49k when when the motor blew. Dealerships won’t give me hardly anything for the truck now for traid in because in thier words ” nobody is buying these trucks, we can’t get rid of them because people know about this problem now”. I was offered 28k and 32k from two different dealerships. This was with me put 6k down on the truck, not driving it much at all, and is in perfect condition cosmetically. There’s not even a rock chip on it. It is also kept in the garage. My YouTube channel @joshradcliff6912 Josh Radcliff I show what all I went through. I don’t like driving it anymore because I’m worried when and where it will happen again. If it happened while I was on vacation, that would be devastating, or on a busy highway could cause a accident with my family in it. I can’t get any answer from GM customer service of what is different in the new motor they just put in my truck that fixed the problem. Customer service told me they can’t contact their own engineers to find out what they have done to fix the problem. I’m guessing nothing and this motor will also go. Yes the dealership fixed what the scratched up and got all the oil off my truck and put the missing parts back on it. This was my 1st truck ever and I wanted it to be my forever truck. I planned on keeping forever, I loved all the options it has and it is a beautiful truck. I got it for myself for my birthday. Worst birthday gift ever. I’ll probably never buy a new vehicle again. I’ll buy them used after they have been proven to work. Let other people take the diminishing value and test it first, then buy it.
GM, give me a 2026 LTZ with all the options mine has on it now, plus with the engine problem fixed for 40k and we’ll call it even. You can have my truck back.
And one more thing. When my motor was ordered the dealership told me there was 1300 more ordered before mine which is why it’s taking so long to get the motors. It’s a lot more than 40 people with the problem. Unless you have experienced this first hand you shouldn’t comment on this and what you feel is write or wrong. I could have died that night mine blew because I was passing a vehicle when it happened. If a car would have been coming from the other direction as I was almost around the other vehicle and lost power I found myself struggling to figure out what to do as and what was going on. Two separate dealerships told me each that they have already replaced over 20 motors in a small county in Ohio. I’m guessing there has to be over 10,000 that has already been replaced.