The naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine is a staple of GM’s full-size SUV and truck lineup, but now, the L87 is facing heightened scrutiny in the wake of a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation into alleged engine failures.
Per the NHTSA, owners have complained of bearing failure that could result in engine seizure or a connecting rod breaching the engine block, with an estimated 878,000 vehicles potentially affected across the Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC brands. Now, however, GM has clarified why vehicles built between the 2019 to 2020 model years are not included in its safety most recent safety recall.
As it turns out, GM formed its own internal product investigation on January 16th, 2025, immediately after the launch of NHTSA investigation. Through a detailed analysis of field data and teardown inspections, GM’s engineering team identified a specific build window between March 1st, 2021, and May 31st, 2024, during which an increased rate of engine failure was tied to specific manufacturing defects.
The investigation uncovered two main culprits behind the failures – first, there was evidence of rod-bearing damage resulting from sediment contamination in the crankshaft oil galleries and connecting rods. Second, some crankshafts produced during this period exhibited out-of-spec dimensions and inadequate surface finishes. These combined flaws can lead to accelerated bearing wear, which in turn may cause severe engine damage or outright failure.
As a result, GM has initiated a voluntary safety recall for certain 2021-through-2024 model year vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine. Models potentially affected include the Chevy Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.
Considering all of the above, the scope of the safety recall appears to be based on manufacturing data and failure trends that were not present in 2019 or 2020 builds, and thus, vehicles between the 2019 and 2020 model years were not included. As covered previously, the original NHTSA investigation stems from 39 consumer complaints citing engine seizures or engine failure, with no accidents or injuries on record. GM’s own investigation identified 12 potentially related alleged crashes and 12 potentially related alleged injuries in the U.S. All
specifically alleged injuries were minor or non-physical, and most were not crash related.
Comments
Surely this isn’t that widespread. You see used 6.2’s from this time frame with 100K on them listed at dealerships pretty often.
These issues will result in failure pretty quick. Most are grenading within the first few thousand miles. If they don’t die early, they are probably good to go for the long run.
Exactly, which raises the question of how this went on for over 3 years without being caught. All the attention having been spent on developing all those half-baked and unwanted EVs?
This, can’t imagine it’s a large percentage. Almost a million vehicles under the recall, but I bet 99% of them are just fine. Kinda like the takata airbag incident. A real issue, but only a smidgen of the vehicles affected had problems.
A million 6.2s is a high percentage. This doesn’t seem the volume a 5.3 does.
My brothers 6.2 Tahoe made it to 35k after all.
You are correct. Too much time spent on vehicles that very few are interested in.
Of course it was caught. GM didn’t want to pay for the fix so they kept quiet until the government forced them to take action.
It’s their corporate culture. Bean counters don’t care about reputation or loss of loyal customers, all they think about is how to make more beans in the next quarter to pump those stock prices.
I am pretty sure Toyota would not have looked into the V35As , and (yes, similar to GMC/Chevrolet) if they didn’t do it, the NHTSA would have taken action themselves. And build dates beyond are still affected.
Only difference is that one is a twin turbo, the other is an N/A motor, which is NOT ACCEPTABLE to have issues.
The company is large enough and organized in such a manner as to be able to do more than one thing at a time. In fact the EV development team doesn’t also do work on product failures. We actually have several teams for that. If we do work with any other team it’s assembly first then basic engineering teams. So EV hasn’t a thing to do with the 6.2 groups screw ups and vise versa. Just come out and say you don’t like EVs.
Not in my case, CJ. My 2022 Tahoe seized at about 20k miles. Dealer replaced the engine with a 2024 spec engine along with the radiator, as it was assumed to be contaminated with metallic debris related to the engine seizure.
Montana Bob
I believe there are some L87s at 200k+ miles running without issue.
So it was shoddy engineering sometime after 2020 that caused this problem, and resulted in massive grief. I am MORE worried about the backlog in engines..
At least it is good that they identified the issue, NOW THEY HAVE TO WORK ON GETTING THE MOTORS FIXED.
Sure they only recalled 900 thousand of them
This article is wrong. There have been 13 accidents with injuries caused by this failure in 6.2s.
There have been crashes reported.
BOGUS!!!!! If you can’t handle a loss of propulsion while driving, you shouldn’t have a driver’s license.
Have you ever been in the fast lane during rush hour and suddenly you have no acceleration? I have, it is not good!
How fast do your fast lanes go during rush hour??? Because mine crawl.
I somewhat agree! Unlike in prior times, “loss of propulsion” does not mean “loss of steering assist” (electric power steering) or “complete loss of braking” (vacuum boost).
NOT going to lock-up the rear wheels as a sudden non-requested automatic transmission downshift several gears! SO, the vehicle will still roll, turn and stop. What happens BEHIND you is still a variable, though. As will be the related motor oil loss when the crankcase is ventilated. Wonder how SuperCruise will react to these things?
How much does gm pay you to leave these comments?
How much do you get paid to complain about G.M. .You work for the rival company HMMM>??
You mean in your BRAIN?? Crashes. AIRPLANES , BOATS ,BICYCLES TRICYCLES. There are crashes. And we all know where they are taking place. “AIR HEAD”>???
Can someone please define the difference, “engine seizures or engine failure”……
Howard,
Simple: An engine seizure IS an engine failure.
Montana Bob
I know, but I guess Jonathan Lopez does not, as it is a quote from this article.
Engine seizure is when the engine locks up because bearings burn fast to the crank etc. engine failure would include knocking, throwing a rod, etc which while serious an engine can normally run a limited amount of time even with one or more connecting rods broken, even with holes in the block. Engine seizure is instant total loss of propulsion, possible even temporary wheel lock up in some cases. Engine failure is less sudden as a general rule.
good thing that thicker oil is going to solve this………………lol
My 2019 GMC Yukon Denali has almost 70k miles and seems just fine. Does make me wonder if I should sell it though. I’ve had it since it was brand new. Tranny shifts a little funny sometimes, especially at low speeds when downshifting, but just once in a blue moon, so maybe an electronic issue somehow? Either way, makes me wonder if I should get the new Yukon Denali or Escalade now. Was pretty sure I was upgrading to one or the other, but now I’m on the fence about maybe going to either the 5.3 liter Tahoe or a different manufacturer all together. Was happy with my old Lexus LX’s, had 3 of them and no problems, but that was before they switched to the twin turbo 6 cylinder and are now having problems. Amazing how $100k+ vehicles can have so many issues.
One would think this should show up before failure in a oil sample sent to a lab for analysis. If it’s going to fail, it’s should be leaving something in the oil.
An oil sample will reveal if the problem exits or a failure will occur. All Caterpillar dealers can process an oil sample very quickly looking for iron (crankshaft wear) or bearing material. Also cutting open the oil filter looking for metallic debris lodged in the filter media would tell if a failure is imminent. Maybe our local Chevy dealers have sample kits to help people be proactive.
That is the purpose of this recall. They will cut open oil filters or sample and analyze oil. If engine is clean ,new oil and go. That is what I am told they are going to do.
No one’s cutting oil filters open. You get a new oil cap that states 0W40 oil and a free oil change. That’s it. That’s all.
They have been showing up. Do you realize GM has like $1 Billion in current lawsuits they have to settle. And thats ones theyve settled. Think of all the others theyve weaseled their way out of. Of course theyre going to deny it until they cant.
My daughter has a Cadillac Escalade with 85,000 which gave no trouble until it did, locked up tighter than a jug!
According to GM, the issues are not present in the 2019, 2020, or 2025 built engines, so you should be safe with your 2019 or a new Yukon Denali.
This still doesn’t even touch the valve lifter failures.
The 6.2 failure rate in my neighborhood is 100%. I have two neighbors with the 6.2, a 2022 and a 2023, and both self-destructed in less than 25,000 miles.
I have a 2018 Yukon XL with the 6.2 made it to 150,003 miles and first cylinder lifter broke taking out the cam.. I am afraid to pay 14k to “fix” it. There must be metal everywhere now..
Funny how fast GM bashing youtubers were all over this in a heart beat ! And not one channel new this is only a %.0004 failure rate at the most !
There was one left our local dealer and only made 7 miles before locking down. That is a monumental failure on GM’s part and it was a 2024 model 3-4 years into the problem. And I drive nothing but GM (so does she) and as this happened 4 months back GM still has agreed to fix it, which is second rate at best! I am not looking to change rides but when I do after 58 years of driving GM I will be looking somewhere else! So the youtubers have it right…..
Lmao. Youre a clown. Is this part of your job duties at gm?
An engine can fall without seizing, but if it seizes, it’s probably not rebuildable. With the prices these new trucks cost, they should last at least 200,000 miles, and have at least a 100,000 mile power train warranty!!
Love my 2002 regal LS w/ 316,000 miles on oem engine & transmission. Still runs strong, great gas mileage >25mpg and sooooo quiet.
I have a 21 escalade , no problems yet. I installed a “range” AFM disabler (which also had the auto stop-start disabled at the same time. (that should help with the lifter problems) . My 0w40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil comes tomorrow. I’m not waiting for the recall. I always thought that 0w20 oil is way to thin to protect a engine especially with the auto stop . I guess its just a coincidence that Kia Soul Engines are torpedoing with Honda having problems also.
It’s interesting that they’ve known of increased failures for 4 years And ONLY then did an internal investigation after the feds started looking. They were perfectly willing to have them fail and hope they held together until 60k. 0-40 oil is thicker and they all of a sudden have validated this fix in just 3 months? They have known for years and didn’t want thicker oil because of fuel mileage changes is my guess. Probably with thicker oil 5.3s wouldn’t have so many lifter and cam shaft failures. Here again that’s my guess.
I suspect you are correct in your suspicion that gm has been “investigating” this problem for some time, hoping that it would not get bad enough that they would have to have a recall. It is sad that these supposed “manufacturing problems” were allowed to not be corrected for years, if that is really the case. I guess time will tell.
Question.
GM has recommended 0w-40 to replace the very thin 0-20 oil used now.
I have a 2020 6.2 that apparently is not included in this recall.
I reside in Central Texas and was wondering if the heavier oil would help my 6.2 when it is 105° in the next few months?
All of you 6.2L owners out there….what are you going to do ?
Are you continuing to use 0-w20 or you changing to 0-w40 oil ?
Let us all know….
I bought two different Chevrolets 2500HD. The 1st was in 2006 the 8.1 was the engine. It was going thru a quart of oil every month the dealer said they would keep an eye on it. In 2020 I bought a second 2500 Hd and it had the 6.6 gasoline engine. With less than 7000 miles on it through a service engine soon code. No code was found and I was. Yet again not to worry about it. I sold the truck the next day. Keeping an eye on it cost me 15.000 dollars at the dealer to get the engine replaced at 130.000 miles. The 8.1 was in my truck and in 2009 Chevrolet found the problem with the oil usage and stoped production of the engine. I was still making payment on an obsolete truck. I will never buy Chevrolet again and recommend that every one else should avoid buying any vehicle from them. I am a disabled vet and bought the 06 when I right after I got home from Iraq.
The story says:
“The investigation uncovered two main culprits behind the failures – first, there was evidence of rod-bearing damage resulting from sediment contamination in the crankshaft oil galleries and connecting rods. Second, some crankshafts produced during this period exhibited out-of-spec dimensions and inadequate surface finishes. These combined flaws can lead to accelerated bearing wear, which in turn may cause severe engine damage or outright failure.”
I do not understand how changing oil can either “Repair Rod Bearing Damage” or correct “out-of-spec dimensions and inadequate surface finishes. Can someone explain that to me?
I don’t know who makes the Chevy engines, but it’s obviously a quality control issue and it should’ve come to light with manufacturer and GM inspections. If GM knew about the out of spec components early on, my guess is they had too much invested in the engines to stop production and hoped it wouldn’t be a problem. We all know what they should’ve done. Now, it’s gonna cost them big-time and they’re gonna get a big hit to their rep. Come on, Mary, you can do better.
I have a bad habit of changing oil between 500 and 750 miles on new vehicles! Sounds like I better keep that bad habit !
Might be overkill-every new car I buy I drive 1,000 mi the first week and change all of the fluids differential transfer cases radiator coolant everything power steering-never had a car that would not go $400,000 mi without a problem
This situation just sucks all the way around for every consumer that has (mis)placed their faith in GM and purchased one of these affected models. The 6.2 engine has been around for 40+ years and being a long-time, loyal consumer of GM vehicles, after spending 48 years of being a contributing member of the working class society, I decided to purchase one last new truck to ride out my retirement years in, so I purchased a new Silverado High Country with the 6.2 engine at the beginning of 2024. Sure, I’d read some of the blogs beforehand about the failed engines but the numbers seemed relatively low in relation to the volume and I saw that Ford, Dodge and Toyota had issues of their own as well, so I thought I’d stay loyal to the GM brand. Now this. I love the truck but it seems like a hedged bet of, not if it will fail, but rather when. My truck only has 1,200 miles on it but frankly it only seems appropriate that GM offer to take it back and issue me a new 2025 model with the same deal I had on my 2024 (since they say the 2025 models are void of the issue). There should be some additional offered concessions to consumers other than if it hasn’t blown up yet, we’ll give you an oil change and new oil cap, and if it has blown up, we’ll take your truck for three months while we source a new engine for you. How about extending the warranty on the drive train for those whose engines haven’t met their fate yet? Or if its under x mileage, a buy-back offer? Or ??? Do better GM!
Why would you want a 2025, your not going to beat this deal if your 2024 engine passes the inspection? “Engines that pass inspection will also receive a new special coverage program that extends warranty protection for 10 years or 150,000 miles from the vehicle’s in-service date, whichever comes first.”
GM – Gross Mismanagement
Any company that intentionally engineers-in failure, should be out of business. Americans shouldn’t wait for GM to K!ll-off Brands one-by-one, they should demand shut-down now – before their next “accidental” Ignition is released.
Troubled by their evidently lack of QC for engine components! “Out of spec and bearing finishes”…… shouldn’t that have been caught by an adequate QC program well before final assembly? What is their percentage of component inspection? 100% or every 1,000 units? In any event, I am baffled to see how major engine components were found to be out of spec but still found their way into the final assembly of an engine…….. sloppy!! Or is there more to the story or another plausible explanation?? Just scrapped my plan to buy a GMC Denali!!
Failures due to manufacturing issues happen all the time in every industry. This one is a quality assurance failure with parts that are not adequately checked for design tolerance; the crankshaft bearing lobes were either oversized or undersized and someone did not ensure the proper surface finish procedure was followed. Also it appears the oil galleries were not properly cleaned of manufacturing debris (same issue Toyota had recently with their engines). All of this is a lack of following proper manufacturing quality control procedures. Years ago in the medical device industry a manufacturer left machining lubrication fluid on a hip replacement implant, another example of not following the correct manufacturing procedures, resulting in a recall where patients were brought back into the operating room to remove the impacts and do a replacement or as we call them, a revision. Imagine that customer inconvenience!
Let me guess, they outsourced crankshaft manufacturing to the lowest bidder
I don’t know about all these, but I have a 2020 Chevy Trax, so does my daughter and several others I know with Chevy Trax or Equinox that have had problems with the turbochargers. My car had to have the whole engine replaced at 73,000 miles. Luckily it was under an extended warranty, as is my daughters but you can’t tell me there’s not an issue with them. Hers was barely 60,000 miles when the engine light came on a month after we bought it. It was used, but was fine when I drove it.
I have a 2024 Silverado 6.2 TB. Bought it late in 2024, September. My truck as of now has 7k miles and one oil change. Only changed one thing by going to Mobil 1 5W20. Also, I put a Range DFM disabler in it when I bought it. My engine sounds very smooth and quiet at this time. I have read all the posts, and I have a question. Is GM going to send out recalls with VIN numbers which are not affected. Does the non-affected vehicles or non-recalled also get the 10 years plus 150K coverage for 2024 to 2025.
I have a 2019 Silverado, the engine blew about 3 weeks before the recall on the 6.2 engine. I should have known something was up when I began getting the run around on when I would get my truck back. They have now had my truck going on 6 weeks and have no idea as when I’ll get my truck back or what they are going to do. I can’t believe the 2019 is not included in the recall!!
I have a 2020 GMC Yukon Denali with 6.2L that just took into my local mechanic shop for engine knocking and they informed me about all of this. My truck has 87K miles on so what are owners of 19/20’s supposed to do if ours are not covered under this recall?