General Motors has issued a major recall for a range of full-size pickup and SUV models equipped with the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine, covering nearly 600,000 units in the U.S. The recall is in response to a supplier-level manufacturing defect that may cause a sudden loss of propulsion. Vehicles affected by the recall will undergo a dealership inspection to determine if an engine replacement is necessary, but if no defect is found, a new oil specification will be applied instead. The question is – does the new oil cost more?
For those who may have missed it, L87 engines affected by the recall that pass inspection will be get an updated engine oil spec, increasing viscosity from 0W-20 to 0W-40. Simply put, the new, higher-viscosity 0W-40 oil will indeed be more expensive than the 0W-20 used originally.
The 6.2L V8 L87 requires 8.0 quarts (7.6 liters) of engine oil. Looking at pricing on Amazon, it costs $32.98 for five quarts of Mobil 1 Truck and SUV 0W-20 oil, which amounts to $52.77 total for eight quarts. Meanwhile, Mobil 1 ESP X3 0W-40 costs $60.99 for six quarts, bringing the total up to $81.32 for eight quarts.
Suffice to say, while GM is covering the oil change under the recall campaign, future service intervals using the 0W-40 blend will likely carry higher out-of-pocket costs for owners.
As for the inspection process, technicians will use a GM-branded PicoScope and GM-60539 harness to inspect recalled vehicles. If the test identifies no defect, the dealer will change the oil and filter, install a new oil fill cap indicating the updated spec, and update vehicle documentation accordingly. For engines that fail the inspection, GM will proceed with a full engine replacement, a procedure that is estimated to take between 18.2 and 18.6 labor hours, depending on the model and drivetrain layout.
The recall affects multiple GM models spanning the 2021 through 2024 model years, including:
Comments
Complete fear porn. So Mobil 1 European 0w40 is only rated API SN which is a no go but if you go to something like Pennzoil Platinum European 0w40 its rated API SP, and i’m sure at some point they will get certified for the brand new API SQ.
OMG OMG OMG it’s not “Dexos” if it’s API SP it’s fine to put in your car and the Pennzoil is $27 bucks for 5 quarts at Walmart.
I’m not trying to let GM off the hook, but I could not agree more! If you can afford the vehicle that has a 6.2, you can afford a bit more for an oil change. I’m not made of money, but OMG it’s not the end of the world! Just my two cents worth….
TBFH, base oil is base oil, and it’s cheep, and it’s formulated from there. 0w40 is a rarely used oil, so it’s not max produced hence the costs. 0w20 used to cost an arm and a leg, now it’s readily available for cheap. The shear fact that there will now be a large customer base will drive up supply/competition and drive down price. In a couple months, expect multiple options and prices for this oil.
M1 fs “euro” 0w40 is API SP. I just used it in my Camaro. Also DexosR. 24.99/5qt at Wally.
I quit Quaker State and Pennzoil a few years ago for Mobile One which I believe is better oil for only a few bucks more.
Mobil 1 0w-40 ESP now has the Dexos approval.
If my engine passes the picoscope test but still needs thicker oil, what does that say? I’m hearing that my engine still has a problem.
The day you win a bet that your local dealership can change out an L87 in 18 hours and get you back on the road, Spend your paycheck on lottery tickets because your ship has arrived….”SUPER THICK OIL”…BAH! HUMBUG!
many years ago (60’s) gm had a recall on motor mounts breaking and the engine would go to wot (wide open throttle) instead of replacing the mounts we got a steel cable over the mount and around the upper control arm shaft .. so this sounds about right
Yes, I remember that happening on our ’66 Caprice, 396 325HP, wonder where that car is now?
Yes my high school buddy had a 68 Chevy. One day a guy pulled out in front of us and we t-boned him, not hard at all but the motor mount broke and the engine raced and we hit him again!
It’s not the vehicle, the running gear or the engine, it is someone in management that is praying that a mass vehicle replacement under the lemon law doesn’t occur. When they start talking arbitration in this matter everyone stuck with these turkeys may find out how good our NTSB really is. After all i can’t think of anything more dangerous than having one of these vehicles lock up on me on an Interstate at 75 MPH.
I was in a 1983 BMW 320 on the Autobahn outside of Hanau, Germany doing 160K (100 mph) when a rod flew through the block. I was able to pull to the side of the road and a passing Polizei officer called an ADAC Wagon for me. Just because you lose an engine, it does not mean that your vehicle will automatically seize up. Just look a NASCAR when they drop an engine.
No it absolutely means you entire car will explode killing everyone in a 19.3844 mile radius exactly and instantaneously! To be honest, It is way more dangerous to loose a tire than your engine or transmission blow.
You would think after more than 100 years of building trucks and cars, GM would know how to paint vehicles!! But, the paint if peeling off my son’s 2011 Silverado and my 2012 Silverado!! Doesn’t have any thing to do with this recall but something is missing when so many engines are bad!! And, changing oil viscosity?? What happens to gas mileage?? Thicker oil is going to fix a defective part?? Sounds like catch 22 to me!!!!
i wonder when they put the 0-40 oil in the 6.2 are you going to be able to get another test on your engine before your warranty runs out.
If your engine isn’t rattling before thicker oil, why would it rattle with extra film thickness?
This is what GM, Gross Mismanagement, gets for being too aggressive engineerin-in failure. Everyone knows that great pressure has been put on underpaid engineers who are tasked with making sure engines fail, but the key here is, Fail-After-Warranty. This is clearly both an Art and Science. These underpaid engineers are doing their best, but knowing where to create the failure points isn’t always straightforward; select inferior metals/alloys? Interject failure points during assembly? Choose an inferior lubricant to Hopefully blame the supplier? With their underpaid positions combined with GM’s abhorrent demands – is it a wonder that engine failure set in prior to warranty expiration?
Oh big deal, eightish bucks more for an oil change on a “how many tens of thousands of dollars” vehicle? The surface finish on the bearing journals needs to be extra smooth & accurate to use the light viscosity oils. That’s where their quality control dropped the ball, the journals weren’t smooth enough. 0W40 will still flow basically the same at cold/ambient temperature. But it will have a little more viscosity at operating temperature. You might see a very minor reduction in fuel milage is all. The 0W20 oils are all about CAFE (corporate average fuel economy).
If the manufacturers can’t meet the cafe requirement they get slapped with a big fine. That’s why they have been forced into using light viscosity oils to reduce engine internal parasitic drag, smaller engines and all these high tech systems to meet the CAFE requirements and the technology isn’t there yet for those system to work dependably. IMO
Damn all the problems and moving parts to go bad., that’s why 1 in 10 cars sold are electric and the number will keep climbing.
I guess you haven’t been paying attention to the myriad of problems EVs have been having? Or how Tesla and Rivian keep landing at the bottom of the list in JD Powers IQS and dependability surveys?
The ones that needs a new engine is the lucky ones,because the ones that only needs the oil change are getting screw and probably have engine failure,because I used to be a service tech for a dealer years back,the reason why I quit is techs hate warranty work,because it only pays around one third the labor rate than a regular job that the customer pays ,so the techs that doing the inspection are going to say that the engine pass the inspection,so your going to say I am the lucky one and out the door you go,lol
I just wish GM would get back to basics. Let’s get back to the almighty 350 cid, or the reliable 4.3 V6 or that bad boy 454cid.
With that 6.2 oil change your still getting the shaft, that Engine is on borrowed time, and when it breaks down, after that oil change, GM will say : Sorry out of Warranty.
A local Ford dealership refuses to take these 6.2 Trucks in
trade. GM needs to just buy back all this junk, and let everyone move on,preferably to a different brand.
GM refusesto take them as a trade unless you take a 10k hit.
Unfortunately I don’t know if many brands carry 0W-40 yet. Otherwise I would say the hell with it and get the Kirkland brand (provided you have a Costco membership). I use it in both my Rav4 and XT5 and it does as good of a job as Mobil 1.
This what happens when we don’t have American engineers no more anything 2010 and up are a piece of junk too much technology messing up the cars the 25 years ago we didn’t have as many problems out of cars so that should tell you’ll something
I’ve used 5w30 for 11 years. 160k miles, no problems. If I knew about all of this coming, I would have put in one quart of straight 30 weight with the 5w30.
All this heartburn over less then $30 extra per oil change, really? What did the cheapest vehicle made with this engine cost, $60K? What does one tank of gas cost for this huge, thirsty engine cost, $80? If $30 more per oil change is an issue, you can’t afford to buy or fuel any vehicle with this engine.
Not the point!
My GMC Denali Ultimate has been a NIGHTMARE since I bought it. Recalls galore plus they now want me to pay for my Super Cruise option that never worked till I got a new download just recently. They said they would give me an extension, but lied and changed their mind conveniently, which is FRAUD. I’m done with GM’S BS and back to Ford or other brands.
GM needs to step up and take care of the customers no doubt! But, there is not one manufacture out there that doesn’t have recalls period! Some minor, some major, but they all have them! To me its more about how the recalls are being handled by the manufactures! Thats where they tend to fall short alot of times!
It’s not so much about the extra $30 or so to change the oil but to me it’s all about the depreciated value for the vehicle! If you are not one that gets a new engine you won’t get much resell.