by GM Engine Problems Continue
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has once again launched an investigation into problematic 6.2-liter gasoline V8 engines from General Motors. This time, the focus is on cases where the engines failed after the automaker conducted a recall and supposedly fixed the issue.
The Administration has received 36 complaints from owners whose engines broke down after repair work was carried out under the recall. This recall affected nearly 600,000 2021-2024 model year pickup trucks and SUVs, including the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade.
What Was the Essence of the Problem and the Repair?
The initial problem was related to manufacturing defects in connecting rod and crankshaft parts, which could lead to serious engine damage or complete failure. Analysis revealed two key causes:
To address the issue, dealers were instructed to inspect the engine and, if necessary, repair or replace it. If the engine passed inspection, it was assigned a higher viscosity motor oil, which also required replacing the oil filter and oil filler cap.
New Failures After “Repair”
The new investigation aims to determine how adequate and effective the repair method proposed by GM was. The original recall assumed that only 3% of the total number of vehicles had the defect, which is approximately 18,000 units. However, the actual picture appears to be much larger in scale.
GM identified 28,102 complaints potentially related to engine failure due to crankshaft, connecting rod, or engine bearing issues.
Of these complaints, 14,332 concerned loss of power while driving. Even more alarming is the information about 12 reported crashes and 12 injuries that may be related to this engine malfunction.
This situation with the L87 V8 engines is unfolding against the backdrop of numerous lawsuits against General Motors. Owners claim that the company was aware of the defect but did not take proper measures in a timely manner, and the proposed solution of changing the oil type is not sufficient to eliminate the root cause. Repeated engine failures after official repairs seriously undermine trust in the recall procedure and call into question the quality of control at GM’s production. For the owners of these premium SUVs and pickup trucks, this is turning into a prolonged story with an uncertain ending, associated with significant financial costs and potential risks on the road.
