NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Launches Investigation into GM 6.2L V8 L87 Engine Failures

On January 16, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into General Motors (GM) over engine failures in certain full-size trucks and SUVs. The probe focuses on the 6.2L V8 L87 engine, affecting Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles from the 2019-2024 model years. The NHTSA estimates that approximately 877,710 vehicles are involved.

Failure or malfunction of the engine results in loss of motive power of the vehicle, which may lead to an increased risk of a crash resulting in injury and/or property damage.

The 6.2L V8 L87 engine debuted in the 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 with the launch of the T1 generation of these trucks. This engine was later adopted by GM’s T1-based SUVs, which received it with their 2021 redesigns. The General Motors models listed below may be affected by the investigation:

Year Make & Model
2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500
2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban
2021-2024 GMC Yukon
2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade

 

According to the report, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 39 complaints along with several Early Warning Reporting (EWR) Field Reports regarding engine failures in General Motors (GM) vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine. Affected models include the 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban, 2021-2024 GMC Yukon, and 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade. The complaints describe bearing failures that can lead to engine seizure or cause the connecting rod to breach the engine block. According to the complainants, there are no detectable signs of failure prior to the event.

NHTSA investigates safety-related defects in vehicles and vehicle equipment, aiming to identify and address potential issues. The agency receives information about possible defects from various sources, including manufacturers, consumers, law enforcement, the media, and online platforms. NHTSA reviews all available data to evaluate the frequency and severity of potential safety risks using a risk-based approach. If NHTSA identifies a trend of safety-related defects, it may initiate an investigation to assess whether the defect poses an unreasonable safety risk, potentially leading to a manufacturer recall.

ODI RESUME

Investigation: PE25001
Prompted By: VOQ and Early Warning Reporting Field Report Review
Date Opened: 1/16/2025
Investigator: Steve Perry
Reviewer: Sharon Yukevich
Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Products: 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe 2021- 2024 Chevrolet Suburban 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500 2021-2024 GMC Yukon 2021-2024 GMC Yukon XL 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV
Population: 877,710 (Estimated)
Problem Description: Engine failure resulting from connecting rod bearing failure

 

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