Lawsuit Claims General Motors (GM) Knew About L87 V8 Engine Problems For Years

As of May 1, 2025, General Motors, an American automaker with a manufacturing plant in Tennessee, has issued a recall for nearly 600,000 full-size SUVs and trucks in the U.S. (721,000 worldwide). This marks the largest recall of 2025 by vehicle count. While large recalls always make headlines, there’s more to this story than meets the eye.

The recall is concerning on its own, but its timing has raised further alarm for consumers who have been complaining about engine problems for months, including those involved in a lawsuit filed earlier this year.

The class action lawsuit against General Motors claims that defective bearings in the L87 V8 engine lead to engine failures.

The lawsuit states that the following vehicles are equipped with faulty L87 engines:

The product investigation was launched on January 16, but according to a lawsuit, automotive publications, and Reddit forums, GM owners have been voicing complaints about issues with the L87 V8 engine for months—possibly even years. In December 2024, a user on a GMC forum responded to another’s frustration, stating, “lots of people have had this same issue with the latest GM V8 seizing up on them while driving.”

The lawsuit references numerous consumer complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine. The lawsuit claims that GM had knowledge of the engine defect prior to March, 24, 2023 – years before a recall was issued.

Kevin R. Duck

Over the past 30 years, I have been devoted to standing up for consumers, tackling intricate class action consumer litigations, handling complex multi-district cases, and recovering millions of dollars for my Lemon Law clients. Being admitted in District Courts in Louisiana, Texas, California, Michigan, Florida, and Indiana, my practice has led me to represent clients all over the United States in my Lemon Law cases. Regardless of your location, my firm is committed to offering the highest level of professional support, especially in Lemon Law.