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A GM engine recall has led to a lawsuit that alleges the L87 engine recall isn’t adequate and won’t repair the vehicles.
The class action lawsuit includes these vehicles equipped with GM 6.2 Liter V8 EcoTec3 L87 engines.
- 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade
- 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 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
According to the class action, the GM L87 engines have serious problems with the crankshaft components and the bearings cannot handle the engine friction and heat. Those problems can cause the GM 6.2-liter engines to fail, causing an “increased risk of collision, injury, or death.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a federal investigation in January after owners complained of General Motors L87 engine problems and failures. The investigation includes more than 877,000 GM vehicles.
Then in April, a GM engine recall was announced for nearly 598,000 of these vehicles in the U.S.
- 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
- 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2021-2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2021-2024 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
According to General Motors, the L87 engines can fail because of bearing failures, crankshaft problems, and connecting rods that can destroy the engine blocks.
GM said it would begin mailing engine recall letters June 9, and dealerships would inspect the L87 engines to look for diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0016. The L87 engine would be “repaired or replaced” if that code is set in a vehicle.
But if that DTC is not set, a dealer will change the oil to a thicker GM dexos R 0W-40 oil, the oil filter will be replaced, and a new 0W-40 oil fill cap will be installed. Every owner will also be provided updated information to add to the owner’s manual.
General Motors will also reimburse owners for previous L87 engine repair expenses, and alternate transportation is available if the vehicle is still under warranty.
Multiple class actions were filed after the federal investigation and after GM announced the engine recall.
But according to this lawsuit, the GM engine recall is “egregiously inadequate” and only replaces the defective engines with “equally defective engines.”
The nine customers who filed the GM engine recall lawsuit complain the repairs are not good enough because the automaker has not redesigned the rod bearings or other components. And for most customers who will never be offered new L87 engines, the recall repairs are even more inadequate.
The plaintiffs also complain how GM owners had not been contacted by the time the engine class action was filed, but their lawsuit was filed before owners were scheduled to be mailed engine recall letters.
Additionally, the plaintiffs complain GM has not offered to compensate customers for an alleged loss of value.
The GM engine recall lawsuit was filed by these customers:
- Robert Houchin / Nevada / 2022 Cadillac Escalade
- Rich Payzant / Massachusetts / 2023 Yukon Delani
- Robert Marino / Massachusetts / 2024 Yukon XL
- Troy Auer / Florida / 2021 GMC Sierra
- Joe Mbang / New York / 2021 Cadillac Escalade
- Dustin Kern / Indiana / 2023 GMC Yukon
- Peter Sydow / Texas / 2024 Chevrolet Silverado (Traded for a 2025 model in May)
- Garvin Eastman / New Hampshire / 2021 GMC Sierra
- Timothy Stolz / North Dakota / 2023 GMC Sierra
- Danny Toliver / Virginia / 2023 GMC Yukon
Based on documents relating to the lawsuit, one of those customers may have had L87 engine problems in 2023, but the class action doesn’t say if any of the remaining plaintiffs had problems with their L87 engines or if dealers inspected the vehicles.
However, all the plaintiffs complain they would not have purchased their vehicles, or they “certainly” would have paid less for them if GM would have warned them about the defective engines.
The GM engine recall lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Robert Houchin v. General Motors LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by The Miller Law Firm PC, DiCello Levitt LLP, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Blood Hurst & O’Reardon, LLP, and Cheeley Law Group, LLC.