- GM’s L87 V8 engine can seize if lubrication suddenly drops.
- Escalade, Silverado, Suburban and others are affected.
- Lawsuit challenges GM’s recent recall for these V8 models.
Almost a dozen class action lawsuits filed against General Motors over its allegedly defective 6.2-liter L87 V8 engine have now been consolidated into a single case in Michigan. The allegations suggest a problem far more serious than routine reliability complaints. Not only are the engines said to be prone to premature failure, but plaintiffs claim GM has long been aware of the underlying faults.
At the center of the consolidated lawsuit is the claim that these engines can fail because of a loss of lubrication between the crankshaft and the bearings. According to the complaints, that breakdown in lubrication can cause the engine to seize completely or even send a piston through the engine block.
Read: GM Faces Lawsuit Surge Over V8s That Could Die Without Warning
Vehicles with the L87 engine include the 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban, 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, 2021-2024 GMC Yukon, and 2021-2024 GMC Yukon XL.
This lawsuit isn’t to be confused with a class action that GM settled for $150 million late last year, related to its 5.3-liter LC9 V8 engines.
Widespread Issues
The lawsuit states that by October 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failures tied to the L87. Those reports also include four crashes and fires linked to engine failures.
In addition, the filing claims GM had received 28,102 complaints or incident reports by April 2025 related to the L87 engine. More than 14,000 of those reports involved a loss of propulsion. The complaints also cite 12 crashes, 42 fires, and 12 injuries associated with the problem.
Last year, GM issued a recall for the defective engines, but dozens of plaintiffs say it didn’t go far enough. The company instructed dealers to scan impacted vehicles, and if they returned a P0016 fault code, the engine would be replaced. If such a code wasn’t found, dealers were instructed to simply drain the original 0W-20 oil for 0W-40, replace the oil filter, and install a new oil fill cap.
This consolidated class action combines 11 separate lawsuits that were filed against GM over the course of 2025 in relation to the L87 V8.
