Nearly 900,000 V8-Powered GM Vehicles Are Under Investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a preliminary investigation into 877,710 vehicles made by General Motors (GM) due to reported engine failures. The issue involves bearing failure in the L87 V8 engine – GM’s widely used eight-pot mill, particularly with its trucks and SUVs – which could potentially lead to engine seizure or breaching of the engine block. While no injuries, fires, or crashes have been reported, 39 complaints and Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports prompted the probe.

• 

  2024 GMC Sierra 1500

  Base MSRP

  $37,700

  Engine

  2.7L Turbo Inline-4 Gas | 3.0L Turbodiesel Inline-6 | 5.3L V8 | 6.2L V8

  Horsepower

  310 hp (2.7L) | 305 hp (3.0L I6 Diesel) | 355 hp (5.3L V8) | 420 hp (6.2L V8)

Vehicles Produced Between 2019 And 2024 Are Covered

The affected vehicles include popular models such as theChevrolet Silverado,GMC Sierra, andCadillac Escalade, covering production dates between 2019 and 2024, though the exact manufacturing dates are yet to be determined. Complaints indicate no warning signs precede engine failure, which means the sudden loss of power can happen while on the road, raising the risk of crashes, injuries, and/or damage to properties.

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The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is currently evaluating the scope and severity of the issue. It’s still in its early stages, labeled as a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) – a step that determines whether further investigation or action is required. The agency is likely to identify any patterns or other contributing factors that may provide insight into the defect.

GM Is Fully Cooperating With The Feds

According to an Automotive News report, GM has committed to full cooperation with the NHTSA during the investigation. Depending on the result, a massive recall could be underway. This could cost the American automaker millions, considering that the potential remedy for the defect, if any, would be parts replacement or worse, the replacement of the whole engine assembly.

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We’d be remiss not to mention that Toyota faced a similar issue last year with over 100,000 vehicles powered by its twin-turbo V6, covering select models of the Toyota Tundra and Lexus LX. The remedy for that issue was to replace the engine altogether, which we can only imagine wasn’t cheap for the automaker. GM’s current predicament covers eight-fold of that.

Source: NHTSA via Automotive News