As of May 1, the US carmaker General Motors, which has a Tennessee production plant, recalled nearly 600,000 SUVs and trucks in full (721,000 worldwide). This is the biggest recall of 2025 with regard to the vehicles concerned. While mass reminders are big news, there is much more than this story than the eye meets.
The withdrawal itself is a cause for concern, but its time is even more tremendous for some users who have long been complaining about engine problems, including a case taken a few months ago.
What GM vehicles are being downloaded?
The withdrawal of General Motors extends to:
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2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade (and Escalade ESV)
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2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
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2021-2024 Chevrolet Puburban
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2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
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2021-2024 GMC Sierra 1500
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2021-2024 GMC YUKON (YUKON XL)
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides a safety download report that describes the problems in detail. According to the report, “GM has opened an investigation of the product following a NHTSA notice on its investigation into suspected engine damage in GM vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine”.
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The product investigation has been opened on January 16, but according to the trial, several automotive publications and Reddit forums, GM owners have been complaining about problems with the L87 V8 engine for months and potential years. One GMC forum has published “Many people have had the same problem with the most GM V8 that caught them while driving” in response to a user who indulges in their GM V8 involvement in December 2024.
The most early GM Authority has posted a poll regarding the thoughts of the weight of the L87 engine, calling GM “relatively elusive on the subject.” The respondents from the poll voted in support of the problems of L87, which are serious, opposed to minors.
General Motors faces a V8 engine trial
NHTSA claims that “the development of vehicle safety has helped increase the annual number of saved lives over the last few decades. While vehicle safety has been drastically improved lately, drivers still have severe vehicle defects that can change their experience.
One such experience has been described in detail in a case brought on February 18, 2025 in the Eastern Regional District of Michigan in the United States, the southern department on behalf of the applicant James S. Powell II, who seeks to be certified as a class action.
“On or around October 22, 2022, the plaintiff (Powell) purchased a new 2023 GMC Yukon Denali, manufactured by GM and contains the L87 V8 engine,” the lawsuit said. Powell took the car to an authorized GM dealer after the control engine came in 2024. After the inspection, Powell was informed that the engine was defective and would be replaced with another engine. Powell continued to have problems with the new engine after the replacement, according to the trial.
Motor Show worker polishes the GMC GMC GMC Yukon Denali SUV before the press at the North America International Motor Show in Detroit, Michigan, USA, January 12, 2019.
The trial continues to claim that vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine share a common defect in their engines in their engines, which are predisposed and have had damage, leading to a disruption of the engine block from the connecting rod and/or engine attacks. “
NHTSA reminder notification on April 24 indicates a defect that includes the “connecting rod and/or components of the crankshaft engine in these vehicles … which can cause engine damage and damage to the engine”.
The lawsuit also claims that “GM has known the engine defect for several years, but has failed to reveal it” to at least 100 class members who have rented or purchased GM vehicles.
The trial cited numerous complaints of consumers reported to the National Motion Safety Administration on highways regarding vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine. He claims that “it is undeniable that GM knew about the engine defect before March 24, 2023”, which was years before the recall was issued. A similar case was brought earlier in early April in Georgia.
When asked about the case, GM’s statement is said that it is not their policy to comment on ongoing litigation.
What to do if your GM vehicle is reminded
General Motors accepts the withdrawal very seriously and will pay individual attention to each L87 engine that arrives at dealers. Asked the withdrawal, GM said they would “inspect and, if necessary, repair or replace the engine. The vehicles that pass inspection will be provided with a higher viscosity, which will also require a new FIL oil cap, replacement of the oil filter and a manual insert of the owner.”
So, if your vehicle is part of a continuing download, you should take it to an authorized GM dealer immediately to avoid potential engine problems. You can look for withdrawal of your specific GM model here using your car’s identification number.
What does the download for GM mean?
Reliability is a great concern for car buyers. After all, no one wants to deal with car problems, especially if it can lead to high mechanical fees or accidents. It is not fair to call GM vehicles unreliable based on the download in question. This said that General Motors has mixed reliability results for some of its best-selling models. In contrast, Toyota produces all the best longest-lasting vehicles based on a study on ISEECARS.com.
The assembled trucks are ready for delivery to the GM pickup plant of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra in Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA, July 25, 2018.
Moreover, the recent download of GM has not been the only recall in recent years. In 2021, General Motors recalled every model of Chevrolet Bolt because of the risk of fire. Bolt fire reports have made this reminder even more harmful for the company and its users. Did GM have to release its recent response earlier? There are many angry users who take forums expressing outrage over how long it took the L87 V8 engine problems.
Charles Singh is a car reporter on the USA Today network. Contact him at [email protected] or X, before that Twitter: @charlessinghS
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: GM Recall comes after a case, detailed engine defects from 2023.