The naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 gasoline engine is a staple of GM’s full-size SUV and truck lineup, but now, the L87 is facing heightened scrutiny in the wake of a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation into alleged engine failures.

Per the NHTSA, owners have complained of bearing failure that could result in engine seizure or a connecting rod breaching the engine block, with an estimated 878,000 vehicles potentially affected across the Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC brands. Now, however, GM has clarified why vehicles built between the 2019 to 2020 model years are not included in its safety most recent safety recall.

As it turns out, GM formed its own internal product investigation on January 16th, 2025, immediately after the launch of NHTSA investigation. Through a detailed analysis of field data and teardown inspections, GM’s engineering team identified a specific build window between March 1st, 2021, and May 31st, 2024, during which an increased rate of engine failure was tied to specific manufacturing defects.

The investigation uncovered two main culprits behind the failures – first, there was evidence of rod-bearing damage resulting from sediment contamination in the crankshaft oil galleries and connecting rods. Second, some crankshafts produced during this period exhibited out-of-spec dimensions and inadequate surface finishes. These combined flaws can lead to accelerated bearing wear, which in turn may cause severe engine damage or outright failure.

As a result, GM has initiated a voluntary safety recall for certain 2021-through-2024 model year vehicles equipped with the L87 V8 engine. Models potentially affected include the Chevy Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.

Considering all of the above, the scope of the safety recall appears to be based on manufacturing data and failure trends that were not present in 2019 or 2020 builds, and thus, vehicles between the 2019 and 2020 model years were not included. As covered previously, the original NHTSA investigation stems from 39 consumer complaints citing engine seizures or engine failure, with no accidents or injuries on record. GM’s own investigation identified 12 potentially related alleged crashes and 12 potentially related alleged injuries in the U.S. All
specifically alleged injuries were minor or non-physical, and most were not crash related.