GM V8 Engine Recall Impacts Nearly 600,000 Trucks, SUVs from 2021 to 2024 Model Years

Manufacturer announced the recall ahead of any government action, warning that the company’s L87 engine could fail in certain Chevy, Cadillac and GMC trucks and SUVs.

Federal highway safety officials have announced a recall for 597,630 General Motors (GM) full-size trucks and SUVs, due to a potential manufacturing defect that could cause engine failures, resulting in an immediate loss of motive power.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the GM engine failure recall on April 24, following a January 2025 investigation into customer complaints and reports of bearing rod failures in certain Chevy Silvarado 1500, GMC Sierra, Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Ukon and Cadillac Escalada vehicles that contain GM 6.2-liter L87 V8 engines.

Bearing rods assist with the rotation of the crankshaft in a vehicle’s engine block. When they fail, they can cause significant damage to the engine, including a complete seizure, which can cause the engine to freeze, impairing motion and increasing the risk of an auto accident.

According to the NHTSA safety recall report (PDF), at least 12 crashes and 12 injuries have been reported in connection with the issue. However, all injuries were minor and most were not related to vehicle accidents. 

The manufacturer also identified 42 allegations of fires that could have been related to the issue, but in most cases the cause of the fires were unclear.

In addition, the investigation revealed 28,102 field complaints or incidents involving engine failures of the L87 engine due to crankshaft, connecting rod or bearing failures. At least 14,332 of those reports involved a complete loss of vehicle propulsion due to engine failure.

As a result, GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority chose to initiate the recall on April 17, even before the federal investigation was completed.

The recall affects select General Motors models that are equipped with 6.2-liter L87 V8 engines, including the following vehicles:

• 2021-2024 Chevy Silverado 1500
• 2021-2024 GMC Sierra 1500
• 2021-2024 Chevy Tahoe
• 2021-2024 Chevy Suburban
• 2021-2024 GMC Yukon/Yukon XL
• 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV

Customers who have already purchased one of the recalled vehicles can take it to a dealership, where technicians will inspect the engines, and either repair the connecting rods or replace the entire engine at no cost, depending on the findings. Every engine will also receive higher-viscosity oil, a new oil filter and a new fill cap, even if the vehicle passes inspection.

Owners will begin receiving recall notification letters next month. For more information, GM customers can reference recall number N252494000 and contact Cadillac at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC at 1-800-462-8782.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline is also available for questions at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-888-275-9171), or else customers can go to www.nhtsa.gov.