General Motors says it’s still working with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the V8 engine failure issue affecting almost 900,000 vehicles, and that it will confirm the extent of its impact on Australian owners of Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickups “in due course”.
NHTSA opened an investigation into the problem on January 16 after its Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received 39 complaints and a number of Early Warning Reporting (EWR) field reports alleging engine failure in GM vehicles powered by the ‘L87’ 6.2-litre petrol V8.
The investigation remains open and ongoing, and the ‘loss of power due to engine failure’ issue affects the MY2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, as well as the MY2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade SUVs.
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“The complainants report a bearing failure that may result in either engine seizure or breaching of the engine block by the connecting rod. The complainants report that there is no detectability prior to the failure,” said the NHTSA.
“Failure or malfunction of the engine results in loss of motive power of the vehicle, which may lead to an increased risk of a crash resulting in injury and/or property damage.
“ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues.”
The GMC Yukon is yet to be released in Australia, where GM Specialty Vehicles sold 2389 Silverado 1500s in 2024, and a similar number in the preceding four years.
An estimated total of 877,710 vehicles are affected, but so far no vehicles have been recalled in either the US or export markets.
Image: Facebook
“Our team in North America is working with the relevant authorities to fully investigate,” GMANZ told CarExpert.
“We remain committed to our customers and will share more details on the potential impact to Australia and New Zealand customers, in due course.”
GMANZ declined to confirm how many engine failure reports it has received in Australia or New Zealand, however, anecdotal evidence published on local social media channels suggests the problem is widespread and dates back to at least mid-2024.
A number of Silverado 1500 engine replacements have been reported in a Facebook group called Australian Silverado 1500 GMSV Complaints, which now has more than 500 members.
Many of them say their engines were replaced on condition of signing a non-disclosure agreement, and some are involved in establishing a class-action suit with a law firm based on the potential loss in value of their vehicles, as is the case in the US.
Image: Facebook
Bottom-end bearing failure is the most common problem, including in replacement engines, but there are also several reports of collapsed lifters and electric system and fuel pump issues, leaving many owners stranded and in some cases waiting several months for rectification by GMSV workshops.
“After waiting almost 3 months, I picked up the Chevrolet Silverado on Friday, thinking the repairs were finally complete,” said one Facebook group member.
“But just 29 km into my drive home, the new engine completely failed. Today, I was informed that the brand new engine has SEIZED—making this the second engine to seize. The first failure was in July 2024.”
It’s a similar situation in the US, where The Drive reports that while many of the affected vehicles are still under warranty, GM’s inability to supply enough replacement engines has left owners in limbo.
North American dealers are reportedly struggling to meet the demand for repairs as GM attempts to maintain production of both new vehicles and replacement parts, creating an extended backlog of customers awaiting rectification work.
As a result, many business owners and fleet operators whose vehicles are now out of warranty have been forced to spend more than US$10,000 for a replacement engine with no guarantee of when workshops can complete the job.
Some GM dealerships are also reportedly resorting to hoarding replacement engines for high-priority customers, exacerbating the problem for others, while other independent workshops are ignoring GM advice and attempting to rebuild engines themselves.
Until the NHTSA completes its investigation, it’s unclear what the cause of the problem is and what steps GM is taking to rectify it.
It’s also unclear whether there’ll be a recall, which may eventually help the large number of unhappy Australian owners financially, but perhaps not for some time.
