- The government has opened an investigation into roughly 878,000 GM full-size trucks and SUVs.
- The models are equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 engine that may seize due to bearing failure.
- 39 incidents have been reported and they include popular models such as the Silverado and Tahoe.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation has begun looking into engine failures involving an estimated 877,710 vehicles from GM. The vehicles are full-sized trucks and SUVs equipped with the 6.2-liter L87 V8 engine.
According to the government, they’ve received “39 complaints and a number of Early Warning Reporting Field Reports alleging engine failure” in a number of popular models. These include the 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban. That’s on top of the 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade, 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024 GMC Yukon.
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The Office of Defects Investigation says the “complainants report a bearing failure that may result in either engine seizure or breaching of the engine block by the connecting rod.” This reportedly happens without warning and the government notes engine failure could lead to a crash. However, the NHTSA isn’t aware of any injuries or accidents related to the issue.
The preliminary investigation will focus on trying to “determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues.” There’s no word on how long this will take, but hundreds of thousands of owners will likely be interested in the results.
Digging deeper, we came across a report from a Texas woman who said “While traveling at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly and without warning lost power.” She was able to pull over to the shoulder and have the GMC Yukon XL towed to a dealership. There, employees allegedly found “internal engine bearing material in oil indicating internal mechanical failure.” The dealer reportedly traced this to a spun bearing that caused catastrophic engine failure.
Another case from Pelham, New Hampshire involved a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe which reportedly suffered from a spun bearing after a mere 10,000 miles (16,093 km).
