GM’s V8 Engine Recall Wins as Multiple Causes Consolidate into One Major Case

GM Faces Unified Legal Battle

General Motors is facing mounting legal pressure over the problems with its 6.2 liter V8 L87 engine. The issue was first brought to the attention of federal regulators by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after receiving more than 1,000 consumer complaints about the engine failure. The NHTSA began investigating the issue, which led to GM announcing a recall of nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs in April 2025 due to engine crankshaft, bearing, and connecting rod failures.

This recall affects certain trucks and SUVs from 2019 to 2024, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500; the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and GMC Yukon; and the Cadillac Escalade. While the defect itself is the central issue in the lawsuits, the main argument made by the plaintiffs of this consolidated lawsuit is that the repairs offered by GM (change in engine oil specification) are insufficient to correct the defects in the engines. The class action lawsuit must proceed in Michigan.

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Federal Judge Consolidates GM Engine Lawsuits

Due to the nature of large-scale car defects, several other lawsuits were filed shortly after the first filed by Powell early this year. By August 2025, the Federal Judge had consolidated ten or more of these cases under the name of the Powell case, which resulted in the creation of a single case. Since then, another lawsuit has been added to the list of complaints against GM.

By consolidating the cases, the plaintiffs will be able to present evidence in one proceeding rather than having to present evidence several times in different courts. The Court will examine to what extent GM has remedied the engine defects and whether the plaintiffs should receive compensation over and above the repairs being provided by GM under the recall.

What This Means for GM and Vehicle Owners

This litigation is a serious threat to General Motors and will potentially result in increased warranty costs, damage to GM’s brand image, and/or financial liability for GM. On the other hand, for the owners of affected trucks and SUVs, this litigation may ultimately result in some form of monetary compensation if the Court decides in their favor. Additionally, the decision could set a precedent for how manufacturers respond to similar recalls in the future.

There are still hundreds of thousands of GM trucks and SUVs on the road whose owners believe the engines in those vehicles are fundamentally defective regardless of recall efforts. The outcome of the litigation will help determine whether this belief is valid and what additional measures, if any, GM will need to take beyond the current recall program to resolve the issues.

This story was originally published by Autoblog on December 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.