The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into 877,710 General Motors (GM) vehicles due to reports of engine failures in several popular models: the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade, all equipped with the L87 V8 engine from the 2019 to 2024 model years.
The investigation was prompted by complaints regarding potential bearing failures that could lead to engine seizure and connecting rods breaching the engine block. Such issues pose a serious risk of complete power loss, raising safety concerns, although no accidents or fires have been reported.
NHTSA has received 39 consumer complaints and various early warning reports indicating that these engine failures can occur without warning, offering no prior signs of trouble. To address these concerns, the Office of Defects Investigation will evaluate the scope of the issue and its associated safety risks to determine if further actions, including a recall, are necessary.
Moreover, this probe underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and reliability of GM’s widely used trucks and SUVs, as NHTSA’s findings will dictate the next steps for addressing these potential defects.