— A GM 5.3L oil consumption lawsuit includes Generation IV Vortec 5300 LC9 engines in these models.
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Silverado
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2010-2014 GMC Sierra
- 2010-2014 GMC Yukon
- 2010-2014 GMC Yukon XL
The Vortec engine lawsuit alleges the vehicles suffer numerous problems, including:
"[E]ngine failure and engine damage, including spark plug fouling, ring wear, lifter collapse, bent pushrods, camshaft wear, valve wear, rod bearing wear, rod breakage, wristpin wear, wristpin breakage, crankshaft wear andmain bearing wear or destruction and other forms of internal component wear/breakage due to unacceptable heat and friction levels and oil breakdown."
According to the 5.3L oil consumption lawsuit, the engine cannot receive proper lubrication, allegedly because the piston rings fail to keep oil in the crankcase.
GM 5.3L Oil Consumption Lawsuit Says Oil Monitoring Systems Don't Help
The excessive oil consumption leaves the vehicles too low on oil while a driver is allegedly fooled by the oil pressure gauge on the dash and an oil canister image that will illuminate when a vehicle is low on oil.
But the plaintiffs claim the system doesn't protect the engine because the oil pressure warnings don't indicate when the oil reaches levels that damage the engine.
And the GM oil consumption class action also alleges the oil life monitoring system is just about useless because it allegedly doesn't monitor oil levels. Instead, the system monitors engine conditions to estimate the oil quality to recommend when to change the oil.
The plaintiffs say a driver can drive thousands of miles with low oil levels without ever knowing the engine components are being damaged from low oil levels.
The General Motors 5.3L oil consumption lawsuit further alleges the active fuel management system has an oil pressure relieve valve that sprays oil directly at the piston skirts. But the oil spray allegedly overloads and fouls the defective piston rings which triggers oil migration past the rings.
The oil either burns or accumulates as carbon buildup on the surface of the combustion chamber.
Joining those allegedly defective components and systems is the PCV system that vacuums atomized oil from the valvetrain into the intake system. But the plaintiffs claim the system contributes to excessive oil consumption in the GM vehicles.
The plaintiffs also claim the vehicles suffer fouled spark plugs which cause engine misfires and stalled engines that strand occupants.
GM dealers allegedly perform repairs that are only "stop-gap fixes" that don't prevent the engines from consuming excessive amounts of oil. Dealers decarbonize the combustion chambers and rings with chemical abrasives, but the 5.3L class action lawsuit alleges owners complain the vehicles still need too much oil.
The GM 5.3L oil consumption lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri: Tucker, et al., v. General Motors LLC.
The plaintiffs are represented by DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC, and Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.