— A General Motors engine failure class action lawsuit has finally begun following the filing of multiple class actions that were consolidated into this one.
The 389-page lawsuit says these vehicles are equipped with defective GM 6.2-liter V8 EcoTec3 L87 engines.
- 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade
- 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2021–2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2021–2024 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2019–2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2021–2024 GMC Yukon
- 2021–2024 GMC Yukon XL
The L87 engine failure is blamed on a loss of lubrication between the crankshaft and the bearings.
The first GM engine failure lawsuit wasn't filed until after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a federal investigation in January 2025.
Since then GM issued an L87 engine recall which caused NHTSA to open another engine failure investigation in January 2026.
Vehicle owners continued to complain about EcoTec3 engine problems and failures in vehicles that were supposed to have been repaired under the L87 engine failure recall.
The consolidated class action lawsuit references numerous actions surrounding the EcoTec3 failures, including how the automaker had received 28,102 complaints or incidents by April 2025. More than 14,000 of those complaints involved a loss of propulsion, with 12 reported crashes, 12 injuries and 42 engine fires.
And the lawsuit says by October 2025, NHTSA had received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failures and four crashes and fires caused by the L87 engines.
According to the owners who filed the EcoTec3 engine class action, GM's recall is "egregiously inadequate" and does not cover all the affected GM vehicles. The lawsuit also argues the recall repairs are dependant on dealership inspections.
A vehicle needs to fail the dealer inspection, but the plaintiffs complain engine failures occur shortly after dealers have "repaired" the vehicles.
General Motors says the L87 engine can bang, knock and make other noises when the EcoTec3 engine is failing. A driver will likely see an illuminated check engine light and the GM vehicle may hesitate, experience shifting problems and suffer from high RPMs.
GM dealers were told to search for diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0016 and replace the 6.2-liter L87 engine if the code is found. If that DTC was not set in the vehicle, a dealer would drain the 0W-20 engine oil and replace it with GM dexos R 0W-40 oil. The oil filter would also be replaced and a new 0W-40 oil fill cap would be installed.
However, the engine failure class action lawsuit asserts the 0W-40 oil is more expensive and will decrease fuel economy.
Below are the plaintiffs who filed the engine failure lawsuit and some of the class actions that were previously filed.
The consolidated GM EcoTec3 engine failure class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan: Powell et al., v. General Motors, LLC, Case No. 4:25-cv-10479-SDK-KGA.
The plaintiffs are represented by The Miller Law Firm PC, DiCello Levitt LLP, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, and Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP.
The GM plaintiffs are:
- Timothy Lee and Leatrecia Whitaker Lee / Arkansas / 2023 Yukon XL
- Alexis Bronson / California / 2022 GMC Sierra 1500
- Mitchell Fagundes / California / 2022 Cadillac Escalade
- Joshua Smotherman / California / 2024 Cadillac Escalade
- Anthony Gargano / Massachusetts / 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Brendan Kirk / Florida / 2021 GMC Yukon
- Charles Morlock / Florida / 2022 Chevrolet Silverado
- Scott Robinson / Florida / 2022 Chevrolet Suburban
- Rocky Shankar / Florida / 2024 Cadillac Escalade
- Greg Munna / Georgia / 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Anthony Carro / Tennessee / 2023 GMC Sierra 1500
- James Nelson / Illinois / 2023 GMC Sierra 1500
- Jon Michael Jones / Kentucky / 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Emanuelle Serrano / Arizona / 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Danny Wingard / Alabama / 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- Mark Kamholz / Maryland / 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- Danny Toliver / Virginia / 2023 GMC Yukon
- Garvin Eastman / New Hampshire / 2021 GMC Sierra 1500
- Marc Vaillette / Massachusetts / 2022 GMC Sierra 1500
- Kevin Baird / Florida / 2024 GMC Yukon XL
- Adrienne Zeigler / Michigan / 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Stephen (Matt) Wills / Illinois / 2022 GMC Yukon XL
- Ronald Ward / Missouri / 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Gage Yesbeck / Virginia / 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- Robert Houchin / Nevada / 2022 Cadillac Escalade
- Ronald Beshel / Delaware / 2024 Sierra AT4
- Joshua Polson / New Mexico / 2023 GMC Sierra 1500
- Andrew Schultz / New York / 2022 GMC Sierra
- Gregory Stewart / New York / 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe
- Larry Churchwell / North Carolina / 2021 Chevrolet Suburban
- Paul MacMillan / Ohio / 2023 Cadillac Escalade
- Andrew Oser / Ohio / 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- Jason Rappaport / Ohio / 2023 Cadillac Escalade
- Tracy Connor / Oregon / 2020 GMC Sierra 1500
- Jerry Meyer / Pennsylvania / 2023 GMC Sierra Denali
- Gregory Owens / Pennsylvania / 2021 GMC Sierra 1500
- Jonathan and Bonnie Stempien / Pennsylvania / 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Jennifer Hunter / Tennessee / 2020 GMC Sierra 1500
- Frederick Cuffie / Texas / 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- Benjamin McMurray / Utah / 2021 GMC Sierra 1500
- Jacob Chapman / Virginia / 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Justin Johnson / Washington / 2023 Chevy Tahoe
- Jason Rittereiser / Washington / 2022 GMC Sierra 1500
Previous GM Engine Failure Class Action Lawsuits:
- Powell v General Motors (Filed on February 18, 2025)
- Hernandez v. General Motors (Filed on April 3, 2025)
- Hecht v. General Motors (Filed on May 9, 2025)
- McNamara v. General Motors (Filed on May 12, 2025)
- Houchin v. General Motors (Filed on May 16, 2025)
- Rittereiser v. General Motors (Filed on May 19, 2025)
- Wrice-Scott v. General Motors (Filed on May 21, 2025)
- Muhammad v. General Motors (Filed on May 23, 2025)
- Rahaman v. General Motors (Filed on June 13, 2025)
- Markus v. General Motors (Filed on June 18, 2025)
- Hermanowicz v. General Motors (Filed on October 28, 2025)