GM Wants 6.2L V8 Lawsuit To Go Away

General Motors is asking a federal court to throw out one of the many lawsuits tied to its troubled 6.2-liter L87 V8, arguing that owners have already received the solution they're seeking through a recall campaign launched earlier this year.

The strife swirls around approximately 600,000 GM trucks and SUVs equipped with GM's 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, and Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon, and the Cadillac Escalade. The plaintiffs allege the engine contains a defect that can lead to connecting rod bearing failures, catastrophic engine damage, sudden power loss, and in some cases complete engine failure—which is objectively true considering the ongoing recall campaign and the number of engines that have failed catastrophically.

GM maintains the lawsuit lacks merit because affected owners have already been offered free repairs and extended warranty coverage through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-approved recall.

GM Blames Suppliers, Not Engine Design

According to court documents, GM's internal investigation decided that manufacturing-related issues were behind the failures rather than a fundamental flaw in the engine's design.

The automaker pointed at two primary causes. Some engines contained contamination within connecting rods and crankshaft oil passages, while others were built with crankshafts that failed to meet production specifications.

GM argues those process issues absolve them of the claim that there's a flaw in the basic architecture of the L87 V8 itself. The plaintiffs claim the engine was inherently defective from the outset, while GM says if that were true the entire production population would be affected.

As it stands right now, only about three percent of recalled engines experienced failures.

New Engines And Extended Warranty Coverage

GM also says the recall announced in April 2025 is evidence that owners have already received meaningful relief.

Under that campaign, vehicles that failed inspection were fitted with replacement engines at no cost to owners. Vehicles that passed inspection received a revised service procedure that included switching from the factory-specified 0W-20 engine oil to heavier 0W-40 oil, along with a new oil fill cap and oil filter.

In addition, GM provided affected owners with a 10-year, 150,000-mile extended powertrain warranty.

GM is also arguing that owners whose engines never failed cannot use problems experienced by other customers to support their claims. The company's lawyers contend that without demonstrating personal engine failure or related damages, those plaintiffs may struggle to establish injury under the law.

NHTSA Continues To Investigate GM's 6.2L V8 Recall

While GM views the recall as a comprehensive solution, federal regulators are continuing to examine whether the campaign fully addresses the issue.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already opened a follow-up investigation to decide if the recall was actually effective and decide if additional action may be necessary. GM's effort to kill the litigation could face another hurdle if regulators conclude the current repairs do not adequately resolve the risk of future engine failures.

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