Over 28,000 People Complained Before GM Recalled Its 6.2-Liter V-8

More alarming is the number of potentially related crashes and injuries resulting from engine failures.

2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison

Christopher Smith

By: Christopher Smith

Apr 30, 2025 at 3:45pm ET

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On April 24, General Motors issued its largest recall of 2025 so far. It affects 597,630 full-size trucks and SUVs from 2021 through 2024, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe. The GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon are also in the recall, as is the Cadillac Escalade. These vehicles have a 6.2-liter V-8 that could fail with little to no warning. And it's already happened to tens of thousands of engines.

We first reported on GM's official recall on Tuesday. But something stood out in documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that made us take a second look. It turns out GM investigated 6.2-liter V-8 issues way back in early 2022. That's when the first investigation into problems closed. But The Autopian notes that GM truck and SUV owners have fussed about issues for six years. As of now, GM notes no less than 28,102 field complaints relating to 6.2-liter engine failure. Yikes.

2022 GMC Sierra AT4X

That figure didn't just creep up out of nowhere. GM concluded a second investigation in 2023, and a third investigation wrapped up in July 2024. The most recent was opened in January 2025, which finally led to the recall just a few days ago. That's four investigations in three years, and the report further mentions 14,332 of those complaints were for a "loss of propulsion." That's recall-speak for saying the engine done blowed up real good.

While that number is shocking, we find this more alarming. Among those complaints are 12 reports of injuries potentially related to engine failure. There are also 12 accidents and 42 fires possibly connected, though the chronology report states the true cause of a majority of those fires is unclear. Still, we've seen plenty of big recalls issued for problems with far fewer complaints behind them. And zero injuries to boot.

So, what happened at GM between the third and fourth investigations that finally led to this recall? We asked GM that point-blank, but a spokesperson didn't have a comment beyond this official statement:

“GM will voluntarily recall certain 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV models equipped with 6.2L L87 engines to resolve manufacturing issues affecting some engines. The safety and satisfaction of our customers are the highest priorities for the entire GM team, and we’re working to address this matter as quickly as possible.”

One thing that did happen was the We can point to one cause: After the third investigation, the NHTSA stepped in to investigate the engine issue on its own. Whether that prompted GM to take further action is unknown, and we'll likely never know, one way or another.

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We also asked GM about fixing the problem. Recall documents simply state potentially defective engines will be inspected and either repaired or replaced. Since the problem involves bad crankshafts and/or connecting rods, techs can't simply pop the hood and call it done. A spokesperson explained that "special diagnostic tools" are being developed to test for engine bearing damage, but stopped short of detailing the actual process.

Engines that fail the test will be assessed by dealers as to whether a full replacement is needed. Even if the engine passes the test, dealers will still replace the 0W-20 oil with a thicker 0W-40 oil to offer "increased protection against engine damage."

More Recalls:

Ford Already Has 40 Recalls This Year

Whoops: GM Recalled More Cars for Wheels That Could Lock Up

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