Short answer: Reports of internal failures in GM’s 6.2-liter L87 V8 have continued, but the evidence does not show that every GM 6.2-liter engine is defective. GM recalled 597,630 vehicles in April 2025 after identifying manufacturing problems involving connecting rods and crankshafts. In October 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a broader engineering analysis because it continued receiving bearing-failure reports from vehicles outside that recall.
That creates two separate issues for owners: whether a specific vehicle is covered by recall 25V-274, and whether NHTSA ultimately determines that the problem extends beyond the recall’s production window. A separate, later-reported NHTSA recall query is also examining allegations of failures after recall remedies, but it remains an ongoing inquiry rather than a final finding.
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This article explains which vehicles may be involved, how the engine can fail, what the recall remedy actually does, and what owners should do now. Eligibility is VIN-specific; a model year, badge, or 6.2-liter engine alone is not enough to establish coverage.
There are two different L87 investigations—not one giant recall
The most important distinction is between GM’s completed safety recall and NHTSA’s later investigation.
| Action | What it covers | Current significance |
|---|---|---|
| Recall 25V-274 | 597,630 selected 2021–2024 model-year vehicles equipped with the L87 and built from March 1, 2021, through May 31, 2024 | GM’s defined recall population. The remedy is a dealer inspection, followed by engine repair or replacement when required. |
| NHTSA EA25007 | A listed engineering-analysis population of 286,051 vehicles, including vehicle groups outside the original recall scope | NHTSA is investigating whether bearing failures may affect vehicles built outside the recall population and whether additional action is warranted. |
| NHTSA RQ26001 | Allegations involving failures after vehicles received, or were subject to, the earlier recall remedy | A reported recall-remedy inquiry. The available information does not establish that the remedy is inadequate or that every post-remedy failure is related to the recall defect. |
These numbers must not be added together. GM’s 597,630-vehicle recall population and NHTSA’s 286,051-vehicle engineering-analysis population have different purposes and scopes. Likewise, GM’s field-complaint total and NHTSA’s bearing-failure report count use different inclusion criteria.
What is the GM L87 engine?
The L87 is GM’s 6.2-liter gasoline V8 used in selected full-size trucks and SUVs. It is not enough for a vehicle to have a 6.2-liter engine or a GM badge; the installed engine’s regular production option, or RPO, must be L87, and the vehicle must meet the applicable production and VIN criteria.
The nameplates listed in GM’s 2025 recall filing are:
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- Chevrolet: Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe
- GMC: Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL
- Cadillac: Escalade and Escalade ESV
The original recall concerns selected 2021–2024 model-year vehicles built during the suspect window of March 1, 2021, through May 31, 2024. That does not mean every vehicle in those years is included, and it does not mean vehicles outside those dates are automatically safe or automatically excluded from NHTSA’s investigation.
How the engine can fail
GM’s teardown analysis identified two primary manufacturing and quality problems affecting critical internal engine parts.
1. Sediment in oil passages
Connecting rods and crankshafts rely on pressurized engine oil to maintain a thin lubricating film around the rod bearings. GM said sediment could be present in connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries. That contamination can restrict or interfere with oil flow, damage the bearing, and allow the bearing surface to deteriorate.
A damaged rod bearing can produce increasing clearance and abnormal engine noise. In a severe failure, the connecting rod or crankshaft can be damaged enough to stop the engine or prevent it from restarting. If the engine stops while the vehicle is moving, the vehicle can lose propulsion.
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GM also identified crankshafts with out-of-specification dimensions or surface finishes. Even when oil is present, an incorrectly sized or improperly finished crankshaft journal can prevent the bearing from operating as intended. The resulting damage can progress to a major internal engine failure.
GM attributed both conditions to supplier manufacturing and quality issues. The recall filing identifies American Axle & Manufacturing as the connecting-rod supplier and Questum Macimex as the crankshaft supplier. GM said manufacturing improvements addressing the contamination and component-quality problems were implemented by June 1, 2024.
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This is why the official explanation is more specific than ordinary engine wear. The recall documents describe a manufacturing-quality problem affecting rotating and lubricated components. They do not establish that every failure in every L87 engine has one universal cause, however. NHTSA’s continuing investigation exists in part because reports have continued outside the original recall population.
How many failures have been reported?
The numbers look different because GM and NHTSA are counting different things.
GM’s recall submission: GM reported 28,102 U.S. field complaints or incidents potentially related to L87 crankshaft, connecting-rod, or engine-bearing failures. Of those, 14,332 included allegations of loss of propulsion. The complaints were received from April 29, 2021, through February 3, 2025. GM also identified 12 potentially related alleged crashes, 12 potentially related alleged injuries, and 42 potentially related fire allegations.
GM characterized the specifically alleged injuries as minor or non-physical and said most were not crash-related. These figures are reported allegations and company-compiled field data—not a finding that every incident was caused by the same defect.
NHTSA’s engineering analysis: In opening EA25007, NHTSA said its Office of Defects Investigation had received 1,157 reports of L87 engine-bearing failure. It said 173 of those reports involved vehicles outside recall 25V-274, including 2019–2024 Silverado and Sierra 1500 vehicles and 2021–2024 full-size GM SUVs and Escalade models.
There is no direct contradiction between 28,102 and 1,157. GM’s larger number includes potentially related complaints involving several internal components and incident types. NHTSA’s smaller number is a regulator’s count of reports categorized as engine-bearing failures for the engineering analysis. They are different datasets, not competing totals for the same universe of failures.
Why NHTSA expanded its review
NHTSA’s original preliminary evaluation, PE25001, was closed after GM issued recall 25V-274. That closure did not necessarily resolve every question about every L87-powered vehicle. NHTSA opened Engineering Analysis EA25007 on October 23, 2025, after continuing to receive a significant number of reports from vehicles outside the recall scope.
The agency says those continuing reports present a potential safety risk and warrant further examination of the problem’s scope and severity, including whether vehicles built outside the original recall population face related safety issues.
EA25007 is therefore a possible expansion of the factual inquiry—not proof that NHTSA has already found a defect in every 2019–2024 truck or every full-size SUV. An engineering analysis can result in additional safety action, no additional recall, or a narrower conclusion after the agency reviews the evidence.
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Which vehicles are included in the broader investigation?
NHTSA’s EA25007 opening resume describes a broader population than recall 25V-274. It includes listed groups of:
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- Selected 2021 and 2024 full-size Chevrolet and GMC SUVs
- Selected 2021 and 2024 Cadillac Escalade vehicles
The agency’s opening material lists the engineering-analysis population as 286,051 vehicles. Reports outside the original recall scope include earlier truck model years and other vehicles that do not fall within GM’s March 2021–May 2024 suspect production window.
That broader list is not a replacement recall notice. Owners should not assume that a vehicle included in EA25007 already has a recall remedy, or that a vehicle excluded from the first recall has been cleared by NHTSA. The only reliable way to determine an individual vehicle’s current recall status is to check its VIN through an official GM or NHTSA recall lookup and confirm the result with a GM dealer.
What recall 25V-274’s remedy actually does
The remedy is not simply an oil change. GM’s stated procedure begins with an inspection of the engine. The outcome depends on what that inspection finds.
- Dealer inspection: An authorized GM dealer evaluates the engine under the recall procedure.
- If the engine does not require replacement: GM says the vehicle receives higher-viscosity oil, a new oil-fill cap, an oil-filter replacement, and an owner’s-manual insert.
- If the inspection identifies the covered condition: GM says the engine will be repaired or replaced as necessary.
GM also stated that connecting rods and crankshafts used in repaired or replaced engines were produced after the suppliers’ suspect manufacturing window. The recall program uses both new-production and remanufactured replacement engines. In a June 18, 2025 response to NHTSA, GM identified its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant as the source of new-production engines and AER Manufacturing in Carrollton, Texas, as the remanufacturing facility.
For engines that pass inspection and receive the higher-viscosity oil remedy, GM stated that special coverage applies for 10 years from the vehicle’s original in-service date or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. Owners should ask the dealer to explain exactly what was performed and retain the repair order.
Maintenance item mentioned in the remedy
If your VIN-specific recall instructions call for 0W-40 full synthetic motor oil, you may compare that oil as a maintenance item associated with the prescribed service. Confirm the required grade and approval with the dealer or the vehicle-specific instructions first. Buying or changing oil yourself does not replace the recall inspection, and thicker oil is not a repair for an engine that is already damaged.
The higher-viscosity oil should not be treated as a consumer-designed solution or as proof that thicker oil eliminates the underlying manufacturing risk. It is one part of GM’s prescribed remedy for vehicles that pass the inspection. Owners should not independently change oil grades in an attempt to avoid dealer service.
Could an engine fail after the recall remedy?
That question is now part of the public concern surrounding the L87 issue. In January 2026, secondary reporting identified a separate NHTSA recall query, RQ26001, involving allegations of engine failures after recall remedies. The reporting described 36 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires involving vehicles subject to the earlier recall.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAt this stage, that information should be described carefully. The available source for RQ26001 is secondary rather than a directly retrieved NHTSA document, and the inquiry does not by itself establish that the recall remedy failed, that every reported engine failure was related to the L87 condition, or that a final additional recall is required.
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There are several possible explanations for a post-remedy report, including a failure unrelated to the recalled condition, an engine that was not inspected or repaired in the same way as another vehicle, or a problem that the agency still needs to investigate. The important point for owners is that a prior recall completion should not be treated as permission to ignore new severe symptoms.
Symptoms owners should take seriously
GM’s filing lists several possible warnings before an engine failure:
- Knocking, banging, or other unusual engine noises
- A check-engine light
- Hesitation
- Unusually high engine RPM
- Abnormal shifting
- Reduced propulsion or loss of power
- A no-start condition
These symptoms are warning signs, not a guaranteed diagnostic test. An engine can fail without giving an owner a clear warning, and the presence of one symptom does not prove that a rod bearing or crankshaft is defective.
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What to do if symptoms occur
- Stop driving when it is safe. If the vehicle loses power, has severe engine noise, or cannot restart, move away from traffic if possible and use the hazard lights.
- Do not continue driving to see whether the noise goes away. Continued operation can turn an internal problem into more extensive engine damage and may leave the vehicle without propulsion in a dangerous location.
- Contact an authorized GM dealer or roadside assistance. Tell the service adviser that the vehicle may have an L87 engine and describe the exact symptom, warning light, mileage, and whether the vehicle lost power.
- Keep documentation. Save photographs of warning messages, tow records, repair orders, and any diagnostic information supplied by the dealer.
A basic OBD2 scanner may retrieve diagnostic trouble codes, but it cannot confirm or rule out the bearing and crankshaft conditions described in the recall documents. A code reader, borescope, aftermarket part, or home engine repair is not a substitute for the safety recall procedure.
How owners can check a vehicle
Use the vehicle identification number rather than relying on a general internet list.
- Locate the 17-character VIN, usually visible through the windshield or on the driver-door-jamb label.
- Enter it into the official NHTSA recall lookup and GM Owner Center tools.
- Check whether recall 25V-274 is open, completed, or absent from the vehicle’s record.
- Ask a GM dealer to confirm the installed engine, production details, available campaigns, and whether any recall work has already been completed.
- If buying a used vehicle, request the dealer repair order and verify the VIN independently before completing the purchase.
A vehicle can look identical to a recalled truck or SUV and still have a different engine, build date, or recall status. Conversely, a vehicle outside the first recall’s dates may still be relevant to NHTSA’s broader investigation. Model, year, trim, mileage, and engine displacement are useful clues, but none replaces a VIN check.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Timeline of the L87 issue
- February 2022, June 2023, and July 2024: GM says it closed three prior investigations into the condition based on the safety field information available at those times.
- January 16, 2025: GM opened a product investigation after NHTSA notified the company of its investigation into alleged L87 engine failures.
- April 17, 2025: GM’s Safety Field Action Decision Authority decided to conduct a safety recall.
- April 24, 2025: GM submitted its Part 573 recall report for NHTSA campaign 25V-274.
- June 23, 2025: GM projected the start of owner notifications.
- October 23, 2025: NHTSA opened Engineering Analysis EA25007 after preliminary evaluation PE25001 had been closed following the recall.
- January 2026: Secondary reporting identified RQ26001, a separate inquiry concerning alleged failures after recall remedies. Its status should be treated as ongoing unless a later official closure or final decision is published.
What this means for owners and buyers
If your VIN shows an open recall
Schedule the recall inspection with an authorized GM dealer and ask whether the vehicle should be driven or towed to the appointment. Follow the recall instructions rather than trying to reproduce the failure or changing the oil grade independently.
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Keep the completion paperwork. If the vehicle develops knocking, banging, loss of power, a no-start condition, or another serious symptom, stop operating it when safe and contact the dealer. Recall completion does not make every future engine problem automatically related to the recall, but it also does not make new severe symptoms harmless.
If your vehicle is outside 25V-274
Do not assume that no open recall means NHTSA has declared the vehicle safe from every possible L87 failure. Check for current campaigns, monitor official NHTSA and GM information, and have serious symptoms evaluated promptly. EA25007 is an investigation, not an automatic repair program for every vehicle in its broader population.
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If you are shopping for a used truck or SUV
Run the VIN through the official recall tools before buying. Ask for proof of recall completion, service invoices, and any records of an engine replacement. A clean title, a low odometer reading, or a seller’s statement that the vehicle has the 6.2-liter V8 does not answer the recall question.
The bottom line on GM’s failing 6.2-liter engines
GM has acknowledged a defined L87 engine problem involving connecting-rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects and recalled 597,630 vehicles. NHTSA’s subsequent EA25007 engineering analysis shows that the agency is still examining reports from vehicles outside that recall population. A separately reported remedy inquiry indicates that allegations involving post-recall failures are also being reviewed.
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Those developments justify careful VIN checks and prompt attention to engine-warning symptoms. They do not justify saying that all GM 6.2-liter engines are failing or that NHTSA has reached a final conclusion about every vehicle or the adequacy of the remedy. For an owner, the practical path is straightforward: verify the VIN, complete the official recall inspection, follow the dealer’s instructions, and stop driving if the engine develops severe noise or loses power.
Source basis: GM’s April 24, 2025 Part 573 filing for recall 25V-274; GM’s recall and owner-information materials; NHTSA’s Engineering Analysis EA25007 opening resume; GM’s June 18, 2025 response concerning replacement-engine sources; and secondary reporting on NHTSA query RQ26001. Status and population figures are stated as of January 2026 and may change as NHTSA’s investigation proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every GM 6.2-liter V8 have the L87 problem?
No. The recall concerns selected vehicles equipped with the RPO L87 engine, and recall eligibility is VIN-specific. The available evidence does not prove that every GM 6.2-liter engine is defective or that every reported failure has the same cause.
Does changing to thicker oil fix the L87 engine problem?
No. GM’s remedy calls for higher-viscosity oil only as part of the procedure for vehicles that pass inspection. Engines that fail the inspection may require repair or replacement. Owners should not change oil grades independently as a substitute for recall service.
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The original 25V-274 recall covers selected 2021–2024 vehicles built during a specified production window. NHTSA’s broader EA25007 investigation includes certain earlier Silverado and Sierra vehicles, but being part of an investigation does not automatically create recall coverage. Check the VIN with NHTSA, GM, and an authorized dealer.
Can I drive my vehicle to the dealer if it has engine noise?
If the vehicle has severe knocking or banging, loses power, will not start, or shows other serious symptoms, stop operating it when safe and ask the dealer or roadside assistance whether it should be towed. Do not continue driving merely to see whether the noise worsens.
What if my vehicle already received the recall remedy and fails again?
Contact the authorized GM dealer, describe the failure, and retain all repair and towing records. A separate NHTSA query has been reported concerning alleged post-remedy failures, but there is not yet a final agency finding establishing that every such failure is related to the recall or that the remedy is inadequate.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The L87 issue is a real, documented safety concern, but its exact boundaries are still being evaluated. Check the VIN, complete the official dealer-directed remedy, and treat severe engine noise or loss of propulsion as a reason to stop driving—not as a problem to troubleshoot with oil or a code reader.
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