GMC Sierra Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

A consolidated federal class action accuses General Motors of selling trucks and SUVs with a defective 6.2L V8 L87 engine. The engine is used in the 2021-2024 GMC Sierra 1500 and seven related Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac models. The lawsuit, Powell v. General Motors, alleges rod-bearing and crankshaft defects. These defects can make the engine lose power or fail without warning. GM’s recall repair does not fix the problem for every affected vehicle. Eleven separate lawsuits were combined into this one class action in December 2025. The case is pending in federal court in Michigan, with no trial date, settlement or verdict yet.

Latest GMC Sierra Lawsuit Updates

August 20, 2026: NHTSA Opens Engineering Analysis into Post-Recall Failures

NHTSA‘s Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA26005 into 997,743 model year 2021-2026 GM vehicles with the L87 engine, after owners kept reporting engine failure even following the recall repair [1]. The investigation covers hundreds of post-repair failure complaints, including some involving engines made before or after the recall’s covered production dates. The full complaint breakdown appears under Reported Injuries or Damages below.

January 16, 2026: NHTSA Opens Recall Query into the Remedy’s Effectiveness

NHTSA opened Recall Query RQ26001 to check whether Recall 25V-274’s fix actually works [2]. The agency opened the query after owners reported engine failure even after dealers completed the recall repair. The query covers roughly 597,571 vehicles that were part of the original recall. It asks whether the oil-viscosity change and engine inspection GM offered actually stop future failures.

December 8, 2025: A Federal Judge Consolidates Eleven L87 Lawsuits

A federal judge consolidated eleven separate lawsuits filed against General Motors between February and November 2025 into one class action, Powell v. GM [3]. The case proceeds in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, before U.S. District Judge Shalina D. Kumar, with four law firms named as lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the consolidated action.

June 9, 2025: GM Begins Mailing Owner Notification Letters

General Motors began mailing owner notification letters for Recall 25V-274 [4]. The letters told owners that dealers would inspect the engine and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. Vehicles that passed inspection would get a higher-viscosity oil. They would also get a new oil filter, a new fill cap, and an owner’s manual insert describing the change, at no cost to the owner.

April 24, 2025: GM Opens Recall 25V-274 for 597,630 U.S. Vehicles

General Motors opened Recall 25V-274 on April 24, 2025 for about 597,630 U.S. vehicles equipped with the L87 engine, after an internal investigation found rod-bearing sediment contamination and out-of-spec crankshafts [5]. GM had opened that investigation on January 16, 2025, after NHTSA flagged the issue. Transport Canada opened a parallel Recall 2025225 the same day for Canadian vehicles with the same engine [6].

February 18, 2025: Powell V. General Motors Files First L87 Lawsuit

James S. Powell II filed the first class-action complaint over the L87 engine defect, against General Motors, LLC, in federal court in Michigan, on February 18, 2025. Other owners filed similar complaints against GM in federal courts over the following months. The court later combined ten more lawsuits into this case. That formed the combined class action decided in December 2025, now proceeding before Judge Kumar.

What Is the L87 Engine?

The L87 is General Motors’ 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine, built from March 1, 2021 through May 31, 2024 for GM’s full-size trucks and SUVs. GM’s safety-recall bulletin names the condition “L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion” [7]. Manufacturing defects in the engine’s connecting rods and crankshaft can cause bearing damage. That damage can lead to engine failure and a sudden loss of propulsion while driving, the defect at the center of the L87 engine lawsuit.

Who May Be Affected?

Owners and lessees of a 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban or Tahoe may be affected. So may owners of a GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon or Yukon XL, or a Cadillac Escalade or Escalade ESV, built with the L87 engine. That includes vehicles built between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024, even ones that already received the recall repair. The consolidated complaint alleges GM sold these vehicles with a defective engine. That engine can lose lubrication at the rod bearings and crankshaft, and GM’s recall remedy does not fix the problem in every engine. Whether a specific vehicle’s repair history and mileage support a claim takes an individual legal review by a lawyer familiar with the recall.

Reported Injuries or Damages

GM’s own recall report identified 28,102 U.S. field complaints potentially related to L87 engine failure through February 3, 2025. Those included 12 potentially related crashes, 12 potentially related injuries GM described as minor or non-physical, and 42 potentially related fire allegations GM said had an unclear cause in most cases. The Powell complaint states that by October 2025, NHTSA had logged 1,157 reports of L87 bearing failures, including four more crashes and fires beyond GM’s own count [8]. NHTSA’s own Engineering Analysis found 499 complaints of engine failure after the recall repair was completed. Of those, 473 involved the oil-viscosity fix and 26 involved a full engine replacement. GM separately reported 6,953 post-remedy complaints of its own.

Recall and Regulatory Background

NHTSA Recall 25V-274 covers about 597,630 U.S. vehicles with the L87 engine. Under GM’s remedy, dealers check the engine and fix or swap it out based on what the inspection finds. Transport Canada’s parallel Recall 2025225 covers Canadian GM vehicles with the same engine and the same remedy, dealer inspection followed by repair or replacement. NHTSA is still reviewing whether the recall remedy actually works, through the RQ26001 and EA26005 investigations described above. A recall does not by itself establish that GM is legally liable for every failure.

Evidence to Preserve

Keep these records if you are considering a claim over an L87 engine failure:

• Repair orders and invoices from any engine inspection, oil change or engine replacement performed under Recall 25V-274.
• The recall notice or owner notification letter GM mailed about the L87 engine.
• Photos or video of warning signs, such as engine knocking, a check-engine light, or stalling.
• Purchase or lease records for the vehicle, along with its VIN and title documents.
• Any emails, letters or notes from communication with a GM dealer or GM customer service about the engine.

These records can help establish when a vehicle was affected and what GM knew, and support any later legal review of a specific case.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for filing a lawsuit over an L87 engine failure come from state law rather than one nationwide rule. Courts sometimes call this kind of deadline a statute of limitations. The clock can also depend on when the engine problem, or a crash or fire it caused, happened and when the owner discovered it. A missed deadline can end an L87 engine claim even when the underlying facts are solid. Anyone who thinks a repair or failure falls near one of these deadlines should talk with a lawyer promptly to confirm which one applies.

Potential Compensation

The Powell complaint seeks damages for the cost of engine inspection or replacement GM did not cover, and for the reduced value of an affected vehicle. Some plaintiffs also allege losses tied to a crash or fire. No settlement or verdict has been reached in this litigation, and no category of damages above is guaranteed to any individual owner. Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation depends on facts specific to each claim, including repair timing and vehicle history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Vehicles Does the GMC Sierra Recall Lawsuit Cover?

The GMC Sierra recall lawsuit covers eight vehicle lines across three GM brands: Cadillac (Escalade, Escalade ESV), GMC (Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL) and Chevrolet (Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe). GM’s own recall report counted about 153,630 of the recalled U.S. vehicles as Sierra 1500 trucks.

What Is the Deadline to Join the GMC Sierra Recall Lawsuit?

No claims or opt-out deadline has been set in the GMC Sierra recall lawsuit because the case has not settled. The case was filed in federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 1332, so any deadline would come from a court order or state law.

Is There a Recall on the GMC Sierra’s 6.2L L87 Motor?

Yes, GM has an active recall on the GMC Sierra’s 6.2L L87 motor. NHTSA Recall 25V-274 and Transport Canada’s parallel Recall 2025225 together cover about 721,000 GM vehicles worldwide, most of them in the United States.

What Is Causing the GMC Sierra’s L87 Motor to Fail?

Two manufacturing defects can cause the GMC Sierra’s L87 motor to fail: rod-bearing damage from sediment contamination, and crankshafts machined outside specification. GM’s recall filing puts the share of vehicles that actually have either defect at about 3%.

What Does NHTSA’s Research Show About Post-Recall L87 Failures?

NHTSA’s research into post-recall L87 failures, Engineering Analysis EA26005, shows 690 new failure incidents. That includes engines that already received the recall repair, plus 191 in engines built outside the original recall’s window.

Is the GMC Sierra L87 Recall Still Open?

Yes, the GMC Sierra L87 recall remains open. GM’s own recall report estimates that about 3% of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect. NHTSA has not closed Recall 25V-274. The agency is still investigating whether the remedy fixes it.

What Warning Signs Suggest an L87 Motor Is About to Fail?

Warning signs that an L87 motor is about to fail include engine knocking or banging noises and an illuminated check-engine light. GM’s own recall report also lists hesitation, high RPMs, abnormal shifting and a no-start condition as signs of possible failure.

References

1. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2026/INOA-EA26005-17015.pdf
2. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2026/INOA-RQ26001-10001.pdf
3. https://gmauthority.com/blog/2025/12/multiple-gm-l87-engine-lawsuits-consolidated-into-one/
4. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCAK-25V274-2120.pdf
5. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCLRPT-25V274-1598.PDF
6. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/transport-canada-recall-2025225-general-motors
7. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025/RCRIT-25V274-6343.pdf
8. https://www.carscoops.com/2026/03/gm-now-faces-one-massive-lawsuit-over-claims-its-v8-can-suddenly-seize/