One plaintiff says the V8 of his Escalade had to be replaced after a catastrophic failure.
It didn't take long for General Motors to go from announcing a massive recall to facing a class action lawsuit. Just a few weeks after GM recalled nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs in the States due to potentially defective 6.2-liter V8 engines, the automaker has now been slapped with a lawsuit over the same issue.
A Michigan-based class action, which is demanding a jury trial, alleges that GM has known about these engine problems for years, yet failed to notify those who purchased or leased affected vehicles.
Two Culprits Behind the Engine Failures
According to an investigation, there are two primary causes behind these catastrophic V8 engine failures. First, rod-bearing damage is believed to be caused by sediment buildup in the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries. The second issue revolves around crankshaft dimensions being out of spec, which can also lead to failure.
Also: GM's V8 Engine Problem Is So Bad It's Wrecking Thousands Of Trucks And SUVs
Over the years, GM has become aware of 28,102 complaints or incidents that could be related to the issue. Impacted models include the 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and the 2021-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL.
The Plaintiffs Speak Out
The class action names two plaintiffs who have had their own issues with GM's V8 engines. The first is Jason Rittereiser, who bought a GMC Sierra 1500 in August 2022. He's suing GM for failing to disclose the engine problem at the time of purchase.
The second plaintiff, Mitchell Fagundes, purchased a 2022 Cadillac Cadillac Escalade in December 2022. Just a few months later, in January 2023, the V8 in his Escalade allegedly suffered a catastrophic failure during a road trip. This led to an engine replacement.
Read: Ford Recall Rubs Owners The Wrong Way And Now They're Suing
The lawsuit claims GM was aware of the problem as early as March 2023. On March 24, 2023, the automaker published an article on the GM-Techlink website, designed to inform and educate its dealers.
In this article, GM notes that a "no crank condition may be found on some 2019-2023 Silverado, Sierra; 2021-2023 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade models equipped with the 6.2L V8 engine (RPO L87)." The same article also warned that engine sounds such as "thumping, knocking, or rattling" could indicate crankshaft bearing failure.