Chevrolet Silverado V8 probe expands to almost a million vehicles

A US safety body has widened its investigation into repeated V8 engine failures affecting General Motors (GM) pickup trucks and SUVs globally, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 sold in Australia.

The 6.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol V8 engine, codenamed ‘L87’, was recalled in Australia in May 2025 for a fault which could lead to catastrophic engine failure, after the issue was identified in the US. A total of 721,000 vehicles were impacted globally, produced between 2021 and 2024.

“GM discovered supplier manufacturing quality issues with the connecting rods and crankshafts used in certain vehicles within the affected population. While some L87 engines are affected, others are not,” said a spokesperson for GM.

The investigation has now been widened, after the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) expanded its probe beyond the original recalled vehicles to more fitted with the L87 engine.

“[The] ODI is opening this Engineering Analysis to continue investigating complaints of post-remedy engine failure. ODI is expanding the scope of this Investigation to include engines produced after the production period cited in the recall,” the NHTSA investigation document said.

It sees the number of vehicles impacted in the US grow from 597,630 to 997,743.

Beyond the Silverado, other vehicles impacted in the US included the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, and the GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL – all produced between 2021 and 2026.

Here, GM Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) offered to fix or replace the engine in up to 9468 Silverado 1500s, a rival to the top-selling Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra.

The original recall didn't affect the 2025 GMC Yukon SUV launched in Australia in May 2025.

We've contacted GM ANZ to confirm the local implications of this expanded investigation.

NHTSA opened an investigation into the engine fault in January 2026, after several dozen complaints from owners whose vehicles suffered a further failure after their vehicle had been recalled.

By August 2026, the NHTSA reported this had grown to at least 499 complaints, with 26 of those complaints for vehicles that had already been given a replacement engine.

It also noted a further 191 reports of engine failures in vehicles produced after the recall production period, prompting it to extend its investigation to 2021-2026 GM models fitted with the L87 V8 engine.

GM has also said it has received 6953 complaints of its own after the recall remedies – changing the engine’s recommended oil viscosity or replacing the engine – failed to prevent further engine failures.

While GM ANZ hasn't confirmed any complaints from Australian Silverado owners, the issues have led to a legal action both here and in the US.

An Australian class action alleging certain Silverado 1500s were sold with defective L87 6.2-litre V8 engines was filed in Federal Court on December 30, 2025.

In June 2026, the US car giant announced new, sixth-generation V8s to replace both the 6.2-litre L87 and 5.3-litre L84 V8s offered in overseas models.

GM said the new engines, whose outputs have not been revealed, will make the new 2027 Silverado “the most powerful Silverado ever”, and will be offered in the US in 5.7-litre and 6.6-litre capacities.

GM ANZ confirmed the departure of its managing director, Jess Bala, earlier this week, with Greg Rowe, GM Australia and New Zealand’s director of sales and operations, becoming acting managing director before a permanent successor is named.

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