A safety probe has been launched in the US after the small-block ‘L87’ V8 that powers the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and other General Motors models allegedly suffered failures even following a fix applied as part of a 2025 recall of 721,000 vehicles.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the probe on January 16, 2026, after 36 owners had complained to the auto safety body alleging engine failure after having their vehicles ‘fixed’ during the previous recall.
“The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 36 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging engine failure in vehicles subject to Recall 25V-274,” the NHTSA notice said.
“In each VOQ, the engine had the recall remedy completed prior to the reported failure incident… ODI is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to assess the adequacy of the remedy for Recall 25V-274.”
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A second recall has not yet been issued in the US, nor Australia or New Zealand. We’ve contacted GM Australia and New Zealand (GMANZ) for comment.
It’s unclear whether the recall ‘fix’ was not applied correctly or whether separate issues have caused subsequent engine failures in L87-powered vehicles.
The 2025 global recall impacted 721,000 vehicles fitted with the 6.2-litre V8 engine, including almost 10,000 vehicles in Australia and New Zealand.
It involved 2021-2024 Silverado 1500s sold in Australia and New Zealand. The Silverado 1500 was the second-best selling full-size pickup in Australia in 2025, behind the Ram 1500 but ahead of the Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150.
The recall didn’t affect 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 models, nor any examples of the related GMC Yukon Denali, which was launched in Australia last year.
Overseas, the recall impacted certain Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, and GMC Sierra 1500 models.
The issue was caused by faulty crankshafts, with symptoms including excessive wear also affecting connecting rods and, in some cases, leading to complete engine failure.
“The defect can lead to engine bearing damage, and some engines can fail as a result. For this reason, GM has voluntarily elected to recall vehicles that are at elevated risk of engine damage,” a statement from the automaker said at the time.
As part of the remedy, GM said it would replace engines if necessary, though GMANZ has not said how many V8s were replaced in Silverado 1500 pickups locally. Vehicles that passed inspection were provided with higher-viscosity oil and a new oil filter and filler cap.
It said crankshaft and con-rod manufacturing improvements implemented on or before June 1, 2024 “addressed contamination and quality issues”. MORE: Explore the Chevrolet Silverado showroom
