Detroit’s auto giant General Motors is pulling nearly 600,000 SUVs and trucks off U.S. roads, part of a massive global recall of 721,000 vehicles, after uncovering a nasty defect that could make engines seize up and die. The problem, announced on April 29, stems from faulty connecting rods and crankshafts in the company’s 6.2-liter V8 engines, which power some of Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC’s most popular models. If these parts fail, drivers could face sudden power loss, leaving them stranded or, worse, boosting the odds of a crash.
The recall hits hard, covering vehicles like the 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and Silverado 1500, alongside GMC’s Yukon and Sierra 1500, and Cadillac’s Escalade. Globally, the tally climbs to 721,000, with the U.S. bearing the brunt. GM’s been down this road before, but this one’s a doozy—documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show 28,102 complaints or incidents in the U.S. alone, spanning April 2021 to February 2025. Of those, 14,332 drivers reported their vehicles losing propulsion, a polite way of saying their engines gave up the ghost. Twelve crashes and a dozen minor injuries are potentially tied to the issue, though GM’s quick to note the link isn’t ironclad. Oh, and 42 cases of engine fires popped up, most confined to the engine bay, but the cause of those blazes remains murky.
Here’s how it goes down: the defective parts, churned out by a supplier with apparent quality control issues, can wear out or break, chewing up the engine’s internals. Drivers might hear odd clunks, see the check engine light flicker, or feel the vehicle lurch with high RPMs or sluggish power. If the engine fails entirely, you’re not just calling a tow truck—you’re dodging traffic with a dead vehicle. GM’s response? Every affected vehicle needs an inspection. Pass, and dealers swap out the oil filter, cap, and pour in thicker 0W-40 oil to baby the engine. Fail, and it’s a full engine replacement, no small feat for a dealership or an owner’s patience.
The recall’s roots trace back to January, when federal regulators opened a probe into 877,710 GM vehicles after a flood of engine failure reports. GM had already poked at the issue, closing investigations in 2022, 2023, and July 2024, but the complaints kept piling up. By April, the company threw its hands up, issued a stop-sale on unsold inventory, and started the recall process. Owners will get letters soon, directing them to dealerships for the fix, all on GM’s dime.
This isn’t GM’s first rodeo with recalls—last year, they shelled out $700 million on warranty claims, including a tailgate latch fiasco affecting 570,000 trucks. But the scale of this one, coupled with the fire and crash reports, has the company scrambling to contain the damage. Dealerships are gearing up for a flood of inspections, and owners are left hoping their SUV doesn’t conk out before the repair bay.
The recall includes specific models: 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade, all with the 6.2-liter L87 V8 engine. GM’s customer service lines—1-800-333-4223 for Cadillac, 1-800-222-1020 for Chevrolet—are open for questions. The recall number is N242480630. Owners should expect notification letters starting April 21.