General Motors, LLC offered the Generation IV 5.3 Liter V8 Vortec 5300 LC9 engine as an option on certain 2011-2014 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, but the complaint for this class action alleges that they were “engineered to fail.” Why? The complaint alleges that this engine has serious defects that cause excessive oil consumption and ultimately leads to internal damage.
The class for this action is all current or former owners or lessees of one of the following vehicles bought or leased in Oklahoma:
- 2011-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
- 2011-2014 Chevrolet Silverado
- 2011-2014 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2011-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2011-2014 GMC Sierra
- 2011-2014 GMC Yukon
- 2011-2014 GMC Yukon XL
The complaint alleges, “The primary cuase of the Oil Consumption Defect is that the piston rings that GM installed within the Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines fail to keep oil in the crankcase.”
The vehicles have an Active Fuel Management (AFM) system which can change its operation from eight cylinders to four that the complaint claims contributes to the problem.
First, an oil pressure relief valve creates an oil spray that the complaint claims “overloads and fouls the the defective piston rings, triggering oil migration past the rings. The migrating oil either burns or accumulates as carbon buildup on the combustion chamber’s surfaces.”
Second, when the vehicle is in four-cylinder mode, there is no combustion in four of the cylinders, which causes too much oil to move into the combustion chambers. The complaint claims, “Combustion controls upward oil migration by providing an opposing force and by assisting piston ring sealing, and when it’s absent the oil consumption increases.”
Another of the faulty systems in the engine that contribute to the excessive oil consumption is one that vacuums up atomized oil to burn it in the combustion chamber.
The vehicles have an Oil Life Monitoring System, but unfortunately it does not measure actual oil levels. Instead, it keeps track of such things as engine revolutions and temperature to calculate when the vehicle needs an oil change. With the excessive oil consumption, this means that drivers are allowed to operate the vehicles for far too many miles without enough lubricity. This damages moving engine components. There is an additional oil pressure gauge, but it also apparently doesn’t provide sufficient warning of low oil levels.
Finally, the migrating oil dirties the spark plugs. The complaint says that the “oil fouled spark plugs produce an anemic/weakened spark, an intermittent spark and/or no spark at all—causing engine misfires and shutdown events. These put vehicle occupants in danger.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Automobile
Most Recent Case Event
GM Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines Need Too Much Oil Oklahoma Complaint
August 20, 2021
General Motors, LLC offered the Generation IV 5.3 Liter V8 Vortec 5300 LC9 engine as an option on certain 2011-2014 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, but the complaint for this class action alleges that they were “engineered to fail.” Why? The complaint alleges that this engine has serious defects that cause excessive oil consumption and ultimately leads to internal damage.
GM Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines Need Too Much Oil Oklahoma ComplaintCase Event History
GM Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines Need Too Much Oil Oklahoma Complaint
August 20, 2021
General Motors, LLC offered the Generation IV 5.3 Liter V8 Vortec 5300 LC9 engine as an option on certain 2011-2014 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, but the complaint for this class action alleges that they were “engineered to fail.” Why? The complaint alleges that this engine has serious defects that cause excessive oil consumption and ultimately leads to internal damage.
GM Generation IV Vortec 5300 Engines Need Too Much Oil Oklahoma Complaint