California Lemon Law News + Info

General Motors’ Vortec Engines Accused of Guzzling Oil… Again

General Motors faces a class action lawsuit that alleges its Generation IV 5.3-L Vortec 5300 LC9 engines guzzle oil and face engine damage, the third lawsuit of its kind to make these allegations against this specific engine model.

Yellow oil seems to fill a container. It bubbles and sloshes, as if the container itself has moved. These three lawsuits even allege that the defects appear in the same vehicle models, listed below:

  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Silverado
  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Suburban
  • 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
  • 2010-2014 GMC Sierra
  • 2010-2014 GMC Yukon
  • 2010-2014 GMC Yukon XL

The most recent lawsuit alleges that the 5.3-L Vortec engines cannot receive proper lubrication due to faulty piston rings, and as a result burn through oil far more quickly than they should.

To make matters worse, the oil monitoring systems allegedly fail to show accurate oil levels. The warnings allegedly fail to warn the driver of oil levels that could damage the engine. The oil monitoring system allegedly monitors engine conditions, not oil levels, and estimates oil quality to determine when oil should be changed.

Vehicles equipped with the 5.3-L Vortec engines allegedly experience the following defects:

  • Spark plug fouling
  • Lifter collapse
  • Bent pushrods
  • Breakage of rods or wristpin
  • Wear of rings, camshafts, valves, rod bearings, rod wristpins, and/or crankshafts
  • Wear or damage of main bearing or other internal components
  • Engine damage
  • Engine failure

The lawsuit makes similar claims about the faults in specific engine complaints as the previous two lawsuits. In particular, drivers allege that they can use their vehicles for thousands of miles without ever knowing that low oil levels are causing damage to engine components.

On top of that, the lawsuit claims that General Motors dealers provide “stop-gap fixes,” which do not prevent excessive oil consumption.

Source: CarComplaints.com


Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group is an automotive lemon law firm that exclusively practices in California. If you are a California resident who purchased or leased a defective vehicle from a licensed dealership in California, we may be able to help you get rid of your potential lemon and recover significant cash compensation. Model year restrictions apply: 2019–Present vehicle models only.

However, we cannot help those who reside outside of California or purchased their vehicle outside of California unless they are active duty members of the Armed Forces, nor will we be able to refer those to a lemon law firm in their states.

To learn more about the California Lemon Law and your legal rights, visit our guide on the California Lemon Law for more information.

Think You Have a Lemon?

Tell us about Yourself
Tell us about your vehicle

By submitting this form, you agree to be contacted via phone, text or email regarding your claim.