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General Motors is facing yet another class action lawsuit involving claims its Vortec-branded engines burn off too much oil.
Roger Heater, a West Virginia resident, is the latest lead plaintiff to take the automaker to court over the alleged defect.
The lawsuit joins several other lawsuits filed recently alleging similar complaints, including a class action lawsuit filed last week in Ohio District Court.
According to the latest class action, General Motors has known about the faulty system that burns off extraordinary amounts of oil, causing engine failures and misfires, but allegedly continued selling vehicles despite the defect.
General Motors introduced the Generation IV Vortec 5300 V8 engines in 2007. Heater bought a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado with a Vortec engine in it before filing the class action lawsuit.
Heater alleges these engines were designed to fail and cites several aspects of the engine as evidence of defects.
Piston rings in the Vortec engines fail to keep oil sealed in the crankcase, the class action contends. This leak leads to atomized oil to escape through the ventilation, where it is burned off.
Furthermore, according to the class action lawsuit, General Motors’ Vortec engines have an oil pressure relief valve that spits oil along the piston’s skirts. This pushes extra oil past the piston rings, overloading and fouling parts of the engine.
If the oil isn’t burned off, it builds up as carbon, Heater argues.
Exaggerating the alleged excessive oil that’s burning off on these Vortec engines even more is General Motors’ “oil life monitoring system” that’s installed on the Vortec engine vehicles, the class action claims.
Heater alleges while the name suggests it checks oil levels, in reality, it does nothing but monitor engine temperatures and revolutions.
The lack of proper sealing to keep the oil from leaking leaves it messing up the Vortec engine spark plugs, according to the class action. These defects leave drivers in risky situations where their vehicle engines could suddenly cut off.
The alleged defect “can damage critical engine components and cause drivability problems, such as lack of power from misfire, spark plug fouling, excessive engine noise, abnormal vibration or shaking, piston cracking, head cracking, and, ultimately, engine seizure,” the class action stated.
Heater is seeking to represent Class Members who bought or leased a GM vehicle of the following models from 2011 to 2014:
- Chevrolet Avalanche
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- GMC Sierra
- GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
Formally, the class action lawsuit is accusing General Motors of violating the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protections Act, along with breaches of warranty, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.
Do you drive a vehicle made by General Motors with a Vortec engine? Have you had issues with oil consumption? Let us know in the comments below.
Counsel representing the plaintiffs in this class action lawsuit are L. Lee Javins II, Taylor M. Norman of Bailey Javins & Carter L.C.; Adam J. Levitt, John E. Tangren, Daniel R. Ferri of DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC; W. Daniel Miles, III, H. Clay Barnett, III, J. Mitch Williams, Tyner D. Helms of Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles PC.
The GM Vortec Engine Class Action Lawsuit is Heater et al., v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 1:21-cv-00024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.
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38 thoughts onGeneral Motors Facing Another Vortec Engine Class Action
I financed a 2014 Chevolet Equinox 2.4L Eco-sport motor….it consumed way too much oil at all times, my mainfold
and converter went out i had that fixed. Now just one month ago my car misfired stalled on the road with my kids
and i in it. and started showing powered lowered sign and then once parked wont start at all. its the motor due to
the pistons. A single mom, about to lose my job I’ve paid 30 straight payments and GM sells vehicles they know will
break down. what a shame. I still have to make payments to save my credit. sad.
Please add me to your class action lawsuit. I left a comment earlier but would like to be included in this. Thank you
I bought my 2014 Silverado 1500LT with a vortek 4.3 litre engine in it in August of 2015. It had 5000 miles on it and it has consistently burned oil faster than any other vehicle I have owned. I put 2 extra quarts in about every 1000 miles. I have been doing this since I bought the truck. The dealerships have all told me that it was an issue that GM knew about but continued selling these trucks any way. I currently have 197000 miles on it and have to have it for work. I feel GM should be responsible for repairing it regardless of the mileage
I have a 2011 GMC Yukon that has a tapping noise ,and rough running engine misfire . I have had the plugs ,coils, timing chain ,lifters ,all changed and still the same problem
Engine burning oil and running horrible. Its about done for….. Ridiculous.
I have a 2013 Terrian that had been in the shop more in the past year then on the road. Entire fuel system has been replaced, still going to in limp mode.
Have been told I have to put on oil sending unit twice in less than 3 years or replace engine. Contact me, please.