Having Problems with a GM 5.3 Engine? You’re Not Alone

For the past three years, General Motors has faced a growing number of lawsuits regarding alleged malfunctions of their GM 5.3 engine. These suits surround allegations that the company knowingly sold vehicles with defective engines. Allegedly, these engines may burn large amounts of oil and may have design flaws that each can contribute to engine damage, according to GM Authority.

What’s Wrong with the GM 5.3 Engine?

According to suits filed against the company, the GM 5.3 engine has several flaws. The most recent suit, filed in 2020, alleges that the engines use unusually high amounts of oil that lead to “fouling” of other parts of the engine. The suit also alleges that the vehicles’ Oil Life Monitoring systems insufficiently monitor the oil levels in the vehicles.

According to GM Authority, the excessive oil intake and use can lead to “spark plug fouling, ring wear, lifted collapse, bent pushrods, camshaft wear, valve wear, rod bearing wear, rod breakage and other major failures in the engine”.

What Causes Excessive Engine Oil Consumption?

According to Oards Automotive Hub, excessive oil consumption can be caused by a number of different issues. However, in the case of the GM 5.3 engine, this flaw is caused by faulty piston rings, according to the suits. According to the 2020 suit, these piston rings do not maintain high enough tension levels to keep the oil in the crankcase. When this occurs, the oil may leak out into other parts of the vehicle.

There are other issues caused by the active fuel management system which uses an oil pressure relief valve to spray oil directly on the piston skirts. Unfortunately, this oil can overload the piston rings, allegedly. The excess oil allegedly accumulates on the combustion chamber, leading to carbon buildup.

Each of these problems is further exacerbated by the oil monitoring system which allegedly fails to inform the driver about low oil levels. This may require drivers to manually check their oil levels much more frequently in order to determine how much oil their vehicle is burning.

Which GM Vehicles Are Affected?

The vehicles involved in the civil actions are primarily those which contain the GM 5.3 engine. Vehicles covered in these suits include the following:

• 2010-2013 GMC Canyon
• 2010-2014 GMC Yukon
• 2010-2013 GMC Savana
• 2010-2014 GMC Yukon XL
• 2010-2013 GMC Sierra
• 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado
• 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche
• 2010-2013 Chevrolet Silverado
• 2010-2013 Chevrolet Express
• 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
• 2010-2014 Chevrolet Suburban

If you own any of the models listed above, you may be eligible to join a GM 5.3 engine lawsuit. However, you may not qualify if your vehicle has already been adequately repaired.

What Is Normal Engine Oil Consumption?

According to Oards, the main purpose of oil consumption is to lubricate engine components to ensure that they continue running smoothly. Under normal conditions, most vehicles should consume less than one half-quart of oil for every 5,000 miles driven. Newer cars are likely to consume even less than that. When cars have more than 100,000 miles on them, it may be normal for them to begin to burn a little extra oil. However, for new cars, excessive oil consumption is a red flag. However, there are common causes of excess oil consumption that aren’t necessarily related to an engine defect. For instance, according to Oards, your vehicle may have worn seals or gaskets, high oil pressure, worn piston rings, or you may be using poor quality oil. Older engines are also more likely to consume more oil. Signs that your vehicle is burning excess oil may include bluish smoke coming from the exhaust or a burning smell.

How Can You Reduce Oil Consumption?

Oards lists a few ways to combat excess oil consumption. First, you need to make sure you are using good quality oil in the right type for your engine. Top quality oil will not only help make sure your car is burning a normal level of oil, but also ensure your engine lasts longer. You may also be able to switch to a higher viscosity, or thicker, type of oil. Thinner oil may leak easier than a high viscosity oil.

You also need to fix any oil leaks as soon as they appear and replace your valve stem seals and piston rings when necessary. If the oil burning problem is not addressed, it may eventually cause the catalytic converter to overheat or fail, the engine to seize, or the motor to blow.

In addition to potentially damaging the vehicle’s engine, excessive oil consumption may also be expensive. If an extra quart of oil is required to be added to the vehicle each month in addition to regular oil changes, the costs of this oil may quickly add up.

Lastly, if you have an older vehicle that burns through excess oil, you may wish to consider purchasing a newer vehicle rather than repairing the old one. According to CarBrain.com, fixing an old engine with this problem can cost thousands of dollars. In cases where excess oil consumption results in a blown motor, it may cost more than $5,000 to repair.

Should You Join a GM 5.3 Engine Lawsuit?

If you own a vehicle with a GM 5.3 engine (refer to the list above), you may wish to join a GM lawsuit. So far, three separate class action lawsuits have been filed regarding this issue, meaning this is a problem that GM will most likely have to take seriously. Some plaintiffs also claim that GM knew about the potential issues with the GM 5.3 engine as long ago as 2007, and continued to sell vehicles with these engines despite knowing of the defect. This allegedly faulty engine can lead to serious repair and maintenance costs, according to drivers; civil action is one way to seek compensation for these added costs.

This GM 5.3 Engine Lawsuit is Vita v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:20-cv-01032, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Join a Free GM Engine Oil Consumption Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

You may have a legal claim if you purchased a new or used model year 2011-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon, or GMC Yukon XL with an LC9 engine.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.