GM 6.2L V8 Engine Recall: What to Check on a Used Silverado, Tahoe, or Escalade

If you're shopping a 2021-2024 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL, Escalade, or Escalade ESV with the 6.2L V8, run the VIN for GM recall 25V-274 and get proof it was closed. Not every truck with that engine is included, only ones GM's records place in a March 2021 to May 2024 build window, so the VIN is the only way to know. A closed recall plus GM's special coverage on that engine failure can make one of these a reasonable buy. An open one on a private-party truck means you're the one taking it to the dealer and hoping it passes.

GM's dealer bulletin says affected trucks in dealer inventory were placed on stop delivery on April 24, 2025, so a franchised GM store shouldn't be handing you one with the recall still open. Private sellers and independent lots are where you need to slow down. A year and a half later, in November 2026, there are still owners who tossed the mailer, and the seller may honestly not know whether their truck has the L87 or the 5.3L.

What the recall covers and why it exists

GM's defect report to NHTSA says the connecting rods and/or crankshaft in these 6.2L V8 engines (GM's option code RPO L87) may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and failure. Teardowns found two root causes tied to supplier quality: rod-bearing damage from sediment in the connecting rods and crankshaft oil galleries, and crankshaft dimensions and surface finish out of spec. If the engine fails while you're driving, you lose propulsion.

The report counts 597,571 U.S. trucks and SUVs potentially involved. Car and Driver reported about 721,000 worldwide when the recall broke in April 2025. GM's filing also notes it had closed three earlier investigations into this condition before reopening it in January 2025 after NHTSA came asking. That history is worth keeping in mind when a seller tells you the problem was "overblown."

The warning signs GM lists

GM's filing lists what drivers may notice before a failure: knocking, banging, or other unusual engine noises, a check engine light, and performance problems such as hesitation, high RPMs, abnormal shifting, reduced power, or a no-start. On a test drive, listen at idle with the hood up and again under load. A truck that "just needs a tune-up" and has a knock is not one to haggle on. Walk.

What the dealer fix actually is

The remedy is an inspection first. According to the defect report, dealers inspect and, as necessary, repair or replace the engine. Car and Driver, citing GM's internal service bulletin, reported that trucks that pass get a new oil filter, a new oil fill cap, and a switch to higher-viscosity 0W-40 oil. So the new oil cap is one small physical clue, and you still want the paperwork to back it up.

The part buyers care about is the special coverage. GM's bulletin N252494003, posted on NHTSA's site, covers engine failure from this condition for 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. That last phrase means it follows the truck to you. It does have limits. The same bulletin tells dealers to check for basic maintenance and neglect, and a truck showing signs like low or no oil or a hydrolocked engine is handled differently. A history full of skipped oil changes could cost you that coverage when you need it.

How to check a specific truck

• Run the VIN on NHTSA and GM's lookup. NHTSA says its VIN search shows unrepaired recalls but not ones that were already fixed, so "0 unrepaired recalls" is good news but doesn't show you the inspection outcome. Our Chevy recall check by VIN walks through both tools.
• Ask for the repair order. You want a dealer invoice showing the recall work, the date, and the mileage, and whether the engine passed or was replaced. Our post on how to check if a recall was completed covers what that paperwork should say.
• Confirm the engine. Plenty of these trucks have the 5.3L or a diesel instead, and those aren't in this recall. If the listing is vague, see how to find the engine type by VIN.
• Call a GM dealer with the VIN. Ask whether 25V-274 is closed and whether N252494003 special coverage shows as applicable. Write down who you talked to.

Replaced engine versus passed inspection

Honestly, a truck that got a replacement engine under the recall isn't automatically worse. GM's report says connecting rods and crankshafts in repaired or replaced engines were produced after the suppliers' suspect manufacturing window. What you want to see is that the swap was done by a GM dealer under the recall, with records, rather than at some shop after a failure the seller isn't mentioning. A history report can help show whether there was a gap, a tow, or a long stretch at a repair facility. See our post on whether CARFAX shows an engine replacement for what tends to appear and what doesn't.

Dealers have their own rules here. GM's bulletin reminds dealers that federal law bars delivering a new vehicle covered by the recall until it's fixed. Used-car rules are messier, which we cover in open recall rules for used car dealers.

Pull a history report, then call the dealer

Look, the recall paperwork tells you about the engine. The history report tells you about everything around it: owners, accidents, odometer readings, and whether the oil changes the coverage depends on were ever logged. We resell CARFAX and AutoCheck reports under license and aren't affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian, so nothing we offer is a free official report. Direct retail usually runs $39.99 to $44.99. Our guest price has been about $5.50, members about $4.50, and the two-report bundle about $6.75, though you should confirm at checkout before you count on those numbers. And if a seller emails you a PDF with the service section mysteriously short, pull your own.

Sources

• NHTSA: GM Part 573 safety recall report 25V-274 (L87 6.2L V8)
• GM Special Coverage N252494003, L87 engine (posted by NHTSA)
• Car and Driver: GM recalls 721K trucks and full-size SUVs due to defective 6.2L V-8s
• NHTSA: Check for recalls
• GM dealer safety recall bulletin N252494000 (posted by NHTSA)