2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Engine Problems

6.2 liter engine failure @ just over 100,000 miles. Prior to 100k miles I had taken to the dealership for sporadic loss of oil. They confirmed that the oil had been upgraded previously as instructed by GM so must be another source of the leak. Engine locked up while driving down the road. Had to have the vehicle towed and the mechanical said the motor is shot, and related to lower camshaft bearing issue. The only warning signs were the low oil light which happened around the mid 90k miles, so I would monitor that. When the engine failed there was no low oil light on, it just started shaking/vibrating and then kicked out. I think hte mileage read right around 103,000 approx. when it died.

NHTSA ID

11766351

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

Often blows blue smoke and oil out exhaust, and uses more engine oil that would ever be expected, especially when pulling a load. I took it to Rusty Drewing GMC dealership IN Jefferson City, Missouri, and they told me everything was fine, that they could not find a problem.

NHTSA ID

11766268

Incident

Dec 8, 2025

2019 GMC Sierra Denali 6.2L , Back in march 2026 my motor seized up , waited for a month for a new motor replacement that I had to pay out of pocket for 12k+, Finallyy got my truck back mid may! , fast forward to [XXX], Lifters and cam went out had to get replaced, I only driven under 5k miles since the motor replacement (The motor I payed for came with a 3 year warranty) , Also over a months waiting… [XXX], I receive a call from the dealership saying my truck was ready for pick up but during the test drive , it started having a bottom end problem, Turns out it was a bearing issue! , Now they have to replace the motor again! Michigan! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11766114

Incident

Sep 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at speeds above 60 MPH, the vehicle lost power and decelerated to approximately 10 MPH, with a knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was driven off the highway and taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had experienced internal damage to the #4 lifter and a bent #4 pushrod and damaged the #4 engine camshaft lobe. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the dealer was previously informed of a ticking sound coming from the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.

NHTSA ID

11766108

Incident

Mar 26, 2026

Mileage

88,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and DTC: P0016 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to catastrophic engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,000.

NHTSA ID

11765840

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

Mileage

113,000 mi

Driving vehicle at normal speeds and engine suddenly shut of and stopped in the road. would not restart. Had to get it towed to dealer who diagnosed problem as a seized up engine and need a new engine replacement

NHTSA ID

11764998

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle came to a full stop to allow wildlife to cross the road. Upon accelerating, the engine made an abnormal banging noise. The contact stopped to inspect the vehicle and observed an engine misfire while idling. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where an independent mechanic diagnosed that the lifters had collapsed, and that the engine needed to be disassembled for further diagnostic testing. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

NHTSA ID

11764783

Incident

Aug 9, 2026

Mileage

159,000 mi

Since I purchased my vehicle in 2021, I continued to have issues with my oil pressure light coming on usually about 2000 - 3000 miles past the oil change. When checking oil, I would find that it was low 2 quarts of oil each time. I reported this to the GM Dealer and they did oil consumption tests and determined the oil loss was within GM tolerances. So apparently it is ok to burn a quart of oil every 1000 - 1500 miles. Then fast forward to January 2025, apparently my rear main seal was blown out. Unfortunately by then my Powertrain warranty had expired. So that cost $3,794. Now fast forward to March 2026, I hear a noise in my engine and notice it is leaking oil again. Upon taking it back to the dealer, they tell me the engine needs replaced or rebuilt. The rear main seal is bad again, a lifter bad and they specifically say "The engine still has excessive blowby due to stuck piston rings or a scored cylinder". This is the first time it was ever reported to me that the engine as blowby. Regardless of all this, I had to replace this engine with less than 117,000 miles on it. I was reporting the oil issue when it was well under the powertrain warranty, but the first Oil Consumption test was done at 51,946. So again under powertrain warranty. However I continued to tell them about it until these issues occurred. Now I have $10,912.75 invested in repairing/replacing an engine. I pushed it to GMC Customer service and they didn't want to help. However when investigating this issue with other mechanics, they all seem to know about all the issues these L87 engines have. Then I found out that 2021 - 2024 L87 engines were recalled, but my 2019 was not. It appears my engine has similar issues as the recall. I was just lucky enough that nothing happened while I was driving. So I asked that if a recall occurs that GMC should be responsible for refunding all of this money as they should have taken care of it when I told them 100,000 miles ago.

NHTSA ID

11763704

Incident

Apr 14, 2026

I am writing to formally log a safety concern regarding my vehicle’s 6.2L L87 engine, specifically in relation to the known defects under NHTSA’s ongoing Engineering Analysis EA25007. The engine seized up while driving in traffic which has a safety impact on the occupants and other drivers. The vehicle was towed to GM and the they noted the the engine has catastrophic internal failure with large metal debris in the engine oil and filter. This is consistent with failures that other GM owners have experienced with GM's L87 engine. The initial recall (Recall 25V-274) for a specific manufacturing window (March 1, 2021, to May 31, 2024), the NHTSA launched EA25007 because it continued to receive a flood of complaints from owners whose vehicles fell outside that original recall window. That is me, I am outside that original window. But I am confident that the issue was known by GM and should have been handled several years ago with a wider recall window. Now I was exposed to a safety issue and I am stuck with a large repair bill. I think there is an even broader active investigation EA26005.

NHTSA ID

11763284

Incident

Sep 2, 2026

I was coming to a stop at a stop a 3 way stop intersection. I parked completely and when I stopped the vehicle just shut down I did not have any warning signs come on prior as I looked at the dash it said place vehicle into park and start. I tried that but truck did not start. Call my friends we towed the truck on a trailer to my house and set up an appointment with gmc here in Tucson az

NHTSA ID

11761482

Incident

Jan 3, 2025

My truck is a 2019 6.2 motor GMC it fell outside of the motor recall. On May 23, 2026, I had a catastrophic engine failure. GM would not cover any costs associated with the engine replacement. I have a photo of the failed lifter. This issue is a problem with GM and its active fuel management system. GM knew about the issue and put the engine into service.

NHTSA ID

11761311

Incident

May 23, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11761267

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

Engine went out very devastating $10k out of pocket

NHTSA ID

11761078

Incident

Jul 31, 2026

My 2019 6.2 engine suffered from severe loss of compression caused by internal piston ring failure and bore scoring also loss of power . In the 6.2L engine , piston ring failure and ring- seal are direct consequences of connectiing rod alignment errors, My engine failure is proof that this is the same situation that is currently under investigation and have proof with compression test and report done by my Technician . First time it happened to me it just stopped on me in the middle not the road all lights came on the dash including ESC light something it never done before. But before this happened it had been running rough. I took it first to the local repair shop and they wouldn't be able to work on it , So I took it to the local dealer and there it got. worse from there . Took it to the dealer changed the battery and it was running again but they found it had really bad leak on the rear main seal spent over $3,000 for all of it. Thought the problem was over after that months later after it was running rough again took back to the dealer and from there they told me there were oil coming through the piston rings and metal shaving in the engine and from there found out engine needed to be replaced Warranty company would not cover it. I had to pay 1500.00 for rental car coverage, teardown of engine was 3,500 since the extended warranty did not cover it Endurance Warranty Co. denied my claim.Dealership is charging me out of pocket charges of 13,495 for the engine replacement plus engine teardown Endurance Warranty Co. denied my claim. Even after paying for warranty for almost 2 Years. GM says manufacture warranty is out of coverage can not be apart of the recall but engine failure mirrors 21-24 recall 6.2 engines.

NHTSA ID

11760820

Incident

Jun 3, 2026

2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate (6.2L L87 V8 Engine)Description of Safety Defect & Incident Chronology: XXX (49,801 miles): While idling in my driveway, the engine began ticking loudly, running roughly, and ultimately stalled. The vehicle was towed to Hight Chevrolet in [XXX]. The dealership stated they test-drove the vehicle twice while monitoring live data, could not duplicate the noise, and released the truck back to me.XXX (57,920 miles): The engine began ticking loudly again. I returned the vehicle to the dealership. Upon inspection, technicians found metal debris in both the oil filter and the oil pan. The dealership diagnosed a catastrophic bottom-end engine failure.Resolution: The original engine was replaced with a GM remanufactured crate engine, covered under the GM factory warranty.Safety Concern:Although my vehicle is a 2019 model, it suffered the exact same catastrophic bottom-end bearing failure currently being investigated by NHTSA for 2021–2026 GM 6.2L L87 engines. This defect poses an imminent safety hazard, as a sudden bottom-end failure can cause the engine to seize without warning, resulting in a complete loss of motive power and propulsion at highway speeds, drastically increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, despite GM's claims regarding limited production windows, this case proves the defect is present in earlier 2019 model years. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11760697

Incident

Oct 27, 2025

I am the owner of a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD equipped with the 6.2L L87 V8, VIN [XXX], currently at 177,271 miles. On [ADD DATE] while driving 40-45 mph westbound on [XXX] near XXX in [XXX], in a school zone, the engine suffered sudden catastrophic internal failure with complete loss of propulsion and would not restart. No prior warning lights or low oil pressure warning. Vehicle required tow from school zone. GMC dealer inspected and verified catastrophic internal failure. Dealer stated verbally failure is either camshaft broken in half or timing chain sprocket/pulley broken off or loose causing timing chain to come off. Timing cover was not removed to confirm. Dealer stated engine is not repairable and quoted $13,500 for new engine replacement only. I have copies of the work order and the dealer's written statement verifying internal failure and replacement recommendation. Engine and vehicle have been retained. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11760257

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

Truck has the 6.2 Litre engine,failed.GM won't do anything to fix or replace the engine.

NHTSA ID

11758921

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

On XXX at approximately 3:00 p.m., I was driving on the highway in [XXX], at approximately 65 mph when my truck suddenly displayed a warning stating that all oil pressure had been lost and that the engine needed to be shut off immediately. Within roughly seven seconds of seeing and comprehending the warning, I attempted to safely shut down the engine. Before I could do so, the engine seized while the truck was still traveling at highway speed.The engine failure caused an immediate loss of power steering and power-assisted braking, leaving me with limited control as the truck coasted at highway speed. This was an extremely dangerous situation that could have resulted in a serious accident, injury, or loss of life. The truck was towed to a repair facility, where technicians confirmed that the engine had seized and recommended replacing the long block. A new GM Genuine Parts engine was installed, and the repairs were completed on XXX. Today, XXX, the replacement engine has approximately 40,000 miles on it. I recently began hearing a ticking noise followed by knocking, and the engine nearly stalled while idling. I immediately checked the oil and confirmed that oil was present on the dipstick. I have consistently maintained the vehicle and completed every oil change at intervals of 5,000 miles or fewer. I returned the truck to the same repair facility that installed the replacement engine and was immediately informed that the truck requires yet another engine replacement. This is now the second 6.2L L87 engine that has failed in this vehicle. Two catastrophic engine failures—one involving a replacement GM Genuine Parts engine after only approximately 40,000 miles—are completely unacceptable. The first failure created a severe highway safety hazard, and the failure of the replacement engine raises serious concerns about the reliability and safety of these engines. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11758114

Incident

Feb 27, 2025

My 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 equipped with the 6.2L engine experienced an internal engine/lifter failure. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized GMC dealership. The dealership documented damaged lifters, including rough edges and visible signs of friction, and advised that the camshafts on these vehicles can also have issues. I was provided estimates for both a lifter repair and complete engine replacement. Due to the possibility of additional internal engine/camshaft damage and the risk of having to repeat the lifter repair, complete engine replacement was recommended. The dealership is replacing the engine with a GM remanufactured engine, part #19420611, carrying a 3-year/100,000-mile warranty. The customer-paid repair is approximately $9,400 plus applicable taxes and shop charges because my 2019 vehicle/VIN is not currently included in the existing L87 engine recall. I am submitting this complaint because NHTSA is currently investigating failures involving 6.2L L87-equipped vehicles outside the existing recall population. I believe this failure should be documented and considered as part of the investigation into whether the affected vehicle population should be expanded. I have requested the dealership provide the technician's complete diagnosis and documented cause of failure and can provide additional information when received.

NHTSA ID

11757455

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

Engine seized on June29th while driving on I 64 . (6.2 L87) due to oil line failure. Engine replaced on July 18th, 2026. New engine started leaking oil from camshaft and gasket on August 10th 2026, back in GMC Shop on August12th 2026 for repairs, still waiting parts today. Sudden failure on road in traffic Inspected by GMC Southpoint. No indication prior to failure and shut down completely. Could not do anything to move vehicle out the road.

NHTSA ID

11757364

Incident

Jun 29, 2026

There was a catastrophic internal engine failure, due to cam/lifter/bearing issues. This caused the timing chain and tensioner to jump and the engine to be out of alignment. This caused the valves to all be bent as a result. I believe that this has been an issue for longer than what GM has originally recalled for, and I am submitting this complaint because I read that there is an active investigation into this.

NHTSA ID

11756910

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

At approximately 85,000 miles, the engine in my 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 seized. The vehicle was parked when it occurred. Inability to start. This created a safety risk because an engine seizure can cause sudden loss of propulsion in traffic. Before the failure, I did not notice any red flags. The problem was inspected and confirmed by a GMC dealer, which diagnosed the condition as an engine seizure. The failed engine is not available for inspection. I am not aware of the precise internal cause beyond the dealer’s diagnosis.

NHTSA ID

11756622

Incident

Nov 20, 2023

At approximately 85,000 miles, the engine in my 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 seized. The vehicle was parked when it occurred. This created a safety risk because an engine seizure can cause sudden loss of propulsion in traffic. Before the failure, I didn't notice anything that would raise any alarms. The problem was inspected and confirmed by a GMC dealer, which diagnosed the condition as an engine seizure. The failed engine is not available for inspection. I am not aware of the precise internal cause beyond the dealer’s diagnosis.

NHTSA ID

11756621

Incident

Nov 20, 2023

The lifters collapsed on cylinder 3 causing the camshaft to shed metal into the oil leading to bearing failure. Leaving us stranded 210 miles away from home. Motor has 85,909 miles. This is the same problem that the 2021 model year trucks have that has a recall. The 2019 model years have the exact same problems. I personally know 6 people who have had this happen. Check out the Facebook page. GM 6.2 Lifter and bearing failure.

NHTSA ID

11755634

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Complete failure on Cylinder 3 after AFM system caused lifter collapse in 5.3L V8. Lifter fell into cam shaft and scored the shaft at 55mph. Truck started surging and shaking violently. Truck shaking had me swerve to the side of the road as I was coming up on a crosswalk with golf cart about to cross the road. Vehicle was inspected at Atwater GM in Aitkin, MN and component failure was identified. Two weeks later I paid $14,149 to have a complete engine replacement. There was absolutely no indication that this event would take place. Just months before I took this truck from [XXX] to [XXX] and back without an issue. GM should be held responsible for a complete lack of safety due to faulty AFM engines. Not only did this endanger my safety, but I also had to withdraw from my 401k to pay for the outrageous cost of a new engine replacement because of a single point of failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11754328

Incident

Jun 29, 2026