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Oil Consumption, Knocking, and Ticking in GM Engines

By: Michael H. Rosenstein, Esq.

General Motors is a multinational corporation and has been America’s largest automobile manufacturer for years. It was founded in 1908 and has now grown to be one of the world’s largest multinational corporation that is specialized in manufacturing, marketing and distributing vehicles and vehicle parts. Over the years, General Motors has built a core connection with several high-end automobile brands such as Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Chevrolet.  In spite of GM’s vast popularity over the last 100 years, it has managed to attract some unfortunate defects and widespread issues with oil consumption in GM engines. GM customers have complained for years of widespread, frustrating, and dangerous oil consumption issues.

If your GM vehicle has suffered any serious issues regarding oil consumption, CCA is here to help. We invite you to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What Are the Common Safety Defects in GM Engines?

Vehicles with GM engines have been facing numerous lawsuits for the past couple of years involving excessive oil consumption. The engine issues have been brought up multiple times by owners of vehicles across different brands. Most of the complaints mention engine damage, ring wear, knocking engines, sudden stops and more.

One of the most common issues amongst vehicles with GM engines is a troubling “knocking sound” and “ticking noise”. Several models have received similar complaints and customers say, this is a persisting problem that does not seem to have an easy solution. In fact, oftentimes when presented to the dealership, the GM dealership advises customers that there’s nothing that they can do.  A user of Chevrolet Tahoe described the issue as, “I just bought my Chevy Tahoe and when I start it, it makes a knocking noise. This noise is very annoying and It seems like if it’s coming from the engine.  The noise comes and goes at frequent intervals.”

Several users have discussed the excessive cost of having a vehicle with high oil consumption. Apart from the cost of frequent oil refills, it incurs other expenses such as the costs of repairing damaged engines, pistons and rings. A user of Chevrolet Suburban stated, “Chevy Suburbans are too expensive to have these kinds of problems. I took the Suburban to the dealer and they told me the pistons and rings needed to be replaced to the tune of $4,000. They admitted to oil burning in the combustion chamber and a buildup of carbon had occurred. This vehicle is a perfect fit for our large family. However, given that GM gave me their dishonest run-around and then only paid for half of the repair, I will be selling the vehicle after it gets fixed and will NEVER buy another Suburban again.”

Here is a partial list of the recent models that are known to have oil consumption issues:

  • Chevrolet Avalanche
  • Chevrolet Silverado
  • Chevrolet Suburban
  • Chevrolet Tahoe
  • GMC Sierra
  • GMC Yukon
  • GMC Yukon XL

What Actions Have Been Taken to Address the Oil Consumption Issues, Ticking Noises, Knocking Noises, and Other Problems in GM Engines?

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against GM engines over the past 10 years. A recent class-action suit claims that engines fitted in GMC and Chevrolet vehicles are equipped with faulty engines that fail prematurely. The lawsuit alleges, the engines cause excessive oil consumption and spark plug degradation.

Another recent lawsuit filed in 2020, alleges the IV LC9 engines are equipped with defective piston rings that are incapable of maintaining enough tension to keep oil in the crankcase. As per the lawsuit, the engine consumes excessive amounts of oil which can cause severe engine damage.

What Can I Do if My GM Vehicle Has Oil Consumption Issues?

If you are facing any engine trouble with your GM vehicle such as excessive oil consumption, engine damage, knocking noises, ticking noises, damaged piston rings, sudden stops or other engine-related issues, California’s lemon laws are here to protect you from any further complications. Over the past few years, our lawyers have developed strong expertise in litigating cases surrounding complicated engine issues.

If you are facing any performance issues with your vehicle, do not hesitate to contact our experts for a free consultation at: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

About the Author
Sepehr Daghighian is a partner with CCA that is well-versed in all aspects of lemon-law litigation. A 2005 graduate of Loyola Law School, Mr. Daghighian has been practicing litigation throughout the state of California for over 13-years. In this time, Mr. Daghighian has advocated on behalf of California consumers in hundreds of lemon law cases throughout our great state. Mr. Daghighian has also successfully tried numerous such cases to verdict in both Federal and State Court.