red car being worked on in factory

Oil Consumption Issues in GM Vehicles

By: Nicole Halavi

General Motors is a multinational corporation and has been America’s largest automobile manufacturer for years. Despite its reputable position in the auto industry, a 2016 lawsuit against GM was recently certified as a class action suit concerning GM vehicles’ oil consumption problems.

If your GM vehicle has exhibited repeated or unrepaired oil consumption problems, CCA is here to help. Please free to call our experts today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM.

What are the Oil Consumption Issues in GM-Manufactured vehicles?

Numerous owners have filed complaints against GM alleging their vehicles exhibited defects such as engine damage, excessive oil consumption, knocking engines, and more. The class action lawsuit filed against GM alleged that the oil consumption defect ultimately caused serious engine defects and even engine failure. As described in the complaint, the oil consumption defect is caused by a carbon buildup in the defective piston rings. An oil consumption issue is a major safety concern as it may cause the vehicle to breakdown unexpectedly.

Here is a list of some GM models reported to have oil consumption issues:

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

A Chevrolet Suburban owner recently described his problems, “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.”

While the class action lawsuit was initially dismissed in 2017, the judge later ruled that there is enough evidence that supports the allegations regarding the oil consumption defect. According to the court, the defect is undoubtedly a safety concern. In his final ruling, the judge stated that “a reasonable jury could conclude that the evidence before the Court supports the conclusion that the alleged oil consumption defect constitutes a safety defect and that GM actively concealed information about the defect.”

Excerpts from complaints filed against GM provide further insight into the problem:

“High oil consumption, 3.5 quarts used. Start mileage 49591, oil change today 53598 mileage. 4007 miles 3.5 quarts used. Got low oil warning around mid-November the dealer added 1 qt. Today they said it was 2.5 qt low. I had to remind that it would be 3.5 qt consumption in 4007 miles. Not good!” – owner of a GMC Sierra 1500 3.5L.

“At 79k miles I noticed my 2014 Chevy Silverado LT was low in oil. I did add two quarts and waited for the following oil change to report it to the dealer advisor. Since then the truck has been consuming about a quart and a half per one thousand miles. At some point the engine light came on and after checking the deep stick I found out that the level was way low, almost empty.” – owner of a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT.

What Can I Do if My GM Has Suffered Excessive Oil Consumption?

If your vehicle is excessively consuming oil or has suffered resultant engine damage, CCA’s attorneys are here to help. Our attorneys are knowledgeable about the issues concerning your vehicle and are prepared to get you significant compensation. Here’s the best part – our legal bills are paid by the automakers; not by our clients.

Please call our experts today 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.