Aussies who splashed out more than $100,000 on American pick-ups are now at the centre of a growing legal battle, with claims that the issue could lead to catastrophic failure and even death.
A class action has been launched against General Motors in Federal Court, targeting Chevrolet Silverado 1500 models fitted with the L87 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine.
More than 10,000 local owners who purchased the yank tank have been urged to come forward.
The case, which was heard for the first time on Monday, centres on claims the engines can fail without warning, with the recall notice itself warning the defect could “cause serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users”.
In a statement, a General Motors spokesperson said the company was aware of the class action but could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
A General Motors Australia spokesperson said the company’s focus remained on customers, pointing to a recall program already in place.
“We have implemented a recall for certain Silverado 1500 vehicles and are inspecting and repairing affected vehicles at no cost, including engine replacement where required,” the spokesperson said.
GM said the recall covered approximately 10,000 vehicles across Australia and New Zealand, with affected customers being contacted and offered repairs, replacement engines where necessary and support during the process.
The spokesperson said vehicles that pass inspection recieve an updated oil specification, while those that fail are fitted with a new engine, backed by a 10-year or 240,000km special coverage program.
“We are confident in this remedy and back it with long-term coverage for this engine issue,” the spokesperson said.
However, owners allege they have been left in the dark, stranded without cars, faced delayed repairs and, in some cases, repeat failures even after engine replacements.
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One Australian owner, posting in a Silverado complaints group online, said his engine failed not once, but twice.
“After waiting almost 3 months… I picked up the Chevrolet Silverado… thinking the repairs were finally complete,” he wrote.
“But just 29km into my drive home, the new engine completely failed… the brand new engine has seized, making this the second engine to seize.”
The owner said the first failure occurred during a family road trip, leaving them stranded in the Northern Territory, before months of back-and-forth with dealerships and the manufacturer.
“Unfortunately, while driving at 100km/h on the highway, the engine cut out again…the engine would not restart; it didn’t even crank,” he wrote.
“This entire experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing… my trust in this brand and their after-sales service is gone.”
In the United States, 11 separate lawsuits have been and more than 700,000 vehicles recalled across multiple models using the same engine.
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Handle My Complaint chief executive Jo Ucukalo said many customers had been left frustrated and concerned about their safety.
“These are people who bought a powerful, reliable ute in good faith, only to have the engine catastrophically fail, often without warning,” she said.
“A recall notice is only the first step. It doesn’t compensate owners for months without their vehicle, the reduction in resale value, or the stress of an engine seizing on a busy highway.”
In one case cited, an owner waited three months for a replacement engine, only for it to fail within 27 kilometres of leaving the dealership.
The class action also examines whether GM knew alleged defects before selling the vehicles and failed to disclose them to customers.
“This class action puts manufacturers on notice. They have a duty to comply with Australian Consumer Law and to do the right thing by their customers,” Ms Ucukalo said.
Owners do not need to have experienced engine failure to join the class action, with organisers warning it remains unclear which vehicles may be affected, or when a failure could strike.
In the United States, regulators are now investigating whether GM’s replacement engines address the issue, following reports of repeat failures.
