2022 GMC Sierra engine problems

Engine seizes completely while driving, causing total loss of propulsion, power steering, braking assist, and electrical systems. Vehicle stalls without restart capability or displays 'Shift to Neutral and Restart' message that fails to recover operation.

When: 10,000–96,000 miles; most common between 18,000–70,000 miles; can occur within weeks after recall inspection

Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of engine power while driving at 50–80 mph; Sudden stall with no prior warning lights or symptoms; Dashboard message 'Shift to Neutral and Restart Vehicle' or 'Conditions Not Safe for Shift'; Engine will not restart or restarts briefly then stalls again; Loss of power steering, braking assist, and electrical systems during failure

Codes mentioned: P0300 (random/multiple cylinder misfire—if any code appears), Check engine light (inconsistent presence)

Repairs/costs cited: Complete engine replacement required; replacement engines available only after multi-month backorder delays; one owner's second engine failed at 3,000 miles; third replacement required in same vehicle after 12,000 miles

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Recall 25V274000 (Engine Loss of Propulsion, L87 6.2L V8); GM Special Coverage programs cited by owners; GM offers oil viscosity upgrade to 0W-40 (dexos R) as part of recall remedy, but dealers reportedly charging $85 per oil change surcharge; recall parts chronically unavailable; dealerships offering towing reimbursement ($825 reported) and loaner vehicles ($44/day cap) or loan-payment assistance, but inconsistently applied; some owners denied loaner vehicle or told to pay out-of-pocket and request reimbursement (often denied later)

Owners find metal shavings, flakes, or debris embedded in oil filters and engine oil after failure or during diagnosis. Post-replacement engines exhibit similar metallic contamination within 500–5,000 miles, suggesting defective manufacturing or inadequate quality control.

When: Detected during diagnostic teardown or oil filter inspection after seizure; recurs in replacement engines within 500–5,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Metal shavings or flakes visible in oil pan and oil filter; Metallic debris in filter after brief operation on replacement engine; Oil filter appears gray/black with embedded particles (owner provided photographic evidence)

Codes mentioned: No diagnostic codes generated; condition found only during physical inspection

Repairs/costs cited: Dealers acknowledge metal debris but claim it is 'normal'; one dealer refused to investigate further or cover replacement cost; owners purchasing aftermarket oil filters to inspect debris themselves; one owner reports $25,000 trade-in loss and multiple engine replacements (three engines in one vehicle); metal shavings suggest crankshaft bearing or connecting rod wear

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers state metal debris is normal wear and do not investigate causation; GM Aftersales and Customer Service VP contacted in one case but concluded debris was expected; no TSB or corrective action issued by GM in response to debris complaints

Owners report abnormal tapping, clicking, or knocking sounds originating from the engine weeks or months before catastrophic seizure. Dealers perform computer scans, find no codes, and refuse mechanical inspection despite owner concerns.

When: Can appear at 8,000–74,000 miles; most often 10,000–20,000 miles into ownership; failure occurs 2–8 months later

Symptoms owners cite: Persistent tapping or clicking from bottom end or interior of engine; Knocking sound at cold start (owner confirmed by independent mechanic); Noise audible during acceleration or at highway speed; Noise worsens over time until engine seizure

Codes mentioned: No diagnostic codes present (computer scan shows clean)

Repairs/costs cited: Dealers declined further inspection due to absence of codes; one 20-year mechanic-owner stated dealer refused investigation despite his professional assessment of internal damage; post-failure teardowns confirm bent rods, seized bearings, or crankshaft damage; owners report frustration that early warning signs were not mechanically evaluated

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No documented GM response to early knock/tapping complaints prior to failure; recall inspection (NHTSA 25V274000) did not prevent subsequent failures in vehicles that passed the inspection

Multiple owners report engine seizure or catastrophic failure occurring after vehicle passed NHTSA Recall 25V274000 inspection or within weeks of recall service work. One owner reported check-engine light immediately after recall service; another reported engine failure 5 days after recall-mandated service.

When: Can occur immediately after picking up vehicle from recall service, or within 500–10,000 miles after passing recall inspection

Symptoms owners cite: Check-engine light illuminates within seconds of leaving dealership after recall service; Cold-start knock sound begins day after recall pickup; Engine seizure or stall within days to weeks of recall work completion; Recall documentation may be falsified; one owner confirmed independent service center proved work was not actually completed

Codes mentioned: Check engine light (post-service), Failed knock sensor code (one owner's case)

Repairs/costs cited: One owner had knock sensor replaced at own expense after recall service, despite no prior symptoms; another owner's recall paperwork falsified—oil viscosity upgrade and filter cap not actually installed; one owner discovered low oil pressure warnings after dealer falsely reported completion of recall service; oil filter and oil cap not changed despite documented recall requirements

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 25V274000 (25V-274) issued by NHTSA; recall remedy includes oil viscosity upgrade to 0W-40 (dexos R), oil filter replacement, and oil cap labeled with spec; GM declined responsibility in one case, calling post-recall failure an out-of-warranty issue; GM did not investigate whether dealer handling or recall procedures contributed to failures; some dealerships failed to complete mandated recall steps, yet GM did not enforce dealer compliance or reimburse owners

Multiple owners report two, three, or four engine failures in a single vehicle within 12–24 months of ownership. Replacement engines fail at accelerated rates or exhibit similar symptoms to original failure, suggesting systemic defect not addressed by engine swap.

When: First failure at 18,000–70,000 miles; second failure at 3,000–50,000 miles on replacement engine; third or fourth failure occurs 8,000–12,000 miles later

Symptoms owners cite: Identical symptom pattern: sudden stall, knocking, metal in oil; Replacement engine taps or knocks within 500–8,000 miles; Replacement engine also seizes or loses propulsion after short interval; Owner reports anxiety and loss of trust in vehicle after repeat failures

Codes mentioned: Check engine light (inconsistent), Engine knock sensor codes (some cases)

Repairs/costs cited: Second engine failure at 3,000 miles (one owner); third engine only warranted for 12,000 miles (one owner); fourth engine replacement in progress at submission (one owner); one owner reports three replacements in a 2021 Sierra and a fourth replacement in 2022 model with $25,000 trade-in loss; GM refuses extended warranty on third or subsequent replacements; repair costs escalate as warranty diminishes

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty coverage diminishes with each replacement: second engine typically covered under remainder of powertrain warranty; third engine may carry only 12,000-mile warranty; GM declined to extend warranty or investigate root cause of repeat failures; one owner requested 60,000-mile warranty on third engine after two prior failures; GM denied request citing 30-day policy window; trade-in penalties for returning to dealership discourage owners from pursuing further warranty action

Owners report engine consuming 2–4 quarts of oil per 1,000 miles post-recall or during early engine life. Dealers conduct oil consumption tests over thousands of miles rather than immediately addressing the defect. Low oil pressure warnings appear on dashboard before final failure.

When: Can begin within first 5,000 miles after purchase or after recall service; one owner's oil consumption test ran from 34,000 to 45,000+ miles before teardown approved

Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops 2–4 quarts between 1,000-mile intervals; Dashboard 'Check Oil' and 'Low Oil Pressure' warnings (one owner); Oil filter and dipstick show metal debris; Engine knocking accompanies excessive oil loss

Codes mentioned: Low oil pressure warning message, Check oil warning message

Repairs/costs cited: Dealers resist engine replacement, proposing multi-thousand-mile oil consumption tests instead; one owner completed 10,000-mile test (34,457 to 45,145 miles) before engine teardown revealed scored cylinders; after replacement, new engine also accumulated metal debris within 1,000 miles; one owner reports metal in filter after 500 additional miles on second engine despite dealer claims debris is 'normal'

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM Aftersales and Customer Service VP involved in one case; GM stated metal debris findings are normal and not grounds for further repair; dealers implement lengthy oil consumption tests (SAE J2932) before authorizing replacement rather than proactive engine swap; recall remedy (25V274000) mandates 0W-40 oil to address bearing lubrication, but does not address root cause of consumption or debris generation

Engine stalls without warning, dashboard prompts shift to neutral and restart, and vehicle briefly recovers before stalling again or requiring multiple restart attempts. This differs from permanent seizure but creates acute safety risk during highway deceleration or loading.

When: 18,000–70,000 miles; can recur multiple times in same vehicle within days or weeks

Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls while decelerating on exit ramp or climbing hill under load; Dashboard message 'Shift to Neutral and Restart Vehicle'; Single restart attempt succeeds or requires multiple tries; Stall recurs on following day or next drive; Complete dash reboot and loss of all power on second occurrence

Codes mentioned: No warning lights prior to stall (inconsistent presence)

Repairs/costs cited: One owner documented two stalls within 24 hours (April 16 and 17, 2026); first stall resolved via rolling restart; second stall resulted in complete power loss and tow; documented as Warranty Pay repair at dealership; vehicle subject to Recall 25V274000 and GM Special Coverage program; owner noted cold-start tick persisted after recall inspection, then stalls began

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Stall events documented under NHTSA Recall 25V274000 and GM Special Coverage XXX (L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion); warranty coverage applied to repair work; no extended warranty offered for recurrent stall events