GM Lifter Investigation: Could Lawsuits Be Filed for Problems with AFM, Other Lifters?
Last Updated on June 30, 2022
Investigation Complete
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have finished their investigation into this matter.
Check back for any potential updates and take a look at our open investigations here. The information on this page is for reference only.
Case Update
- June 29, 2022 – Investigation Closed, Lawsuit Filed
- Thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this investigation. At this point, attorneys working with ClassAction.org no longer need to hear from those who’ve had problems with the lifters in their cars. This is because a proposed class action lawsuit has been filed and is making its way through the legal process.
Read more information on the filed case, check out why you don’t usually have to do anything to join a class action, and view our open investigations here.
You can also sign up for our newsletter for the latest in class action lawsuit and settlement news.
The information below was posted when this investigation began and remains for reference only.
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Owners and lessees of certain 2014-present General Motors (GM) vehicles who experienced problems with their car’s lifters, particularly those with active fuel management (AFM) systems.
- What’s Going On?
- Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether certain GM vehicles were manufactured with defective lifters and, if so, whether a class action lawsuit could help affected drivers recover repair and replacement costs.
- Which Vehicles Are Included in the Investigation?
- Attorneys are specifically looking into the following vehicles: 2014-2020 Chevy Tahoe; 2014-2020 GMC Yukon; 2014-2020 GMC Yukon XL; 2014-2020 Cadillac Escalade; 2014-2020 Chevy Suburban; 2014-2020 Chevy Silverado; 2014-2020 GMC Sierra; 2018-present Chevy Express; and 2018-present GMC Savana.
- What Are Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Lifter?
- Symptoms may include a ticking or knocking noise, power loss, stalling, stuttering and engine misfire.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether a defect is to blame for the problems certain General Motors (GM) drivers have reported with the lifters, especially those with active fuel management (AFM) systems, in their vehicles.
As part of their investigation, the attorneys need to speak with owners and lessees of the following vehicle models to learn more about these lifter issues and to help determine whether a class action lawsuit can be filed:
- 2014-2020 Chevy Tahoe
- 2014-2020 GMC Yukon
- 2014-2020 GMC Yukon XL
- 2014-2020 Cadillac Escalade
- 2014-2020 Chevy Suburban
- 2014-2020 Chevy Silverado (V6 engine)
- 2014-2020 GMC Sierra (V6 engine)
- 2018-present Chevy Express (V6 engine)
- 2018-present GMC Savana (V6 engine)
What Could Be Causing Problems with GM’s Lifters?
Attorneys are investigating whether a defect in design or manufacturing is causing the lifters – including AFM or “de-activation” lifters – to malfunction. Specifically, they are looking into whether the problems are being caused by shoddy lifters, issues with oil aeration or the size of the lifter bores.
What Symptoms Could Indicate a Bad or Failing Lifter?
It is believed that the following symptoms may be associated with bad or failing lifters in certain GM vehicles:
- Ticking or knocking noises coming from the engine
- Loss of power
- Stalling
- Stuttering
- Engine misfire
Drivers Report Engine Noise, Lifter Failure and Collapse
A number of GM drivers have taken to the internet to post their complaints of bad, failing or collapsed lifters. A sample of these posts can be seen below [sic throughout, emphasis ours]:
Engine was misfiring last week, so I brought it to the dealer. They confirmed that I had a collapsed lifter, and that it had to be replaced under warranty. When going over the repairs with the service writer, they informed me that they only replaced the failed lifter. Out of curiosity, I asked him what such a repair would cost outside of the powertrain warranty. He told me it would cost anywhere between $3500-4000 if it happened again, and that all of the lifters would need to be replaced should I be paying out of pocket. He added that I would be ‘silly not to replace them all’…because of the likelihood that another fouled or damaged lifter could fail shortly after the first.”
— hunthearin, 2016 GMC Sierra driver, GM-Trucks.com
2015 Escalade 94K miles catastrophic engine failure due to AFM components. This is our second Escalade in our fleet to suffer this same failure. We have had two Denalis suffer the same fate as well. This newest failure solidifies my belief that Active Fuel Management is the Achilles heal of modern GM V8's. Now, we have 150K warranty, so this is covered. But, we still lose a ton of money while the vehicle is down for the typical 3 weeks it takes for a dealership to complete this repair. Not happy right now.”
— Fleet_Manager, 2015 Cadillac Escalade driver, CadillacForums.com
I was a bit blindsided a 2017 suburban suddenly developing a severe engine stutter diagnosed as lifter failure after an oil change at the dealership. Car has 90,000 miles on it has been running fine without any problems whatsoever until we bring it to the dealership for a warranty brake repair and while there we have a simple oil change. Shortly after the oil change my wife who drives the car notices asleep taking which progresses to a more severe stutter and the engine light starts coming on while we’re driving. Of course we go back to the dealer…$7000 to replace the entire engine??? It’s a 2017 car... 90k just outa warranty…”
— medicarnp, 2017 Chevy Suburban drivers, Reddit.com
My 2015 GMC Yukon xl is now malfunctioning again…about 4 days ago, I became aware of ticking noise while my car has been idle. I immediately scheduled a maintenance appointment. Today, I am also informed that my ‘lifters’ are bad on the vehicle and my engine is going bad.”
— 2015 GMC Yukon XL driver, CarProblemZoo.com
About 2 weeks ago I purchased a 2020 Sierra 1500 AT4 and just recently upon coming up to 600 miles on the dash I quickly noticed loud ticking noise coming from the engine area. Brought it in for service. next day I received a call in the morning stating that multiple lifters Have collapsed. Was told they will swap them out on the entire side and was told they’ll get it taken care of. picked up my truck after hours and the noise was the same. Maybe even possibly worse.”
— Jpoland1228, 2020 GMC Sierra driver, GM-Trucks.com
How Could a Class Action Lawsuit Help?
If filed and successful, a class action lawsuit could allow drivers an opportunity to get back the money they spent on vehicle repair and replacement costs, as well as compensation for inconvenience, loss of vehicle value, rental car expenses and other damages.
Before commenting, please review our comment policy.