If you own a 2021–2024 GM truck or SUV with the 6.2L L87 V8, the oil printed in your original owner’s manual is no longer the oil GM wants in your engine. The GM owner manual recall piece of recall 25V-274 adds a manual insert and a new oil fill cap that switch passing engines from 0W-20 to 0W-40. That fix is now under federal review.
Quick answer: GM’s L87 recall (NHTSA 25V-274, GM N252494000) covers 2021–2024 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade models. Engines that pass inspection get dexos 0W-40 oil, a new filter, a new oil fill cap and an owner’s manual insert. Other model years stay on 0W-20.
Last updated: November 4, 2026
What is the GM owner manual recall?
It’s the paperwork half of the L87 engine recall GM filed in April 2025. GM’s dealer bulletin, filed with NHTSA under recall 25V-274, says connecting rod or crankshaft parts may have manufacturing defects that can destroy the engine and cut propulsion while you’re driving.
The affected vehicles are 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL with the L87. Car and Driver put the total at nearly 600,000 vehicles in a February 9, 2026 report. You can read more on scope in our GM 6.2L V8 recall guide.
What does the dealer actually do?
The engine gets tested first. GM’s February 2026 bulletin revision has dealers run a PicoScope test, and engines that fail are repaired or replaced. Engines that pass get four things at no charge: an eight-quart oil change to 0W-40, a new oil filter, a new oil fill cap that names the required grade, and the owner’s manual insert.
Thicker oil holds a stronger film between crank journal and rod bearing under load. It doesn’t fix a bad part. It buys margin.
L87 oil specification, before and after
| Item | Original spec | After the recall |
|---|---|---|
| Viscosity | 0W-20 (dexos Gen 3) | dexos 0W-40 |
| Approved oils | Any dexos 0W-20 | Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 or Mobil 1 Supercar 0W-40 |
| Paperwork | Original manual | Manual insert plus new oil fill cap |
GM’s bulletin says it will reimburse only Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 for L87 recall oil changes done on or after April 1, 2026. GM told Car and Driver it picked FS “because of its wide availability, price point.” National Oil and Lube News reported on May 8, 2025 that other model years keep the 0W-20 recommendation.
Where owners get the GM L87 engine oil recommendation wrong
The common mistake happens at the quick-lube counter. A tech looks up a 2022 Tahoe 6.2L, sees 0W-20, and pours eight quarts of the wrong oil into an engine that was just moved to 0W-40. Point at the new fill cap every time.
Used buyers should treat a 2021–2024 L87 truck with an old 0W-20 cap as a sign the recall wasn’t done. Run the VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup before you hand over money, and ask the dealer for the repair order. Our Silverado engine problems guide lists the other years to watch.
Why the 0W-40 fix is under federal review
The oil change hasn’t settled the question. GM Authority reported on August 21, 2026 that NHTSA opened a recall query covering about 997,743 GM vehicles from the 2021–2026 model years. Its count showed 499 complaints, 473 tied to engines that got the 0W-40 remedy and 26 to engines that had already been replaced.
If regulators decide thicker oil isn’t enough, GM could be pushed toward more engine replacements. NHTSA hasn’t announced a finding yet. GM’s latest L87 bulletin revision is the best place to see what dealers are told today.
How GM’s fix compares with Toyota’s Tundra and LX 600 engine recall
Toyota faced a similar bearing problem with its V35A twin-turbo V6. Its May 30, 2024 filing, recall 24V-381, covered 102,092 2022–2023 Toyota Tundra and Lexus LX 600 models where machining debris could damage the crankshaft main bearings. Toyota listed the remedy as still under investigation at the time.
GM chose a cheaper interim fix built around oil. Toyota’s filing promised a no-cost repair under its new vehicle warranty once a fix was ready, and we covered that remedy in our Tundra engine remedy report. Cross-shopping a used Tundra or LX 600? Ask for proof of the completed remedy on either brand.
L87 owner’s manual recall FAQ
What oil does GM recommend for the 6.2L L87 after the recall?
For 2021–2024 trucks and SUVs that passed the recall inspection, GM specifies dexos 0W-40, eight quarts, with Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 or Mobil 1 Supercar 0W-40 approved. GM reimburses only Mobil 1 FS for recall oil changes done on or after April 1, 2026. Other model years stay on 0W-20.
Which vehicles are in the GM 6.2L L87 recall?
Recall 25V-274 covers 2021–2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon and Yukon XL built with the 6.2L L87 V8. Car and Driver reported the total at nearly 600,000 vehicles. Check your VIN on NHTSA’s site.
Can I put 0W-20 back in after the L87 recall?
You shouldn’t. The recall changes your engine’s required oil to 0W-40 and adds a new fill cap and owner’s manual insert to say so. Going back to 0W-20 undoes the remedy GM applied to a passing engine and could complicate any future warranty or recall claim if the engine fails.
Check the cap, not the book
The single most useful thing you can do takes ten seconds: pop the hood and read the oil fill cap. Under the GM owner manual recall, a passing L87 should wear a cap calling for 0W-40, and if your 2021–2024 truck still says 0W-20, it is one of the engines this recall hasn’t reached.