Washington, D.C. – February 6, 2026 – The U.S. government auto safety regulator is investigating General Motors (NYSE:GM) over allegations of its vehicles stalling due to engine failure.
If this GM engine issue leads to a recall, it could affect 597,571 vehicles, including:
- 2021 – 2024 Cadillac Escalade
- 2021 – 2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV
- 2021 – 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- 2021 – 2024 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2021 – 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2021 – 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
- 2021 – 2024 GMC Yukon
- 2021 – 2024 GMC Yukon XL
The vehicles were already recalled last May after GM was subject to a separate investigation. It appears, however, that the repair was not sufficient.
Recall summary
The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on January 16, 2026, following 36 complaints of stalled GM vehicles.
According to the complaints, the engines would die while driving stalling the vehicles.
Risks
A stalled car may get hit by other vehicles, especially in fast-moving traffic. In addition, a seized engine may leak oil, which can catch fire if it comes into contact with hot surfaces. In fact, the previous recall came on the heels of 42 fires.
Warning signs
Some drivers reported receiving low oil pressure and check engine light warnings before the vehicle shut off, often accompanied by loud knocking sounds and poor acceleration.
Oil full of “metal chunks”
The perils of sudden power loss can be illustrated by a driver whose Chevy Silverado cut out ‘’in the middle of the road’,’ where it “almost got rear-ended.”
Another driver mentioned that the engine oil was contaminated with “large pieces of metal,” possibly due to engine failure. Several others noted the loss of power steering and the car shifting into neutral on its own before dying altogether.
Background of the investigation
These vehicles were recalled in May 2025 to prevent a catastrophic engine failure caused by premature wear of the internal moving parts. To fix the issue, the dealers inspected the engine and replaced it if excessive wear was detected. Otherwise, the engine oil was replaced with a more viscous one.
Other GM recalls
In November 2025, GM recalled nearly 23,000 Cadillac and Chevrolet EVs over loss of control caused by defective tires.
Is your vehicle a part of a recall?
This investigation may lead to a GM vehicle stall recall, potentially affecting nearly 600,000 pickups and SUVs. To do a GM recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
