Earlier in the year GM buyers of the 2015 Chevy Corvette were experiencing engine failures before even hitting 1,000 miles on the odometer. GM blamed contaminated materials from the break-in process and advised owners to make their first oil change at just 500 miles. That hasn’t been the end of GM’s LT1 woes, but a new class action lawsuit wants to take GM to court over engine issues with the 2006 to 2013 7.0-liter LS7 engine found in the Z06.
That’s according to The Truth About Cars, which reports that 19 owners have filed over 70 claims against GM, accusing the automaker of negligence, fraud, and even violations of the R.I.C.O. act that was established to bring down organized crime.
The issue at hand stems from accusations of excessive valve guide play, specifically on-concentric valve guide and valve seat centerlines that lead to premature wear, and eventually, early engine failure. A common check for valve guide wear is the so-called “wiggle test” that the lawsuit says GM initially used, but then discarded after determining that this method of testing would lead to costly repairs and investigations.This issue can ruin cylinder heads or absolutely grenade an engine, and it is commonly accepted as a real thing within the Corvette community.
Most owners seem resigned to deal with it on their own, and GM has reportedly acknowledged the issue internally, but publicly remains tight-lipped. However, this class action lawsuit could force GM to offer repairs or restitution to any owners who suffered from valve guide wear, and it would be yet another blow to the automaker’s reputation after the trying ignition switch scandal.
Keep an eye out for this one folks, we doubt this is the last we’ll hear about it.