P0016 on Chevrolet

Gen IV 5.3L AFM engines burn oil at an abnormal rate — many owners report consuming roughly a quart every 1,000-2,000 miles with no external leak. The accepted root cause is a combination of GM's low-tension piston rings plus the AFM system spraying oil onto the cylinder walls during cylinder deactivation; oil gets past the rings and is burned in the combustion chamber. The PCV system and carboned-up rings compound it. The chronic low oil level then accelerates the AFM lifter failures these engines are also known for. This was the subject of a high-profile class-action (Sloan v. GM / Siqueiros) covering Gen IV 5.3L AFM trucks, and it is one of the most-searched Silverado complaints.

GM recalled roughly 597,630 trucks and SUVs (NHTSA recall, 2025) — including 2021-2024 Silverado 1500 with the 6.2L L87 V8 — for connecting rods and/or crankshafts that may have manufacturing defects (debris in oil passages or out-of-spec parts). Affected engines can seize or knock and suddenly lose propulsion, with documented fire and crash allegations. GM's tally tied to the recall logged about 28,000 complaints, including ~14,300 alleging loss of propulsion. The remedy splits vehicles into two groups: those that fail inspection get a full engine replacement, while those that pass switch from 0W-20 to thicker 0W-40 oil plus a revised service procedure. NHTSA opened a follow-up engineering analysis into post-recall L87 failures, and a class action is pending — this is currently the highest-profile, highest-demand Silverado issue.

Certain 6.2L L87 V8 engines left the factory with manufacturing defects in the connecting rods and/or crankshaft — sediment/debris left in the crankshaft oil galleries and out-of-spec crankshaft finish starve the rod bearings of oil. The bearings spin, the rod can knock or seize, and the engine can suffer a sudden loss of propulsion at speed. This is the subject of a large 2025 safety recall covering roughly 600,000 U.S. trucks and SUVs (Silverado 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Sierra 1500, Yukon, Escalade).

The turbocharged 2.7L Turbomax four-cylinder develops a metallic rattle/knock on cold start-up, most pronounced in the first few seconds before oil pressure builds. The root cause is premature wear in the turbocharger wastegate linkage/actuator, which can also throw a turbo-underboost code. Owners also report VVT camshaft-actuator (CPAS) solenoid faults and engine-harness chafing on this engine. Because the L3B is direct-injection only (no port injection), intake-valve carbon buildup compounds the rough-idle/misfire complaints as miles accumulate.

On the Gen V 5.3L L83 (and 6.2L L86) in the Silverado 1500, the timing chain can stretch and the VVT cam phasers/actuators can wear, causing the camshaft to drift out of correlation with the crankshaft beyond what the variable-valve-timing system can correct. This sets crank/cam correlation and VVT codes, a startup rattle (slack chain before oil pressure builds), rough idle, reduced power, and on higher-mileage trucks a risk of the chain jumping. AFM operation and extended oil-change intervals accelerate the wear. It is a more involved repair than a sensor because it requires removing the front timing cover.

Gen V 5.3L engines use variable valve timing (VVT) with a cam phaser and VVT solenoid. Sludge and wear cause the phaser to rattle and the timing chain to stretch, producing a cold-start 'marbles in a can' rattle that often precedes a check-engine light. It sets crank/cam correlation codes (P0008/P0016/P0017) or VVT performance codes (P0011). GM TSB PIP5921B also documents a rattle/tick from the intake cam actuator when its cover-plate screws back out. Ignored, a stretched chain can jump timing and cause severe internal damage.

L87 6.2L V8s built March 1, 2021 through May 31, 2024 can suffer sudden rod-bearing failure and engine seizure with loss of propulsion. GM attributes it to supplier manufacturing/quality issues — sediment/debris left on connecting rods and in crankshaft oil galleries plus out-of-spec dimensions — that starve and pound the rod bearings. NHTSA safety recall 25V-274 (April 2025) covers 44,802 Tahoes among ~600k GM full-size trucks/SUVs; GM logged over 14,000 field complaints and a dozen alleged crashes/injuries. NHTSA has since opened follow-up query RQ26001 into failures on engines outside the recall and on some units that failed after the dealer remedy.

Timing chain tensioner fails allowing chain to slap and jump timing. 2.5L V6 particularly susceptible. Can cause valve damage if chain jumps more than one tooth.

The 2.5L Suzuki V6 engine has a hydraulic timing chain tensioner that leaks down overnight, causing a loud rattling noise on cold startup. If the tensioner fails completely, the timing chain can jump and cause valve-to-piston contact, bending valves and potentially destroying the engine.

The 3.6L V6 (LLT and LFX variants) in the first-generation Traverse is notorious for premature timing chain stretch. The engine uses three timing chains — one primary and two secondary chains driving the variable valve timing actuators. The chains stretch beyond the tensioner capacity, causing the engine timing to slip. Symptoms progress from a rattle on cold start to a check engine light with camshaft correlation codes. If ignored, the stretched chains can skip teeth, causing catastrophic engine damage. The issue typically manifests between 80,000-120,000 miles.