2021 Chevy/GMC/Cadi engines burning oil solution

[BrendanC]

This is not the only issue with these 2021+ GM SUVs. There is also the transmission valve body that mysteriously goes out without warning...it happened to one person I know at 30,000 miles and another at 80,000 miles throwing the vehicle into limp mode. Another issue is the lifter issue which causes damage to the camshaft and the next step is engine replacement....and the guys I know had that issue around 80000 miles. There are electronic modules like the telematics module that seem to stop working and the fuel system which clogs up a lot easier than other vehicles I have worked with in the past. Both wheel bearings on the vehicle I speak of went out around 38000 miles. In regards to the lifter/engine issue it will be at least 30 days to get an engine and no one around here will rebuild the old one. I have known a lot of people who tried different things to avoid the lifter issue with different ideas and fixes but they wound up on the engine waiting list.

There are some positives to this vehicle such as its better at handling cargo versus the Fords. Its cheaper than the Fords, but the issues I listed above are simply too much for many to handle. A lot of people I know are looking to Ford. Ford has some issues as well but they are manageable compared to the GM issues.

As for Dodge back in 2021 there were a LOT of Dodge Chargers on the road as well as the Dodge/RAM trucks. Virtually all of them have disappeared as of 2025. The local police departments have tried the Dodge Durango but went quickly back to the Ford Explorer. I dont know whats going on there...dont know anyone who runs the Dodge or RAM trucks.

i hear all these negatives around GM products very frequently but have yet to see any of them come to fruition. over 100 GM products running in the fleet daily and yet i’ve only replaced a single motor (2012 6.0L due to oil starvation from an operator refusing to bring it in for OCI’s). we have plenty of gen V motors that run hard daily but all on 5w-30 without a failure. as far as hub bearings that is definitely a fluke. since the 19+ body style came out i’ve yet to touch a wheel bearing and we have trucks nearing 200k in industrial service.

 

[Glenda W.]

When I was at the railroad these trucks were beat hard. GM was not perfect but were the most reliable. Fords were being phased out and we had no Rams.

 

[Navi]

Although I am not a user of Amsoil and I know its not popular here on Bobs website I must say they are remarkably good at explaining things on their blog. Basically the 0W20 oil is sneaking past the piston rings into the combustion chamber and a thicker oil will fare better. So I will do one oil change with 5W30 and closely monitor it. The truck has used 3 quarts of oil in the last 3000 miles which is a lot more than the past. Any signs of the truck rejecting it or not being effective and I will simply switch back

https://blog.amsoil.com/why-does-my-vehicles-engine-burn-oil/

As for the other issues Ive outlined either they have happened to me or others. Right now the telematics unit is not working, the bearings went out earlier. This is all within the 1500 line of light duty trucks. I dont know about trucks in the 2500+ series. Those are different powertrains.

I think its entirely possible the oil burning could be contaminating the oil and causing the lifter issues which is purely a guess.

 

[Glenda W.]

Although I am not a user of Amsoil and I know its not popular here on Bobs website I must say they are remarkably good at explaining things on their blog. Basically the 0W20 oil is sneaking past the piston rings into the combustion chamber and a thicker oil will fare better. So I will do one oil change with 5W30 and closely monitor it. The truck has used 3 quarts of oil in the last 3000 miles which is a lot more than the past. Any signs of the truck rejecting it or not being effective and I will simply switch back

https://blog.amsoil.com/why-does-my-vehicles-engine-burn-oil/

As for the other issues Ive outlined either they have happened to me or others. Right now the telematics unit is not working, the bearings went out earlier. This is all within the 1500 line of light duty trucks. I dont know about trucks in the 2500+ series. Those are different powertrains.

I think its entirely possible the oil burning could be contaminating the oil and causing the lifter issues which is purely a guess.

I’d recommend more than one oci. Even when changing brands it can take a few changes for things to settle down.

 

[OVERKILL]

Although I am not a user of Amsoil and I know its not popular here on Bobs website I must say they are remarkably good at explaining things on their blog. Basically the 0W20 oil is sneaking past the piston rings into the combustion chamber and a thicker oil will fare better. So I will do one oil change with 5W30 and closely monitor it. The truck has used 3 quarts of oil in the last 3000 miles which is a lot more than the past. Any signs of the truck rejecting it or not being effective and I will simply switch back

https://blog.amsoil.com/why-does-my-vehicles-engine-burn-oil/

As for the other issues Ive outlined either they have happened to me or others. Right now the telematics unit is not working, the bearings went out earlier. This is all within the 1500 line of light duty trucks. I dont know about trucks in the 2500+ series. Those are different powertrains.

I think its entirely possible the oil burning could be contaminating the oil and causing the lifter issues which is purely a guess.

So 300 people on here tell you to try thicker oil and it's a hard no, but you read it on the AMSOIL blog and all of a sudden, it's game on?

 

[RhondaHonda]

I did one free dealer oil change on my wife’s Yukon XL and now it’s been Mobil 1 ESP 5W30. I’m considering switching to/trying 0W40 too. Hers used a little oil early on and I’ll keep and eye on it going forward. I feel like it uses more when it’s full to the top dipstick line vs when it’s in the middle but maybe that’s just my perception.

 

[4WD]

Neither my 2017 or 2022 use oil … But as a preventative measure - I have done two runs with EC30 and now on 2nd run of VRP …

 

[Navi]

I am a business owner with a family and do not live on the internet. This is not the only vehicle in my business. Im going to send you a PM.

So 300 people on here tell you to try thicker oil and it's a hard no, but you read it on the AMSOIL blog and all of a sudden, it's game on?
View attachment 262509

 

[Navi]

Tried to send you a PM and your profile is blocked. 59000+ messages since 2008. Hmmm...

So 300 people on here tell you to try thicker oil and it's a hard no, but you read it on the AMSOIL blog and all of a sudden, it's game on?
View attachment 262509

 

[Navi]

I am heavily involved in the NYC livery/limousine industry. Part of the job is keeping everyone happy and the other part is maintaining the vehicles. In maintaining the vehicles you get to know the dealers and mechanics.

NYC used to be a very GM kind of city, but with all the various issues everyone is switching to Ford. I dont need to know anyone to see it happening. Aviators and Expeditions speeding by me on the street its obvious.

The last GM we had was the 2016 Suburban which saw 3 transmissions, multiple radiators, and a lot of different things.

i hear all these negatives around GM products very frequently but have yet to see any of them come to fruition. over 100 GM products running in the fleet daily and yet i’ve only replaced a single motor (2012 6.0L due to oil starvation from an operator refusing to bring it in for OCI’s). we have plenty of gen V motors that run hard daily but all on 5w-30 without a failure. as far as hub bearings that is definitely a fluke. since the 19+ body style came out i’ve yet to touch a wheel bearing and we have trucks nearing 200k in industrial service.

 

[Glenda W.]

This all could have been avoided if you listened….

 

[Navi]

This is not happening only to work trucks but all of the trucks out there. Many posts and videos about this issue and not exclusive to the 2021+ line. I didnt see it happening in the 2016 Suburban but posts on this website and other sites suggest it happened in the pre-2015 versions.

I want to put this in the correct context so Googlers know the real story. Here is a video of an outdoor guy where its happening. Video is dated 6 months ago, 60000 miles on a four year old truck so his is casual use. So you could be a casual user, commuter or a working truck and it still happens.

This all could have been avoided if you listened….
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[Glenda W.]

This is not happening only to work trucks but all of the trucks out there. Many posts and videos about this issue and not exclusive to the 2021+ line. I didnt see it happening in the 2016 Suburban but posts on this website and other sites suggest it happened in the pre-2015 versions.

I want to put this in the correct context so Googlers know the real story. Here is a video of an outdoor guy where its happening. Video is dated 6 months ago, 60000 miles on a four year old truck so his is casual use. So you could be a casual user, commuter or a working truck and it still happens.

Guarantee his oil control rings are dirty and stuck. My recommendation is he needs to run Valvoline R&P 5w30 to free up those rings. Minimum 4 oci’s or just run it indefinitely. Same recommendation I gave you. These trucks don’t do well on 0w20 and the oil control rings are sticking causing oil consumption.

I understand the normal consumer doesn’t understand why this is happening. Sites like BITOG have been on top of this for a while. I’m the perfect example with my oil consuming Subaru that didn’t burn a drop until 60k miles. My R&P test results will be posted in about 2k miles. This oil was created for this very problem.

 

[Glenda W.]

This problem is not isolated to GM and is widespread between brands. Here is just one other example in a class action lawsuit.

Ford F150 Excessive Oil Burn Lawsuit Overview​

The Lyman v. Ford lawsuit alleges that the 2018-2020 Ford F-150 trucks with 5-L “Coyote” engines have a high rate of oil consumption. The oil change indicator may light up as soon as 3,000 miles after the last oil change.

Allegedly, this is due to defects in the Coyote engine, which cause rapid oil consumption, low oil levels, poor lubrication, engine rattling, stalling, and potential engine failure. The oil issues also allegedly damage other components, such as oxygen sensors, catalytic converters, and spark plugs.

The lawsuit further claims that defective pistons and piston ring assemblies allow oil to enter the engine’s combustion chamber, leading to oil being burned and consumed during the combustion cycle.

 

[Navi]

This problem is not isolated to GM and is widespread between brands. Here is just one other example in a class action lawsuit.

Ford F150 Excessive Oil Burn Lawsuit Overview​

The Lyman v. Ford lawsuit alleges that the 2018-2020 Ford F-150 trucks with 5-L “Coyote” engines have a high rate of oil consumption. The oil change indicator may light up as soon as 3,000 miles after the last oil change.

Allegedly, this is due to defects in the Coyote engine, which cause rapid oil consumption, low oil levels, poor lubrication, engine rattling, stalling, and potential engine failure. The oil issues also allegedly damage other components, such as oxygen sensors, catalytic converters, and spark plugs.

The lawsuit further claims that defective pistons and piston ring assemblies allow oil to enter the engine’s combustion chamber, leading to oil being burned and consumed during the combustion cycle.

I cant speak of the 5 liter Coyote engine as I have no experience with that powertrain. However, I can speak of my experience with the 3.5L Ecoboost Gen 2 and Gen 3 and the 2.7/3 liter Ecoboost which is an entirely different engine versus the 3.5 Liter series.

The 3.5 Liter Ecoboost Gen 2 certainly has some issues but one of those issues is NOT burning oil. The 3.5 Liter Ecoboost Gen 3 has been improved upon and upgraded to address the issues in Gen 3. The 2.7/3.0 Liter Ecoboost is a reliable and durable platform that I highly suggest. As for the 5 liter, no experience with it.

 

[BrendanC]

I am heavily involved in the NYC livery/limousine industry. Part of the job is keeping everyone happy and the other part is maintaining the vehicles. In maintaining the vehicles you get to know the dealers and mechanics.

NYC used to be a very GM kind of city, but with all the various issues everyone is switching to Ford. I dont need to know anyone to see it happening. Aviators and Expeditions speeding by me on the street its obvious.

The last GM we had was the 2016 Suburban which saw 3 transmissions, multiple radiators, and a lot of different things.

sounds like the vehicles are down right abused. if the oil field doesn’t chew them up and spit them out i don’t know what NYC is doing to them. all i have to do is change oil ever 6k on OTC oil and 12k on HPL. keep the coolant full and drive them. i do change transmission fluid every 65k miles but that’s all that gets touched.

 

[Navi]

I understand someone might be reading this post years from now and I wanted to clarify some additional things...

#1. There is a difference between the GM SUV generations. The 10th generation 2007-2014, the 11th generation 2015-2020 and the 12th generation 2021+. The 2007-2014 had some oil burning issues as evidenced by posts from years ago both on this website and other websites. The 2015-2020 generation had no issues with burning oil as I witnessed and I did not hear about it from anyone. the 2021+ generation certainly has issues and I know many people personally who have this vehicle and there are a vast amount of posts/complaints on the internet about this issue.

#2. I do not know if using 5W30 or making sure the PCV system will actually work. Im doing this out of desperation as I had to add 3 quarts of oil over 3000 miles. This vehicle was used in colder weather with much higher idle time so that might be part of the reason why so much oil was consumed. A GM Bulletin states the harder the engine is used the more oil which will be consumed.

#3. In past posts on this website and other websites about the 10th generation 2007-2014 it was stated that using 5W30 "helped a little" but did not solve the issue of oil burning.

#4. The dealership just wants to run oil burning tests and there is a certain allowance of burning oil they consider to be normal.

#5. Some of the posters in this thread do not own the vehicle and others who have experience with it Im not certain if they have a 1500, 2500 or 3500 powertrain. Is it a Silverado or a Suburban...etc... Im not certain of the generation they are speaking about. I specifically have year 2023 5.3 liter V8. The 5.3 liter is a different version in each generation. The 2021+ 12th generation specifically has a revised cylinder deactivation system and many other changes making it a different engine versus the 2015-2020.

#6. When doing this test with the 5W30 Im not going to simply change it out and get it on the road, but observe carefully for things like check engine lights and noises. Take a careful approach to it. I would not normally do this if I did not feel it was absolutely necessary.

#7. Lastly Im not sure what each poster's motivation is here in this thread or experience. Feel free to private message me with questions. I do have a lot of experience with these matters and specifically in the NYC area know of GM certified mechanics who can assist you with very complex issues regarding these vehicles.

 

[Navi]

sounds like the vehicles are down right abused. if the oil field doesn’t chew them up and spit them out i don’t know what NYC is doing to them. all i have to do is change oil ever 6k on OTC oil and 12k on HPL. keep the coolant full and drive them. i do change transmission fluid every 65k miles but that’s all that gets touched.

Well...the NYC area is typically rated as the top ten worst traffic area in the world. Our vehicles will average 25 mph or less and there is considerable engine idle time and lots of starts/stops. Sometimes drivers leave the cars running while they are in them especially during the winter. Its very difficult to keep a log going of engine hours and miles. So to be safe the OCI is 3000 miles for my small fleet of vehicles. I cant speak of what an oil field is like, but I know over here I have referred a large amount of industry professionals to a mechanic that I know who replaces engines and transmissions. We call him "the guy in the Bronx".

I can safely say this is "severe service".

 

[BrendanC]

Well...the NYC area is typically rated as the top ten worst traffic area in the world. Our vehicles will average 25 mph or less and there is considerable engine idle time and lots of starts/stops. Sometimes drivers leave the cars running while they are in them especially during the winter. Its very difficult to keep a log going of engine hours and miles. So to be safe the OCI is 3000 miles for my small fleet of vehicles. I cant speak of what an oil field is like, but I know over here I have referred a large amount of industry professionals to a mechanic that I know who replaces engines and transmissions. We call him "the guy in the Bronx".

I can safely say this is "severe service".

i am a fleet mechanic, you should probably look into a higher quality oil such as HPL or Amsoil if you are worried about run time. we turned to Samsara monitoring and tracking. it talks through the OBD2 port. you can track OCI’s based off of mileage, time and/or engine hours. you can do them separately or have them grouped such that the first one that hits triggers the OCI alert. you can also get dash cams that integrate and safe quite a bit off of fleet insurance. our trucks idle from dawn to dusk aswell. they get 6k on OTS oil and 12k on HPL.

 

[BigCahuna]

I get a kick out of posts like this one. Somehow people think they discovered a situation that has been around for years, then act like it just happened. I posted about high oil consumption in my wifes Chevy equinox about 7 years ago, And what Chevy said what they were going to do about it. They told us what they think the problem is, and were happy to repair the engine. That was, as long as we agreed to pay for an engine rebuild. Her car was using 1 qt of 5w30 wt oil every 750 miles. It didn't matter which brand was used, dexos approved or not. I wasn't about to spend any money to rebuild the engine on a car with less than 50k miles on it, so I figured out my own solution. After trying my own frankenstein concoctions, I found that using 10w40 wt either synthetic, or blended oil gave us better oil mileage. We were using 1 qt every 750 miles, and that increased to 1 qt every 1500 miles just by upping the grade. It might even get better if we went to 20 w 50 wt oil, but I'm happy with the 10w40's performance. The engine now has 95k miles on it as of today, doesn't leak any oil, and there;s no noticeable smoke from the exhaust. The sad thing is, GM made this same engine with the same problem for years, and expected the customer to pay for their crappy engineering.,,,