The Lemon Index
The 2.7 L inline-4 turbo in the Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and GMC Sierra, model years 2019–2025. Owners filed 1,090 complaints about cars with it (matched by VIN); 22% name the engine, #17 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most).
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 46/100 across 7 model years, from 133 videos about this engine and its cars (#101 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Chevy 1500 2.7L TurboMAX 4 Cylinder (L3B) Engine *Heavy Mechanic Review* | ACTUALLY GOOD!? 577,991 views
- 2023-2025 Chevrolet Colorado 2.7 Turbo Engine: What You Need To Know 541,319 views
- PREMATURE FAILURE? 2019 Silverado 1500 2.7L TURBOMAX L3B 4-Cylinder Engine Teardown @146,000 miles 512,490 views
- 2022 Chevy Silverado 2.7L Turbo 4 VS 5.3L V8 MPG Run! Don't Buy until You Watch First! 511,678 views
- Chevy 1500 2.7L TURBO 4 Cylinder (L3B) **Heavy Mechanic Review** | Should You Buy It ?? 398,759 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Chevrolet Silverado2019202020212022202320242025
- GMC Sierra201920202021202220232024
- Chevrolet Colorado202320242025
- GMC Canyon202320242025
Model years from NHTSA VIN decoding of owner complaints. Only years we have a car page for.
Owner complaints by model year
Counts of complaints filed so far. Older cars have had longer to collect them, and popular cars draw more because more were sold: no one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car rate. Compare the shares below instead.
By car
| Car | Model years matched | Complaints | Name the engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2019–25 | 413 | 35% |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2023–25 | 291 | 15% |
| GMC Canyon | 2023–25 | 279 | 10% |
| GMC Sierra | 2019–25 | 107 | 22% |
“Name the engine” = the share of that car's VIN-matched complaints that list the engine as a problem area.
What owners complain about
Share of this engine's complaints that name each area (one complaint can name several).
What owners write
| Complaints that | Count | Share | Median, other everyday engines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say the engine stalled, shut off or lost power | 127 | 12% | 14% |
| Mention coolant loss or overheating | 52 | 4.8% | 1.2% |
| Say the engine knocked, seized or failed | 48 | 4.4% | 2.7% |
| Mention the turbo | 24 | 2.2% | under 0.1% |
| Mention fire, flames or smoke | 24 | 2.2% | 3.2% |
| Mention a misfire | 16 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Mention a lifter, rocker or ticking | 14 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Mention an oil leak | 7 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Mention burning or losing oil | 5 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
Counted from the owner's own words in each complaint (all of the car, not only the engine). A share, not a failure rate.
When problems show up
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 3,080 and 49,880 miles; the middle report was at 14,300 miles (185 complaints with a mileage).
Recalls that name this engine 0
No NHTSA recall on these cars and years names this engine.
NHTSA recalls on these cars and model years whose text names this engine (its size or name). The rest (brakes, air bags, wiring ...) are on each car year's page.
In owners' words
The tires were locking in lower gears similar to the other recalls with other models in a current recall. Transmission Control Valve Recall (NHTSA 24V797) We Had to unplug battery to be able to drive vehicle.
2021 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776977
While driving on freeway started losing speed and felt a sudden jolt/ break. This has happened three times in the last year. No accidents but can easily cause an accident.
2023 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776592
Pressed on the brake pedal while driving it went to the floor, warning lights illuminated and braking ability was severely decreased. Truck was limited to 45 mph. Hard to stop. Stopping distance greatly increased.
2023 owner · NHTSA complaint 11776495
Against the other everyday engines
| Engine | Years | Complaints | Name the engine | Stalled or lost power | Burning oil | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 EcoBoost | 2014–25 | 5,622 | 66% | 15% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 6.2 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 7,219 | 65% | 24% | 2.2% | 2 |
| 2.4 Theta II | 2010–22 | 21,551 | 51% | 20% | 8.1% | 8 |
| 2.4 Ecotec | 2010–17 | 6,096 | 51% | 21% | 18% | 0 |
| 3.0 EcoDiesel | 2014–23 | 2,871 | 50% | 24% | 0.2% | 7 |
| 3.3 Lambda II | 2013–21 | 3,254 | 50% | 17% | 5.9% | 2 |
| 2.0 EcoBoost | 2012–25 | 9,735 | 48% | 12% | 0.1% | 0 |
| 2.0T Theta II | 2011–22 | 3,325 | 44% | 18% | 4.8% | 2 |
| 1.4 Turbo | 2011–22 | 3,926 | 39% | 17% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 2.4 Tigershark | 2014–22 | 9,631 | 35% | 34% | 4.5% | 5 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2016–25 | 4,471 | 33% | 27% | 0.3% | 1 |
| EA888 2.0T | 2009–25 | 7,443 | 29% | 16% | 3.7% | 5 |
| A25A | 2018–25 | 2,979 | 26% | 12% | under 0.1% | 1 |
| 1.5 Turbo | 2017–22 | 6,390 | 26% | 14% | 0.2% | 0 |
| J35 V6 | 2003–25 | 24,038 | 24% | 14% | 0.9% | 4 |
| Skyactiv-G 2.5 | 2014–25 | 2,631 | 22% | 11% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 2.7 Turbo | 2019–25 | 1,090 | 22% | 12% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 2AZ-FE | 2001–09 | 7,176 | 22% | 3.7% | 8.6% | 0 |
| 5.4 Triton | 2005–14 | 3,952 | 21% | 15% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 5.7 HEMI | 2003–24 | 23,895 | 19% | 23% | 0.1% | 6 |
| QR25DE | 2002–20 | 16,161 | 19% | 14% | 1.5% | 4 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen V) | 2014–25 | 13,191 | 18% | 13% | 0.5% | 3 |
| 3.6 Pentastar | 2011–25 | 34,634 | 18% | 16% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 2.3 EcoBoost | 2015–25 | 3,975 | 16% | 9.9% | 0.1% | 12 |
| 3.8 Lambda II | 2020–25 | 4,423 | 16% | 8.0% | 5.6% | 0 |
| FB20 | 2012–25 | 2,336 | 15% | 8.2% | 1.7% | 0 |
| 3.6 V6 | 2009–23 | 14,214 | 14% | 14% | 0.1% | 1 |
| K24 | 2002–19 | 15,062 | 14% | 5.1% | 1.6% | 0 |
| 2GR-FKS | 2016–24 | 3,758 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 3.5 Cyclone V6 | 2007–19 | 21,313 | 12% | 11% | 0.1% | 0 |
| VQ35 V6 | 2002–25 | 12,613 | 12% | 11% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 3UR-FE | 2007–21 | 1,377 | 12% | 8.8% | 0.4% | 0 |
| FB25 | 2011–25 | 9,853 | 11% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0 |
| 2AR-FE | 2009–18 | 4,673 | 11% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 2GR-FE | 2005–18 | 8,680 | 10% | 3.5% | 0.3% | 0 |
| 3.8 V6 | 2007–11 | 7,877 | 9% | 17% | 0.5% | 0 |
| 5.3 V8 (Gen IV) | 2007–14 | 9,241 | 8% | 4.5% | 1.3% | 0 |
| 1GR-FE | 2003–24 | 5,757 | 7% | 4.0% | under 0.1% | 0 |
| 4.8 V8 | 2007–13 | 726 | 6% | 4.8% | 0.1% | 0 |
Shares of each engine's own complaints, matched by VIN. They show what owners complain about, not how often engines break.
Quick answers
Is the GM 2.7 Turbo (L3B) reliable?
No one reports sales by engine, so there's no per-car score. Of the 1,090 complaints owners filed about cars with it, 22% name the engine, #17 of the 39 everyday engines we track (1 = the most).
What cars have the GM 2.7 Turbo (L3B)?
In our data: the Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon and GMC Sierra, model years 2019–2025, matched by the VIN in each owner complaint.
What are the most common 2.7 Turbo problems?
In owner complaints to the government: electrical, engine, transmission & drivetrain.
How many recalls name the 2.7 Turbo?
0 NHTSA recalls on these cars name it.
Complaints: NHTSA owner complaints filed under each car's own NHTSA names (the same ones its car pages count), all years filed, one per complaint number. Engine: decoded from the complaint's VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (displacement, cylinders, engine model, turbo, hybrid) and the engine maker's model years; a VIN that doesn't decode to exactly one engine is left out. Older cars have had more years to collect complaints, and popular cars draw more because more were sold. Source: NHTSA owner complaints (FLAT_CMPL + COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED_2025-2026), received through 20261111; engines: NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (batch); NHTSA recalls API. Engine names and model years: GM.