The Lemon Index
Chevrolet's 5.7 L and 6.0 L naturally aspirated V8, pushrod in the Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Corvette, TrailBlazer SS and Saab 9-7X Aero, model years 1997–2009. YouTube likes the 2005 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 46/100, #103 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Chevrolet Corvette (C5), (C6)20002001200220032004200520062007
- Cadillac CTS Cadillac CTS-V2004200520062007
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Why the car pages show more: the Camaro SS page counts 192 complaints and 5 recall campaigns for 2000–2002, everything NHTSA files as "Camaro", other engines included; the CTS-V page counts 987 complaints and 10 recall campaigns for 2004–2007, everything NHTSA files as "Cts", other engines included. This page counts only the 2,976 complaints and 1 recall we can tie to the GM LS1 / LS6 / LS2 by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2005 (51) and least about the 2003 (41); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Corvette (C5) | 153 | 44 (73 videos) | 0 |
| 1998 | Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am | 407 | 43 (73 videos) | 0 |
| 1999 | Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am | 308 | 43 (74 videos) | 0 |
| 2000 | Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am | 279 | 44 (74 videos) | 0 |
| 2001 | Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am | 207 | 42 (77 videos) | 0 |
| 2002 | Corvette (C5), Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am | 157 | 46 (76 videos) | 0 |
| 2003 | Corvette (C5) | 85 | 41 (71 videos) | 0 |
| 2004 | Corvette (C5), Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V | 467 | 43 (83 videos) | 1 |
| 2005 | Corvette, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V | 693 | 51 (34 videos) | 1 |
| 2006 | Corvette, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, TrailBlazer SS | 219 | 49 (54 videos) | 1 |
| 2007 | TrailBlazer SS, Cadillac CTS-V, Corvette | 1 | 48 (38 videos) | 1 |
| 2008 | TrailBlazer SS, Saab 9-7X Aero | 0 | 49 (36 videos) | 0 |
| 2009 | TrailBlazer SS, Saab 9-7X Aero | 0 | 49 (36 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 1
None of them is about the engine itself.
15V225000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Cadillac CTS-V 2004–07
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Chevrolet told dealers about
Chevrolet sent dealers 168 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- This informational bulletin provides information internal engine noise or damage after oil filter replacement
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a…
- This informational bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake…
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Piston slap (cold-start knock) (Enthusiast outlet). A knock or tick on cold starts that fades as the engine warms is common on the LS1. The outlet calls it noisy but not harmful when it goes away warm. Fix: Usually left alone; a noise that stays when warm needs a leak-down test. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (4th gen (F-body) Camaro SS).
- Oil consumption (Enthusiast outlet). Worn piston ring seals and piston-to-wall clearance can lead to high oil use and blow-by. Fix: Check the level between changes; a ring job is the real fix. 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (4th gen (F-body) Camaro SS).
- Water pump leaks (Enthusiast outlet). The water pump gasket and shaft can leak or fail, often around 100,000 miles. Fix: Replace the gasket or the pump.
- Fuel pump module can overheat (Recall). On 2004–2007 CTS-Vs the fuel pump module's electrical terminals can overheat and melt the flange. Fuel can then leak, and the car can stall. Fix: Dealers replace the fuel module and tank jumper harness free (NHTSA 14V-542). 65 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (1st gen CTS-V).
- No mechanical engine pattern found (Owner-reported). The sources used here document no recurring LS6 or LS2 mechanical failure in the CTS-V. For 2006 GM did fit a stronger rear differential and half-shafts.
Sources: 8020 Automotive: 5 common GM LS1 engine problems, NHTSA recall 14V-542: 2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V fuel pump module (Sep 2014), Wikipedia: Cadillac CTS (CTS-V sections). The same list as on the Camaro SS page, the CTS-V page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette (C5) Corvette · Chevrolet Corvette, every year | 1997–04 |
| Chevrolet Camaro Z28 / SS Camaro · Chevrolet Camaro, every year | 1998–02 |
| Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am Firebird, Firebird/Formula, Firebird/Trans Am | 1998–02 |
| Pontiac GTO GTO | 2004–06 |
| Cadillac CTS-V CTS-V · Cadillac CTS, every year | 2004–07 |
| Chevrolet Corvette (C6) Corvette · Chevrolet Corvette, every year | 2005–07 |
| Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS TrailBlazer 2WD, TrailBlazer AWD | 2006–09 |
| Saab 9-7X Aero 9-7X AWD | 2008–09 |
Engine codes: LS1, LS6 (5.7), LS2 (6.0). Power: 305–405 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: LS based GM small-block engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the GM LS1 / LS6 / LS2 engine?
In the US: the Chevrolet Corvette (C5), Chevrolet Camaro Z28 / SS, Pontiac Firebird Formula / Trans Am, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, Saab 9-7X Aero, model years 1997–2009. See the version table for each one.
Is the GM LS1 / LS6 / LS2 reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 46/100, #103 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below. Owners filed 2,976 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Its cars had 1 recalls (0 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the GM LS1 / LS6 / LS2 make?
305–405 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.