The Lemon Index
Chevrolet's 6.2 L supercharged V8, pushrod in the Corvette ZR1 (C6), Cadillac CTS V / CTS-V and Camaro, model years 2009–2015. YouTube likes the 2013 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 52/100, #62 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 1 engine-related recall on record, 2 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Cadillac CTS Cadillac CTS-V2009201020112012201320142015
- Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C6)20092010201120122013
- Chevrolet Camaro ZL12012201320142015
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 19 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2009–2015, about any part of the car. Performance versions are mostly filed under their base model (a Shelby GT500 is filed as a Mustang), so we only count complaints whose model name or the owner's own words tie them to this engine, and lead with YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes.
Why the car pages show more: the Camaro ZL1 page counts 694 complaints and 9 recall campaigns for 2012–2015, everything NHTSA files as "Camaro", other engines included; the CTS-V page counts 667 complaints and 14 recall campaigns for 2009–2015, everything NHTSA files as "Cts", other engines included. This page counts only the 19 complaints and 1 recall we can tie to the GM LSA / LS9 6.2 supercharged by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2013 (54) and least about the 2014 (50); 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Corvette ZR1 (C6) | 2 | 52 (61 videos) | 0 |
| 2010 | Corvette ZR1 (C6), Cadillac CTS V / CTS-V | 3 | 51 (47 videos) | 0 |
| 2011 | Corvette ZR1 (C6) | 7 | 53 (57 videos) | 0 |
| 2012 | Corvette ZR1 (C6), Camaro | 2 | 51 (53 videos) | 0 |
| 2013 | Corvette ZR1 (C6), Camaro | 4 | 54 (57 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | Camaro, Cadillac CTS V / CTS-V | 0 | 50 (44 videos) | 1 |
| 2015 | Camaro | 1 | 50 (45 videos) | 1 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 1
1 of them is about the engine, fuel, cooling or powertrain. They come first.
20V038000 Power Train · Cadillac CTS-V 2014–15
The roll pins in the rear-axle differential may fracture.
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 83 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- This informational bulletin provides additional information on how to install pistons and suggest what tools…
- This preliminary information communication advises the technician that the e92 ecm restriction part number…
- 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
- Supercharger rattle at idle (Maker bulletin). GM found the supercharger on 2012–2013 ZL1s (and 2009–2013 CTS-Vs) can rattle at idle. Left alone, it can ruin the bearing grease and, in the worst case, stop the engine. Fix: Dealers replace the supercharger free under a special coverage of 10 years or 120,000 miles. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (2nd gen CTS-V).
- Low-rpm buzz on replacement superchargers (Maker bulletin). On cars with a replacement supercharger (solid coupling), a buzz at 800–900 rpm in second or third gear under load is normal, GM told dealers. Fix: No repair; GM said not to replace parts for this noise. 2 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (5th gen Camaro ZL1).
Sources: Motor Authority: GM identifies problem with supercharger on certain Cadillac CTS-V and Camaro ZL1 models (Jun 2014), GM bulletin PIP5192A: Supercharger rattle or buzz, 6.2L LSA, Cadillac CTS-V and Camaro (Sep 2014, NHTSA file). The same list as on the Camaro ZL1 page, the CTS-V page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C6) Corvette · Chevrolet Corvette, every year | 2009–13 |
| Cadillac CTS-V CTS V, CTS-V · Cadillac CTS, every year | 2010–14 |
| Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Camaro · Chevrolet Camaro, every year | 2012–15 |
Engine codes: LSA (CTS-V, Camaro ZL1), LS9 (Corvette ZR1). Power: 556–638 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: LS based GM small-block engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the GM LSA / LS9 6.2 supercharged engine?
In the US: the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C6), Cadillac CTS V / CTS-V, Chevrolet Camaro, model years 2009–2015. See the version table for each one.
Is the GM LSA / LS9 6.2 supercharged reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 52/100, #62 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 1 engine-related recall on record, 2 known issues listed below. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: the government files most performance versions under their base model. Its cars had 1 recalls (1 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the GM LSA / LS9 6.2 supercharged make?
556–638 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.