I was slavish to the OLM to guide oil changes during the original warranty
A major contributor to premature timing chain codes, was the advent of extended life oil change intervals around the second gen. Part of the recall involved shortening the change intervals, as some motors across nearly all of the GM line used oil at a considerable rate, leading to some running low on oil well short of the oil life monitor percentage for change. Some owners mistook the oil life monitor, for the oil level monitor and never checked the oil level. I remember reading up on the SAAB cars around 09 and being amazed by stated oil change interval potential as long as 12k miles. By the time the LFX rolled around, pretty much everyone knew that was nonsense and no doubt LFX motors see much better care as a result of the timing chain scare that preceded them.
I don't recall any fuss with premature timing chain failures until the LLT. The significance there is that this was the induction model for direct injection and change from roller to silent chain design. An important side effect to DI motors and long oil change intervals, is fuel dilution of the oil and prolonged exposure to internal parts to the diluted motor oil. The LFX was never subjected to some of the most critical circumstances of the LLT dilemma, which prompted the changes. My Mom's car is an 07 Aura LY7, silent chain, well maintained. My 08 LLT chains were replaced at a little over 175k with no timing codes. It was a hwy car. The chains were visibly elongated by comparison (they don't stretch, they wear at the link pins), but the car still ran strong prior to that. VVT made that possible.
We will always hear about the problems, but few will come on just to say how good their car has been running after so many miles and there are lots of'em.
