Cadillac Escalade Complaints

1,865 consumer complaints on file.

#11711605January 17, 2026
ENGINE
The engine valvetrain is suspected, specifically an AFM (Active Fuel Management) lifter or related lifter/oil control component. The vehicle and affected components are intact and available for inspection upon request. An unresolved internal engine malfunction presents a risk of sudden power loss, engine damage, or stalling while driving, which could increase the risk of a collision, particularly at highway speeds or in traffic. The issue has been reproduced consistently by the vehicle owner. Diagnostic work has been performed by independent parties, including inspection of the exhaust system, belts, and valvetrain components. Further confirmation by a dealer has not yet occurred. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Independent mechanical inspection and repairs have been performed. No warning lamps or messages were displayed. Symptoms include a delayed chirping/ticking noise beginning approximately 20–30 seconds after engine startup, which is repeatable and changes with engine load and cylinder deactivation behavior.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710855January 14, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact then observed smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle through the vents from the engine and turned off the vehicle. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence, inspected the vehicle, and determined that the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710600January 13, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal sounds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the year and VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,571.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710467January 12, 2026
ENGINE
Component/System Failure: The engine experienced catastrophic failure related to Recall N252494000 (NHTSA 25V-274), resulting in complete loss of power and immediate engine shutdown. The original engine was removed and replaced by the Cadillac dealership. The failed engine should be in possession of the dealer or manufacturer and should be available for inspection upon request per manufacturer retention policies. Safety Risk: The vehicle lost all power while traveling at highway speed on Highway 70 with three children and two adults in the vehicle. I was forced to coast into a center turning lane between oncoming traffic in both directions, with no ability to accelerate or move out of traffic. The shutdown occurred without warning, creating a high risk of rear-end or head-on collision. Loss of life was narrowly avoided. Confirmation of Failure: The failure was confirmed by an authorized Cadillac dealership, which determined the vehicle was affected by the active engine recall and replaced the engine under recall service, confirming the failure matched the known defect. Inspections: The vehicle was inspected by the Cadillac dealership acting on behalf of the manufacturer. No police or insurance inspection occurred since no collision took place and the issue was handled through recall repair. Warnings or Symptoms: There were no prior warning lights or drivability symptoms. While driving, a message stating “not safe to drive” appeared, and within approximately five seconds the engine shut off completely. There was no abnormal engine noise before shutdown. After failure, the vehicle could not be restarted, turned off, or shifted and automatically placed itself into park.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710385January 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I am reporting serious and repeated safety defects involving loss of vehicle control in my 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum. The vehicle has experienced multiple incidents of uncommanded braking (“phantom braking”) while driving at approximately 45 mph with no driver input and no obstacles present. The vehicle has also slammed on the brakes while reversing into a parking space, then became locked and would not move until shifted into PARK and reset, leaving me stuck in the roadway. In another incident, while stopped at a traffic light with the vehicle in DRIVE, the vehicle shifted itself into PARK without any driver input. Additionally, the vehicle has produced uncommanded system activity while powered off overnight, followed by a “Service 4 Wheel Drive” warning. These incidents represent loss of vehicle control and create a serious risk of collision, injury, or death. The issues have occurred multiple times, are intermittent, and have not been repaired despite dealer inspection. The vehicle is unsafe to operate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710307January 12, 2026
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. While the contact's wife was driving 70 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while a tractor-trailer was driving closely behind the vehicle. The contact stated that an error code indicated a failure with the fuel pump drive module. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The contact referenced an unknown recall which had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710220January 11, 2026
STEERING
System that failed/malfunctioned: power steering (EPS) system How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Power steering went out while driving. Steering wheel immediately became stiff and made it extremely to turn the wheel in either direction. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem was confirmed at an independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Others. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were NO warning messages or other symptoms prior to failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709410January 7, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I purchased this vehicle on October 20, 2025. I took it to the Cadillac dealership and was told a list of over 20 issues involving the vehicle. The tires have holes in them. The suspension is at Rick of failing, wiring and components are missing. The night vision camera and radars on the vehicle and not functioning. I was told this vehicle should not have been on a lot to be sold.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709355January 7, 2026
ENGINE
The check engine light has been coming on intermittently and the engine has felt rough operating. On December 23, 2025, despite the absence of an illuminated "Check Engine Light", I was driving the vehicle when it suddenly lost power/acceleration in the middle of a busy street, which caused me to nearly get into an accident. I brought the vehicle into the Dealership on 12/29/25, and is still there as of 1/7/26. The Dealership has hooked my car up to the scanner, which found code P0300, and they indicated that it's showing a history of misfires across all cylinders. The Dealership has said that they cannot fix the car because they cannot get the Engine Light to illuminate and because as of 1/7/26, my VIN is not included in part of the widespread Engine recall. My vehicle poses an extreme safety risk to drive, and I do not feel comfortable driving it, knowing that the Engine is misfiring and could lose acceleration or power at any moment and without warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709119January 6, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle tires were swaying
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708639January 4, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle: 2024 Cadillac EscaladenV VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~31,000 miles On December 29, 2025 at approximately 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time, while driving at Approximately 30 mph under normal operating conditions, the front panoramic sunroof glass of my 2024 Cadillac Escalade V catastrophically shattered without warning. Ambient temperature was approximately 21°F. Weather conditions included freezing rain and high winds. The vehicle interior was heated. The interior sunshade was closed at the time of failure. The vehicle was equipped with a roof rack and a mounted cargo box positioned directly above the sunroof plane, providing physical shielding of the glass from above. There was no collision, no road debris strike, and no external object interaction. The glass failure was sudden and explosive. After safely pulling over and retracting the interior sunshade to assess the damage, glass fragments fell into the passenger compartment and struck both front occupants. Two children seated in the second row were not injured. Visual inspection shows no identifiable impact point, crater, or localized strike origin. Fracture patterns appear to originate near the perimeter of the glass panel, suggesting possible stress related or installation related failure rather than impact damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708250January 1, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On Tuesday, [XXX] at approximately [XXX], my 2025 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a sudden and complete failure of multiple critical safety and control systems while in motion. My wife was driving downhill toward a stoplight with our two toddlers in the vehicle when the incident occurred. Without warning, all dashboard alerts illuminated simultaneously, including brake, engine, collision, and steering warnings. At the same time, the vehicle lost braking capability, power steering assist, electronic gear shifting, and emergency brake functionality. The vehicle continued moving downhill with no functional means of controlled stopping. Because the vehicle was approaching an intersection at the bottom of the hill, a collision would have been unavoidable if the traffic signal had been red. The only way to stop the vehicle was to leave the roadway and pull into dirt, using terrain resistance to bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle became inoperable and required towing. This was not a degraded performance or warning condition; it was a complete loss of control over a moving vehicle. The failure placed the occupants, including young children, at immediate risk of serious injury or death. The vehicle was towed to North County Buick Cadillac GMC Service and remains under evaluation. A GM safety escalation case has been opened (GM Case #[XXX]). Due to the severity of this incident, trust in the vehicle’s safety is permanently lost INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707451December 29, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Significant fuel leak coming from top of fuel tank
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705426December 16, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Vehicle was running with the driver side door open and driver out of vehicle. The vehicle slipped out of gear and reversed quickly. Driver went to get back in while moving backwards to try and stop vehicle. The driver got smashed between the garage and vehicle door. The vehicle door hyperextended and caused damage/injury to driver. The emergency brake did not come on until after the accident. Prior to this happening recalls were not preformed due to GM advising us that our vehicle was not next to get it done. Throughout ownership the vehicle has slipped out of gear two other times. We took it in each time and were told it shouldn’t happen again and they could not replicate. GM did an inspection after and fixed recalls and told us they would not assist us with damage or any compensation.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11705216December 15, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle showed error on the dash for all various systems. It told me those systems required service. I parked the truck and it locked me out of it. OnStar could not open the doors, they kept telling me the truck was unlocked. My app could not open the doors. I called roadside and they showed me how to remove the cover on drive side handle and insert the manual key. The lock turned but the vehicle would not unlock due to the automatic doors. We had to insert an airbag and Jimmy open the door by hooking the interior door handle. The issue is this vehicle will lock you out of your car in an emergency. With the key you cannot unlock the doors. Luckily I only had dinner stuck in the car. I have little children and my fear is they will be locked in the truck if this happens. In the event of an emergency there is no way to get into the truck without smashing windows. The running boards in this mode disappear which makes it even more challenging to break the window and get over and inside. This is a very serious and dangerous design by Cadillac on the Escalade 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703647December 8, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally loud motor sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle unexpectedly shut off while in a parking lot and failed to restart after several attempts. The contact was picked by her husband. The contact stated that her husband later returned to the vehicle and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair and passed a vehicle inspection, and the dealer added a higher viscosity oil, installed an oil fill cap, replaced the oil filter, and updated the Owner’s Manual. The contact stated that two weeks later, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered there was no oil in the engine. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to operate. The dealer that had serviced the recall was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was serviced according to the recall. The mechanic informed the contact that the dealer had possibly drained the oil and refilled it with 0W-40 oil to pass the recall inspection and not have to replace the engine. The contact asked the dealer if the practice was performed during the recall repair, and the dealer avoided answering the question. The contact stated that a service member from the dealer arrived at the residence to top off the engine oil. The dealer suggested that an oil consumption test be performed every 1,000 miles to monitor the oil consumption. The contact stated that the recall remedy was insufficient and failed to properly address the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703244December 5, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that upon approaching the parked vehicle, he discovered that all the air bags had deployed without impact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the air bag deployment. The contact then discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags). The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702857December 3, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 09-15-25, My 2023 Cadillac Escalade passed the PicoScope test that was performed at the Randy Marion Cadillac Dealership, located at 4700 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, Fl., in reference to the 6.2 engine recall. After the engine oil change and oil filler cap replacement, the dealership failed to provide the insert for the owner's manual and had no idea what I was talking about. As a result, I'm asking that an owner's manual insert be mailed to my home address. Thanks!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702635December 3, 2025
ENGINE
We took the vehicle in for the recall inspection. They pass it and changed the oil. Weeks later, as I was driving home (was on holiday vacation in another state), the engine failed immediately. I was able to get it to the side of the road but the engine would not properly run. Had to call the tow truck and hauled back to the dealership near my home of record.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702482December 2, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate a failure. Recently, the contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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