Cadillac Escalade Complaints

1,865 consumer complaints on file.

#11640875February 5, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the contact heard a loud ticking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640754February 4, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While my wife was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, her vehicle suddenly shut off without warning. Since there was no shoulder, she had to coast to find a safe place to pull over. All the dashboard lights came on, indicating what appeared to be an electrical issue. She attempted to restart the vehicle several times, but only received a message stating, “Battery low, needs charge.” She contacted OnStar, expecting prompt assistance, but the experience was far from what’s advertised. She waited a total of 45 minutes just to speak with someone, only to be transferred to another representative. Despite having paid for OnStar services when we purchased the vehicle, they refused to cover the towing charges because she was on a private highway, forcing her to pay out of pocket for a service we had already purchased. During this time, it was extremely cold and windy. My 5-year-old daughter and wife waited about an hour and a half for the tow truck to arrive, and then an additional two hours while the driver secured the vehicle onto the flatbed. Since the car was completely dead, they had no heat the entire time. When they stepped out of the car so the tow truck driver could load it, they discovered they couldn’t get back inside—the doors wouldn’t open due to the lack of power. This entire ordeal was not only frustrating but incredibly unsafe for them. Having the vehicle shut down without warning on a busy highway, especially with our young child in the car, was terrifying for them. After our vehicle was at the dealership for a week, we were informed that the engine needs to be replaced. We were shocked to learn that this is a common issue with GM’s 6.2 engines. To make matters worse, there is no estimated timeframe for the repair because the engine is on backorder. For reference, the truck only has 24,000 miles on it and has been exclusively serviced by authorized Cadillac dealers. This experience has been both disappointing and deeply concerning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640220February 2, 2025
ENGINE
pulled up to a gate and was waiting for it to open, no warning at all, the engine died while in drive. I restarted it, pulled up to a stop sign, waited my turn, the engine died again. I was on my way to get my daughter from school, but didn't feel like my Escalade would have made it. so I drove it to the shop to check the battery. It wasn't the battery so we took it to the dealership. So thankful it didn't happen while I was driving in traffic, without any warning, it could have ended badly. took it to the delearship, same thing happened to the mechanic when he was test driving it. He said it is a problem with the engine, and we will have to wait for at least a month for a complete engine replacement. No warnings at all before this happened. This incident happened on 1/29/25. The escalade has approximately 16k miles on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640025February 1, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Escalade would experience loss of acceleration 15-20mph under light/moderate throttle, appear to go in to neutral when going from 3rd to 4th (best I can tell,) and then slam in to gear. While doing 50-55mph Escalade would have a converter shudder or go in and out of neutral. This would leave me unable to accelerate if needed and would place me in a precarious position if I was turning out in traffic or needed change speeds. On a repeat trip to the dealer it was determined there was metal in the transmission pan and exact source of metal was not able to be identified. It never triggered a check engine light or any other visible warning. Transmission was replaced with partial cost assistance from Gm and is back to operating properly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639890January 31, 2025
ENGINE
I own a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. I was traveling on Interstate 75 to Tampa from Naples on Wednesday evening (01/29/25) when, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the check engine warning light illuminated. My vehicle suddenly lost power in the middle of the interstate and decelerated quickly. Thankfully, I was able to safely maneuver my vehicle from the fast lane to the shoulder of the interstate. I tried to re-start my vehicle as speeding traffic zoomed passed me. I was stuck on the interstate and afraid to get out of my vehicle for fear of being struck in the darkness. There were no warnings. My vehicle just shut off. I had my vehicle towed to a local Cadillac dealership. The mechanic who diagnosed my vehicle determined the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The local dealership stated the replacement engine is on backorder, and it may take weeks before my vehicle can be repaired. I now have a rental vehicle while I await for my vehicle to be repaired. Upon researching this issue online, I found NHTSA Investigation PE25001, where the manufacturer is investigating this engine failure issue. My vehicle mileage is approximately 28,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639702January 30, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side front door failed to unlock as intended. The contact stated that the driver's side front door failed to unlock from inside or outside the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the key fob was inside the vehicle at the time of the failure. The contact crawled to the front passenger's side to exit the vehicle. The contact stated that because of the failure, the contact had been locked inside and outside the vehicle several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639670January 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
We are experiencing the error code "Rear Axle System Off" multiple times per day with this vehicle. The code will appear and then disappear and the car will make beeps consistent with those heard when there is a fault code or error message with the vehicle. The "Rear Axle System Off" code does not stay on permanently. When this occurs, it can delay the acceleration of the vehicle, cause shaking, etc. which could result in an accident as a result therefore putting the driver, passengers and other drivers on the road at risk. This has been an ongoing issue with the vehicle and it has been taken in for service three (3) or four (4) times for this issue which cannot seem to be resolved. We have notified GM Corporate of such as well and they opened a case number on it when last in service. That is GM case #[XXX] for your reference. I have previously filed a report to the NHTSA for this due to GM's inability to fix this issue after multiple attempts. The issue number assigned by the NHSTA was #11621174 for your reference. We have taken the vehicle to the dealer on multiple occasions and they have not been able to correct this issue. The dealer is Ed Morse Cadillac in Delray Beach, FL. The dealer claims that there have been no codes stored in the system when taken in previously and/or have not been able to replicate the issue. We find this hard to believe given that it happens many times per day without much driving. We potentially drive approximately 20-25 miles per day and it generally happens anywhere between 6 - 10 times per day. The dealer referenced above (Ed Morse in Delray Beach, FL) has admitted to seeing or replicating the code in the past during one of the prior visits. We have our next appointment scheduled for Monday, [XXX] to try and resolve this recurring issue as the dealer did not have any availability prior to this date. 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
#11639247January 29, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I don’t know all I stopped driving it because it is not shifting right and I can’t ark it for some reason . I have to leave it in reverse and then turn off and put rocks so it does not move. Not safe, one day I drive 30 minutes later it is this way.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639361January 29, 2025
ENGINE
Engine start to make tick tick noise. Dealership diagnosed it with Main bearing failure. Replace the LT4 engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638738January 27, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving on the highway at 75 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly shut off. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 9,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638601January 26, 2025
ENGINE
Lifter failure resulting in a bent pushrod, camshaft, and piston damage. The engine was very dirty like the oil changes were neglected. I always changed the oil in 5,000 mile increments or less depending on driving conditions. The owners manual and oil filler specifies Mobil 1 5W30 oil. When I was working I always had the shop next door change the oil with Mobil 1. After I retired in 2019, I had the nearby GM dealer change the oil. I was unaware that they were substituting DEXOS oil which is not what the owners manual or fill cap specifies for this vehicle. This resulted in premature engine failure. With DEXOS you could be getting oil that is inferior to Mobil 1 full synthetic. See [XXX] 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
#11638229January 24, 2025
ENGINE
While driving on the interstate at 80 mph, my vehicle switched to neutral and began to decelerate. I could not shift back to drive. Thankfully I was able to maneuver through the busy interstate to pull over to the median. We almost triggered an accident due to the deceleration while in the fast lane. Once we were able to stop in the median, I had to turn off the vehicle because it would not change gears. The engine would not start and we were stuck in Park mode. The vehicle had to be towed from the median of the interstate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638220January 24, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated. The contact stated that after attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer informed the contact that the parts for the repair were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated the vehicle was towed to the dealer on several other occasions. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Investigation: PE25001. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637896January 23, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Truck goes into limp mode, reduced power, stuck in second gear, stabilitrak and engine lights. Took it to the Cadillac dealership and after 3100 dollars in repairs the truck is still doing it. If the high level techs can’t figure it out after 2000 in labor it’s should be a recall item.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638050January 23, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving home from getting groceries when all of a sudden the vehicle starts to make a loud noise from the engine (no warning lamps/lights or any messages popped up.) I proceeded to go home and call my husband and ask for his help with the problem. I recorded a video of the car and sent it to him, and he said that it sounded like the engine is knocking and told me to shut the car off and call the dealership to further discuss the situation with them. After calling the dealership they towed my car to get it diagnosed. It has been a month or so now since leaving my car with them and they still cannot diagnose the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637899January 23, 2025
ENGINE
I was driving my 2024 Escalade on the interstate at 80 mph when the vehicle started jolting and acting as if it was going to stop. My speed dropped from 80 to 55 while the screen started flashing "press start button", all while the vehicle was still running. Luckily I was able to cross 4 lanes of traffic and pull over on the shoulder. I was fortunate that I was not hit. I turned off the vehicle and then started it back up. Two days later, the vehicle was once again acting as if it didn't want to start/go. After a 40 minute trip, the vehicle died as I pulled into my driveway. It did start back up but the engine was making horrible sounds. I had to be towed to the dealership. I had no warning lamps prior to the flashing "press start button". The problem has been confirmed by the dealership. Engine failure. I need a completely new engine. This will soon be 8 weeks ago that my vehicle was towed. I have been in a rental since that day. The dealership says they have no updates as to when the engine will arrive. After tests done at the dealership, they did confirm that the problems were happening on longer trips. Most of my driving is around town, hence why I noticed the problems when I had been driving for 30 plus minutes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637676January 22, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, SERVICE BRAKES, SUSPENSION
At speeds of 50 mph and above, my vehicle does the death wobble. Any time I hit a tiny crack in the road, going higher speeds. The person that sold he this car knew it did not pass emissions in September 2024 and I bought it in November 2024. A dealership checked car fax for me after I bought it. And this person rolled back the odometer also. I found this out after I purchased it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637837January 22, 2025
ENGINE
We were driving our 2021 Escalade Cadillac on the highway and the check engine light came on and then 10 seconds later the engine completely stopped without any further warning. If we had not been right by a highway exit, we would have stopped right on the highway. When the engine stopped completely, everything was useless. We couldn't use the windows or locks or even put the car into neutral to roll it off the highway. It took 5 hours for a tow truck to get to us and we had to wait with the car the entire time because a window was rolled halfway down and we could not lock the car. Our car was towed back to Midland, TX and now requires a brand new engine. The engine is on back order and there is no expected date. We may not get our car back for months.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637788January 22, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving at approximately 80 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the vehicle failed to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637781January 22, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood. The contact stated that his wife was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and shut off the vehicle. The contact arrived on the scene with a local independent mechanic and became aware of the abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a collapsed lifter, 2 bent push rods, and that a rotor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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