Cadillac Escalade Complaints

358 consumer complaints on file.

#11724838March 17, 2026
ENGINE, SEAT BELTS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I SCHEDULED SERVICE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL. AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE AS SCHEDULED THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SAFETY COVERED RECALLS AND STATED DUE TO THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A BRANDED TITLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723318March 10, 2026
ENGINE
There was a recall on my Cadillac Escalade regarding the engine. We had the vehicle inspected in the fall and were told that our engine was not affected and was safe to operate. However, on Sunday, March 8, the engine suddenly failed while I was driving on an exit ramp with children in the car. There were no warning lights or prior indications of a problem. I took the appropriate steps to have the vehicle evaluated under the recall, yet we were still placed in a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation due to the engine failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723005March 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
- What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rearview backup camera system seems to be misaligned or improperly calibrated or connecting to the wrong camera when put into reverse. When the vehicle is placed in reverse, the camera image points downward and primarily shows the rear bumper rather than the area behind the vehicle. This significantly limits the rear field of view that the camera is intended to provide. -How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Because the backup camera view points downward and does not clearly show the area behind the vehicle, it does not show me pedestrians, small children, vehicles or objects directly behind the vehicle when reversing. This creates a risk of backing into a person, vehicle, or object because the driver cannot rely on the camera display to safely check the rear area. - Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The dealership did confirm that this is an issue and advised me that they could not figure out what the problem is and sent me on my way without resolution. -Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The component has been inspected by the dealership. They confirmed it has an issue by comparing the view with another Escalade. -Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps, messages, or alerts appeared prior to or during the issue. The backup camera display functions normally but consistently shows an incorrect downward viewing angle that primarily displays the rear bumper instead of the area behind the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721576March 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
My 2022 Cadillac Escalade Sports Platinum has shut down several times while I'm driving, and recently it started shifting into neutral on its own. I have three kids, and my whole family was in the car when this happened. Once, it shut down and shifted to neutral as I was crossing a busy street at night. I was really scared that someone might hit us because it was hard to see. I will take the SUV to the dealer for an engine inspection because of a recall. This problem is very frightening and could put lives at risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721178February 28, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Roads were dry. Sunny conditions. Driving approximately 55 mph in fast lane. Vehicle brakes locked up for approximately one second. There was no collision warning and no vehicle in front of us. We pulled over to disengage all collision and emergency brake functions. Driver and passengers were all shocked and had pain from tension in neck and back. Had roads been icy this could have led to a multiple vehicle accident with severe injuries or fatalities.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720374February 25, 2026
ENGINE
On 2/21/26, while driving approximately 60 mph, my car experienced a sudden loss of propulsion. The vehicle unexpectedly shifted into neutral and began decelerating, displaying a prompt instructing me to press the start button. I was able to coast to the shoulder and avoid a collision, but the incident occurred in active highway traffic on a Saturday afternoon and posed a significant safety risk. The vehicle had completed manufacturer recall service related to engine propulsion concerns less than 90 days prior to this event and had PASSED the associated safety checks. Approximately 5,000 miles had been driven since that service without prior warning signs. Given the nature of the failure and its occurrence after recall completion, I am concerned that the recall remedy may not adequately address the safety defect. A loss of propulsion at highway speed could reasonably result in serious injury or death. Cadillac has NOW agreed to replace my engine, but they didn't replace it when they had the chance in November. The recall parameters failed me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720278February 24, 2026
ENGINE
On 2/17/2026 , while driving to work at 55 mph , the engine quit and dash board said to restart engine. Could not restart engine and had Cadillac Escalade towed to Gerry Lane Cadillac in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . Today 2/24/2026 , we received a call from dealership stating that it needs a new engine. (6.2 liter engine ) It may be a month before we get our Escalade back.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11720079February 24, 2026
ENGINE
GM issued a special coverage in bulletin N252508341 for the coolant control valve in my vehicle. This issue happened to my vehicle exactly as the symptoms are stated in the bulletin: check engine light, P1098 code, fan running at high speed with the engine on and off, and reduced acceleration. I took the vehicle to the dealer to be covered, and they say my vehicle is not covered by the bulletin. To be clear, the bulletin covers 2021-2023 Cadillac Escalades with the LM2 3.0L Duramax engine. My vehicle is a 2021 Cadillac Escalade with a LM2 3.0L Duramax engine. Which had all the issues and symptoms listed in the special coverage. Yet, they say it is not covered. This seems incredibly shady. And very wrong. Why in the world would they not be covering my vehicle? It seems unsafe to be driving a vehicle that has reduced acceleration, a fan constantly running at high speed, and a check engine light for malfunctioning parts. Faulty parts from GM which they have already acknowledged are bad.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719762February 22, 2026
ENGINE
My engine died 3 times so far. The first time it had 20,000 miles, I was driving on the freeway and my vehicle died. The dealer replaced the engine. The second time there was a recall for the engine, it had around 88,000 miles and the engine was replaced for a 2nd time. Note I’m at 94,000 miles and my car died on the freeway again. It has been at the dealer for more than a week and they haven’t even inspected it yet. This is definitely a safety concern, both times that it stopped I was on the freeway, things could have been much worse.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719336February 20, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
ON FEBRUARY 16, 2026, AROUND 4:30 P.M. WE WERE DRIVING OUR NEW CADILLAC ESCALADE SPORT V-SERIES WITH ONLY 900 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT AROUND 50 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY T IN FRANKLIN COUNTY TO OUR HOME FROM THE DOG GROOMER WITH OUR 2 LARGE BREED NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS WHO WEIGH 130 POUNDS EACH NAMED [XXX] AND SQUIGGY WHO WERE LAYING DOWN IN THE REAR CARGO AREA WITH THE 3RD ROW SEAT FOLDED DOWN WHEN I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT ANY ALERTS OR WARNING MESSAGES. THEN, SUDDENLY AGAIN WITHOUT ANY ALERTS OR WARNING THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON THE HIGHWAY THROWING US FORWARD INCLUDING [XXX] AND [XXX] INTO THE BACK SIDES OF OUR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBACKS. IF ANY OTHER MOTORISTS HAD BEEN FOLLOWING US CLOSELY THEY WOULD HAVE RISK COLLIDING WITH THE REAR BUMPER AREAS OF OUR VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF CHECKED TO MAKE SURE NO OTHER MOTORISTS WERE APPROACHING US WHILE STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE LESS THAN 1 MILE TO OUR HOME. WE UNLOADED [XXX] AND SQUIGGY WHO WERE LUCKILY NOT INJURED AFTER BEING THOWN FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKES UNEXPECTLY LOCKED UP AND CALLED ELCO CADILLAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS WE HAD ABOUT THE ENGINE SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND THE SUDDEN UNEXPECTED HARD BRAKING EVENT WE JUST EXPERIENCED AND THAT WE'D BE DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 10 MILES FROM OUR HOME TO DROP OFF THE ESCALADE TO DETRERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY CODES IN THE COMPUTER IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES WE ENCOUNTERED. WHEN WE ARRIVED ABOUT 5:45 THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AND THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A RATTLING NOISE. AS WE PULLED UP TO THE AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR SERVICE ENTRY THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AS WE ROLLED INSIDE SERVICE ENTRANCE. NOTED ON LINE 2 OF ELCO ESTIMATE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719087February 19, 2026
ENGINE
Rod/Main bearing Debris Causing block damage Engine needs rebuild/ replace
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719071February 19, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Engine needs to be replaced or rebuilt Also the fuel pump power control nodule failed
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718962February 18, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Traveling on interstate preparing to exit on ramp. Press start button displayed, car immediately sounded like it geared down hard and then lost power, unable to control well, all I could do to come to a safe stop, while praying that the car behind me didn’t hit me. The car basically locked up while preparing to exit the interstate. So scary, terrifying and dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718688February 18, 2026
ENGINE
Engine stopped working. Dealer is replacing engine, starter and battery fuse box.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718447February 17, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2025 Cadillac Escalade. While driving 55 MPH on the highway, the vehicle experienced sudden and catastrophic engine failure. The contact was able to pull over safely onto the service road. The oil pressure and temperature messages were displayed at the time of the failure. Upon research, the failure was linked to NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about a buyback; however, the manufacturer declined to buy back the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717705February 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
On February 12, 2026, while driving my 2026 Cadillac Escalade from Corpus Christi to Portland, Texas, I encountered a severe safety issue. While driving on the bridge, the engine started making a loud knocking noise and then abruptly stopped working, causing the vehicle to turn off in the middle of traffic. I have only had my vehicle for a total of 55 days, and the mileage on my vehicle is 2,455 miles. This incident highlights a critical motor failure that poses a significant safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717346February 11, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, STEERING
On September 8, 2024, while traveling approximately 75 mph on Interstate 4 with my wife and five children, this 2023 Cadillac Escalade experienced a sudden catastrophic loss of engine power following a hard shift. Steering, braking assist, and acceleration were effectively lost and the vehicle shifted into neutral without warning. We were nearly struck by a tractor-trailer while attempting to reach the shoulder and were stranded on the highway in unsafe heat for over an hour without roadside assistance. A dealership inspection confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure involving metal debris and spun bearings, requiring complete engine replacement and related component repairs under manufacturer direction. The vehicle was out of service for approximately 15 days. The failed components and repair documentation are available for inspection through the dealer and manufacturer. No prior warning lights or messages were present before the initial failure. On February 8, 2026, the replacement engine experienced a second sudden loss-of-power event. The day before, the vehicle briefly lost propulsion near 40 mph approaching a stoplight and restarted with difficulty. The following day, while backing from a parking space into an active roadway, the vehicle again lost propulsion and became disabled, nearly resulting in a collision with an approaching truck while surrounding traffic was forced to stop. This repeat failure of the engine/powertrain system has been reproduced and confirmed by a dealership and previously inspected by the manufacturer. The recurring sudden loss of propulsion without adequate warning creates a serious and ongoing safety hazard to occupants and surrounding motorists. The failed components and vehicle remain available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717280February 11, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714620January 30, 2026
ENGINE
The engine suddenly stalled while I was driving on a public road, creating an immediate safety hazard. The check‑engine light came on, and the dashboard warned of zero oil pressure. I had no choice but to have the vehicle towed to a Cadillac dealership. After their inspection, I was informed that the engine had catastrophically failed and required full replacement. This failure occurred right after the recall work was completed, during which I was assured the engine was healthy and the new oil‑ viscosity procedure had been performed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714515January 30, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH to the dealer, the vehicle experienced reduced engine power. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The VIN was associated with the recall. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 37,600.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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