Owners have filed 1,547 complaints on the Cadillac Escalade, covering 1999–2026. The system named most often is Air Bags (317 reports). Worst years by volume: 2007, 2008, 2023; cleanest: 2001, 2026, 2020. 77 reports describe a crash, 45 a fire, 10 a death. On average the car was 6.0 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Cadillac Escalade
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 1,547 Escalade complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Air Bags 317 Read
Was at red light my light turned green proceed threw the light, another vechile ran the red light hitting my car at 50 mph. Sending the car into a 360 air bags did not deploy and on star never called
On [XXX], my wife and I were stopped in traffic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at approximately 7:35pm. Another vehicle failed to stop due to being distracted on his phone and rear ended my 2022 Cadillac Escalade. My wife and I were both injured. None of our airbags deployed and the On-Star system never came on and never…
On 2/21/23, at 1245, I hit the rear bumper of my 2021 Cadillac Escalade when I backed up after I had scraped the driver side of my door panel as I drive thru a gated parking area. I started driving forward, turned left onto the back row of parking area. Suddenly the car accelerated very fast like from 0-60 mph. I…
Engine 249 Read
I was driving down the [xxx] in detroit mi and my engine locked up and the vehicle shut off while I was driving 70 mph this is the second time my engine locked up while driving this vehicle information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
Our 2016 escalade with 20,000 miles had the tail pipe corrode and fall of the vehicle. The rear bumper was subject to excessive exhaust heat which subsequently melted the bumper and back-up sensors. If the issue wasn't noticed, a major thermal event could have occurred and the truck could have been a total loss.…
I started the car and noticed a smell. Then my red battery light came on and a notification that my battery was not charging. I drove less than a mile and noticed smoke under my hood. I pulled over to a safe place and opened the hood to see flames around my alternator
Electrical System 218 Read
This is the component that failed Parts Passenger Side Instrument Panel Wiring Harness Junction Block GM Part # 84114433 Component combustion Yes, the burning of the component has been confirmed Not checked - Just replace the component only No warning lights appeared
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…
I was in accident on the interstate. None of the safety features activated. The truck was sliding instead of stopping. The emergency stop and braking never activated. The distance sensor failed. The airbag didn’t deploy and Onstar never called about a crash alert
Power Train 136 Read
I purchased the vehicle two weeks ago. As we were driving on the freeway the car would not accelerate and it started making a clanking noise and then the cab filled with smoke. We pulled over and exited the vehicle. My husband opened the hood and saw a fire. He quickly put out the fire with 3 stanley cups of water. My…
The contact owns a 2017 cadillac escalade. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled away independently. As a result the vehicle was involved in a rear end collision. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed operable. Hove nissan (1405 n kinzie ave, bourbonnais, il) was unable to…
Known transmission issue which causes the vehicle to to buck and surge when you pull up to ta stop light, stop sign, on highway,or in traffic. Extremely dangerous. Dealer states that this is a known condition with no fix. Dealer describes issues with some vehicles worse than others. General manager of colonial…
Service Brakes 123 Read
The contact owns a 2007 cadillac escalade. While driving she crashed into a tree. The entire front-end of the vehicle was damaged, and none of the air bags deployed. Consequently she received injuries to her neck. A police report was filed. Also the front brake pads fractured within the first two months of purchasing…
Brake/abs system locked up on me and I couldn’t stop. I accidentally hit someone from behind and was proven to be an accident. My traction light my abs light and my brake light all came on at the same time right before I wrecked. The suv swerves over to the other lane randomly while on the interstate and does stop on…
When braking at 25 mph brakes failed causing extended stopping distance which resulted in an accident. Consumer sustained injuries. Vehicle was towed. *ak
Suspension 66 Read
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would drive rough. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the struts and shocks replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and…
L/f ball joint failure tire fell off
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2025 Cadillac Escalade, which experienced a catastrophic engine failure while being driven on a public roadway with approximately 13,000 miles on the vehicle. While traveling from [XXX] to [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly lost power while in motion. A warning message appeared…
Steering 58 Read
While driving the 2018 escalade esv RWD on interstate 87 north yesterday, driving about 33mph, the escalade suddenly swerved left and slid into the median and then rolled over on its roof. After the accident, I noted I had received diagnostic onstar emails that morning while driving that the vehicle stabilitrak and…
I was driving on a two lane highway and I suddenly lost control of the steering wheel. The steering wheel became very hard to maneuver causing me to veer out of my lane causing a crash. The airbags also did not deploy fully causing me to have a dislocated shoulder and broken ribs. The car also caught on fire during…
The contact owns a 2015 cadillac escalade. The contact stated while exiting a parking spot, when the vehicle seized. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was tot drivable. The vehicle was towed orr cadillac located at 8750 business park dr, shreveport, la 71105, (318) 798-7250, where it was…
Engine And Engine Cooling 56 Read
In the early hours of august 15th 2016 my cadillac escalade 2016, VIN [xxx], caught fire while staying parked (stationary) all night. As per the pictures taken by the neighbors, the escalade tuned into a huge fire ball and burned the truck down to ashes. It also burned down two other cars parked behind it and the…
2007 model cadillac escalade while parked in a garage, not driven for about 2 days caught fire all on its own and burnt down causing extensive damage to property and other vehicles
The contact owns a 2024 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…
Escalade years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Electrical System,engine,forward Collision Avoidance | — | — | |
| 2025 | Electrical System,forward Collision Avoidance | — | — | |
| 2024 | Electrical System,exterior Lighting,engine | — | — | |
| 2023 | Air Bags | 2 | — | |
| 2022 | Air Bags,structure,forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 1 | |
| 2021 | Air Bags,structure,service Brakes | 2 | 1 | |
| 2020 | Electrical System,service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | — | |
| 2018 | Electrical System | 1 | 1 | |
| 2017 | Electrical System | 2 | 1 | |
| 2016 | Air Bags | 2 | 3 | |
| 2015 | Air Bags | 4 | 3 | |
| 2014 | Air Bags | 3 | 1 | |
| 2013 | Air Bags | — | 1 | |
| 2012 | Air Bags | 2 | — | |
| 2011 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2010 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2009 | Air Bags | 1 | 1 | |
| 2008 | Air Bags | 5 | 6 | |
| 2007 | Air Bags | 11 | 6 | |
| 2006 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2005 | Air Bags | 4 | 1 | |
| 2004 | Air Bags | 9 | 6 | |
| 2003 | Air Bags | 5 | 4 | |
| 2002 | Air Bags | 8 | 6 | |
| 2001 | Fuel System, Gasoline | — | — | |
| 2000 | Air Bags | 6 | 2 | |
| 1999 | Air Bags | 2 | — |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 828 |
| Average complaints per series | 1.9 |
| Worst single series | 18 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 6.0 years |
A model average of 1.9 hides a worst series at 18. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Escalade?
By complaint volume, 2007, 2008, 2023 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Escalade years are the cleanest?
2001, 2026, 2020 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Cadillac Escalade have?
1,547 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 1999–2026. Of those, 77 describe a crash and 45 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.