Cadillac Escalade

Where it stands out against its peers

• Suspension: more complaints than 95% of 2016 cars — 14% of its 104 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ENGINE — 21 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 13 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 7 owners reported this
• SUSPENSION — 6 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS — 5 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 3 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• STEERING — 3 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 2 owners reported this
• SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN — 2 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

37% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  16V256000

  Inadequate welds may allow the control arm to separate from the bushing, compromising steering and increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left and right front upper control arms and realign the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2016. Until the repairs have been made, owners are advised not to drive their vehicles. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 42190.

• Do not drive

  26V289000

  Front or rear wheel lockup increases the risk of a crash.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transfer case assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N262557620. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 7, 2026.

• 13V001000

  As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.

• 14V007000

  The overheated exhaust components may melt nearby plastic parts and may result in an engine fire.

  General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the engine control module, free of charge. The recall began on January 16, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number for this recall is 14008.

• 14V259000

  In the event of an accident, an air bag that only partially deploys increases the risk of occupant injury.

  GM sent the owners an interim notification letter on May 16, 2014 to advise owners of the recall, and will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. When the parts are available, dealers will replace the instrument panel right side upper trim panel, free of charge. The recall began on June 9, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14220. Note: Owners are advised that until the vehicle has been remedied, occupants should not sit in the front passenger seat position.

• 14V614000

  If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

• 14V624000

  Inconsistent air bag deployment increases the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel top cover, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14686.

• 14V827000

  If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

22 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy

  Engineering analysis, opened August 2026, still open.

• Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy

  Recall query, opened January 2026, closed August 2026.

• Loss of motive power due to engine failure

  Engineering analysis, opened October 2025, still open.

• Loss of motive power due to engine failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2025, closed October 2025.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

• Air Bag Malfunction

  Preliminary evaluation, opened April 2021, closed August 2023.

• Brake Vacuum Pump Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 2018, closed April 2022.

• Brake line corrosion failure

  Engineering analysis, opened January 2011, closed April 2015.

• Non-crash engine compartment fires

  Engineering analysis, opened June 2008, closed September 2008.

• Non-crash engine compartment fires

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2008, closed June 2008.

• Unwanted low-speed abs activation

  Preliminary evaluation, opened April 2005, closed September 2005.

• Throttle sticking closed

  Engineering analysis, opened August 2002, closed January 2004.

• Throttle sticking

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2002, closed August 2002.

• Seat belt anchorage separation

  Engineering analysis, opened December 2001, closed December 2002.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Cadillac filed 197 bulletins about the 2026 Escalade.

• Electrical system: 4
• Engine: 2
• Forward collision avoidance: 1
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1
• Service brakes: 1
• Wheels: 1
• Other: 187

• This is a diagnostic PI to assist on a repair to fix a concern for the HVAC temperature doors binding at times · August 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · August 2026
• This Preliminary information communications information on a Short Range Radar software anomaly causing false / ghost left or right side object detection alerts. · August 2026
• This preliminary information is to inform technicians to reprogram the radio with SPS if the customer has this concern. · August 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates an issue with the virtual garage door opener not programming to a garage opener. Engineering is working on a new module. · August 2026
• This PI states that if SDGM DTC P0604/P0607 is set and no other SDGM DTCs are present, clear DTCs and reset the SDGM. Advises of how to contact PQC to authorize SDGM replacement. · August 2026
• This PI advise dealers If U3000 is present, follow the correct service doc by Symptom Byte before contacting PQC; if not present, verify the camera is clean, then contact PQC if no issue is found. · August 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates an issue with the SES MIL and DTC P062B and engineering is currently investigating. · August 2026

189 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.