Cadillac Escalade ESV Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 529 consumer complaints across the 20 model years of the Cadillac Escalade ESV (2003–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2023 has the most, with 91. Across all years, the part named most often is engine (265 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Escalade ESV years →
All Escalade ESV model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | — | 3 | 243 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 14 | 12,800 | 1 | 431 | — | Too new |
| 2024 | 22 | 19,000 | 2 | 353 | — | Too new |
| 2023 | 91 | 40,000 | 4 | 857 | 100 · More | Too new |
| 2022 | 57 | 42,765 | 4 | 992 | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2021 | 74 | 69,608 | 10 | 1,138 | 87 · More | Rising |
| 2020 | 22 | 65,000 | 2 | 663 | — | Rising |
| 2019 | 34 | 108,350 | 1 | 778 | 0 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2018 | 15 | 167,054 | 1 | 996 | — | Rising |
| 2017 | 38 | 31,278 | 1 | 1,239 | 32 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2016 | 15 | 37,000 | 3 | 1,524 | — | Rising |
| 2015 | 8 | 40,000 | 6 | 2,067 | — | Not enough data |
| 2011 | 13 | 100,000 | 5 | 1,434 | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 6 | 69,600 | 5 | 1,220 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 17 | 52,500 | 4 | 1,156 | — | Stable |
| 2007 | 39 | 74,000 | 4 | 1,060 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2006 | 5 | 36,500 | 1 | 720 | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 14 | 95,987 | 1 | 577 | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 22 | 72,000 | 1 | 461 | — | Falling |
| 2003 | 12 | 93,000 | 1 | 419 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine265 42%
- Transmission and drivetrain95 15%
- Electrical system80 13%
- Air bags48 7.5%
- Fuel system46 7.2%
- Brakes40 6.3%
- Other or unknown37 5.8%
- Engine cooling25 3.9%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2017: “The vehicle makes a lot a whining noises when driving and then louder whining noises and odd noises that sounds like grinding when you make turns when then transfer case is on auto mode. Dealership told me to put car in off mode unless the roads are in bad shape but the owners manual does not say anything about that. I think there is a problem with vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #11363405, filed 2020-10, 22,768 miles2016: “06/14/2019 I was driving my Cadillac to escalate esv traveling from baltimore to washington dc 95 south band. 12:04 pm my vehicle flip over. I almost lost my life. After the accident, I inspected the vehicle. I found that left the rear wheel of the car; come out of the vehicle. Wheel locks and axle bar of the tire cut off and broken. This caused flipping of the vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #11221207, filed 2019-06, 45,200 miles2004: “I had a badly corroded brake line rupnture and nearly wrecked. I took it to the dealership and after 2 days they say they won't fix it. They say they are not familiar with lines routed through the frame, or between frame and body. They recommend a full body removal and they refused. Faulty trans modules and peeling/leaking stock rims.”
NHTSA complaint #11063905, filed 2018-01, 173,000 milesOther Cadillac models
3,265 complaintsCadillac Deville
2,708 complaintsCadillac CTS
2,219 complaintsCadillac Escalade
1,723 complaintsCadillac Seville
793 complaintsCadillac DTS
527 complaintsCadillac Catera
463 complaintsCadillac STS
423 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology