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Cadillac Escalade ESVModel year report

2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV Problems

Complaints
22filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
72,000miles, 17 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
13 mpgcombined, 6.0L 8-cyl 4WD/AWD · 12 city / 16 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The part named most often is electrical system, with 6 complaints (27% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (5) and air bags (4). 17 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 72,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 461 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 100 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 17 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Speedometer sticks and is not accurate. There is a policy set up to fix only those vehicles under 70000 miles. Why is my vehicle being excluded? I have 88,000 miles on my 2004 Cadillac Escalade Esv. The dealer, key Cadillac in edina minnesota will not cover the repair. A broken speedometer that has been proven to be a manufacturer defect is a safety issue. A recall of this problem is justified.”

NHTSA complaint #10240692, filed 2008-09, 88,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “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 miles

Air bags: “The steering was very hard to turn.then the power steering fluid was leaking. Brakes are locking up. But right before all that happened the airbag light went off. Its never been hit or hit anything. The truck was purchased in nov.2012. We got a carfax with the vehicle, it was clean, I looked for recalls and 4 appeared, I also called Cadillac, spoke to a dealer and the woman said my VIN number has never been recalled, I stated it was in 2004 it was recalled and all the things it was recalled for was what was happening now..at times it was making a noise shifting from park to drive.”

NHTSA complaint #10523740, filed 2013-07, 136,000 miles

Brakes: “The contact owns a 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that the ABS and traction stability warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and was diagnosed with needing the shocks and struts replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11434269, filed 2021-09, 100,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 17 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 40,000 and 100,000 miles.

18%0–100%10–2512%25–5024%50–7518%75–10024%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (17 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 72,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

2005200852010201520172021
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Escalade ESV · sedan not rated4 / 3———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Escalade ESV AWD6.0L 8-cyl4-speed automatic121613$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 461 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 461 bulletins →

Other model years of the Cadillac Escalade ESV

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202611—35——Too new
20251412,80015——Too new
20242219,00024——Too new
20239240,00044—100 · MoreToo new
20225842,76544—50 · TypicalRising
20217469,608104—87 · MoreRising
20202265,0002———Rising
201934108,3501——0 · FewerRising
201815167,05414——Rising
20173831,27814—32 · FewerRising
20161537,0003———Rising
2015840,0006—17—Not enough data
201113100,0005—16—Not enough data
2009669,6005—15—Not enough data
20081752,5004—14—Stable
20073974,0004——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
2006536,5001—13—Not enough data
20051495,9871—13—Not enough data
20042272,0001—13—Falling
20031293,0001—13—Not enough data

All Cadillac Escalade ESV model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV have?

NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 6 complaints (27% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 5.

Has the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV (Escalade ESV AWD, 6.0L 8-cyl) at 13 mpg combined, 12 city and 16 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Cadillac Escalade ESV reported?

Among the 17 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 72,000 miles and the middle half falls between 40,000 and 100,000 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.