2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 20about this part
- Share
- 59%of 34 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 86,025miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 20 complaints about the engine of the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV, 59% of the 34 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 86,025 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Lifters and camshaft went bad even though I'm fully on top Of maintenance. My engine began to seize up Luckily I was not out on the expressWay. Took it to a reputable mechanic who confirmed the problem all the repairs cost me $6,700. No warning light or check engine came on even though there was a serious issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11657037, filed 2025-04“Vehicle will stall when driving. Alarm sounds and engine will shut down. I can shift the car into neutral and it will re-start. I understand that this issue of stalling can damage the engine beyond repair. I believe this engine is under investigation by the NHTSA. The shop that serviced my transmission warned me about transmission failure due to what he called a garbage can. A cylinder that is prone to failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11638710, filed 2025-01“My 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV experienced a major engine failure that required a complete engine replacement. Before the failure, the vehicle showed warning signs including rough running and loss of performance. My certified mechanic later explained that the cause of the failure was consistent with engine defects that have led to GM’s recall on later-model Escalades. However, the 2019 model year is excluded from that recall. …”
NHTSA complaint #11699509, filed 2025-11“I was driving on the freeway on Cruise Control going 80 mph. All the sudden my speedometer dropped and I had no power. My Transmission Light Started Blinking Cruise Control stopped working and my Car Started Shaking Violently and Sounded Clunky. I had to pull over to the shoulder immediately. I Called my Mechanic and he told me not to drive it any Further So we Towed the vehicle to his shop. There was absolutely no warning signs. This was the only sign something was wrong.”
NHTSA complaint #11708217, filed 2026-01“At 60,000 miles the lifter failed and bent a pushrod rod while driving 65mph on the interstate. I had to slow my driving to 40mph in heavy traffic and limp it to the dealership. When I drove it to the local Cadillac dealership, they confirmed what had happened. There were no warning lamps prior to this happening. This is a common failure due to the weak lifters in GM's AFM/DOD feature. If these engines had the same lifters/cam as the Corvettes and Camaros that don't have AFM/DOD, these engines would be a lot more reliable.”
NHTSA complaint #11749695, filed 2026-07Related service bulletins
- 11024330Sep 6, 2025This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the camshaft actuator magnet to correct customer concerns of engine related shudder.
- 11026017Jun 5, 2025This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
- 11024485May 15, 2025The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the…
- 11020254May 7, 2025This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel for new vehicles with less than 1,000 miles that may not pass California smog inspection or smog inspection in…
- 11019503Apr 18, 2025This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information on vehicles outside of a California Emissions State who move to and register their vehicle in a California…
- 11017263Mar 25, 2025This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in the cooling system and replace the parts that may be contaminated due to…
- 11016942Mar 4, 2025This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in the cooling system and replace the parts that may be contaminated due to…
- 11014230Jan 31, 2025This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
- 11014233Jan 30, 2025This service bulletin provides service information to technicians on guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large…
- 11013069Jan 9, 2025This bulletin provides information on identifying Non-GM Engine Calibrations for Gasoline Engines using the Tech 2 or GDS 2.
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 100% |
| 2025 | 8 | 57% |
| 2024 | 14 | 64% |
| 2023 | 65 | 71% |
| 2022 | 45 | 78% |
| 2021 | 54 | 73% |
| 2020 | 14 | 64% |
| 2019 | 20 | 59% |
| 2018 | 9 | 60% |
| 2017 | 10 | 26% |
| 2015 | 2 | 25% |
| 2009 | 2 | 33% |
| 2008 | 1 | 6% |
| 2007 | 8 | 21% |
| 2006 | 1 | 20% |
| 2005 | 1 | 7% |
| 2003 | 2 | 17% |
Other parts of the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV
9 complaintsElectrical system
5 complaintsOther or unknown
5 complaintsFuel system
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
1 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsExterior lighting
1 complaintsForward collision avoidance
1 complaintsSeats
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV
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.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology