2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the engine suddenly stopping, losing power, or seizing while driving, commonly at highway speed and frequently without warning lights. Many also report the vehicle dropping into neutral or refusing to shift, along with engine knocking, low oil pressure, and oil use between changes. Complaint volume for this model year is trending upward, and several describe engine problems that continued after recall service.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine suddenly stops or loses power while driving

   • 42 complaints (72%)
   • median 41,530 mi at 3.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2023–2026

   Owners describe the engine stopping, losing power, or seizing while driving, often at highway speed and frequently with no warning lights. Some say the vehicle could not be restarted and had to be towed, and one says the steering locked up while another says the brakes stopped working during the event. According to complaints, dealers diagnosed engine failure in many of these cases, some vehicles had recently been inspected under the engine recall, and some owners were told replacement parts were on backorder. Many describe the event at highway speed, commonly 55 to 80 mph, and the few that list mileage range from about 9,600 to 131,000 miles.

   Recall 25V2740004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the engine recall inspection and the fuel pump module campaign have been completed, and review the service history for engine or fuel-system repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “- Engine seized at highway speeds - Vehicle had lose of power while in the middle of the highway. Fortunately I was able to coast to the side of the road without impact. - The vehicle components went through inspection by the Cadillac dealer it was delivered to. - There were no messages or other symptoms that alerted me prior to the problem occured.”

   NHTSA complaint #11640229, filed 2025-02

   “Hi at April 28 around 10.30 pm I was driving Longisland highway city to Hamton’ before exit 70 my engine stopped suddenly I was on the left line trafic coming behind me i barely controlled my car pull over very hardly right side and called police I have recorded 911 officer help me to tow my car it was dar and not safe area now car at the dealership smithtown king of Cadillac dealership”

   NHTSA complaint #11658050, filed 2025-04
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Vehicle drops into neutral or will not engage gears

   • 18 complaints (31%)
   • median 41,530 mi at 4.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle shifting into neutral while driving, sometimes with a dash message saying the vehicle is in neutral, and in some cases the shifter would not move out of park or into reverse afterward. One complaint describes a reverse indicator blinking, and says dealer diagnostics pointed to the transmission valve body or control. According to complaints, one owner could not shift into neutral to move the vehicle out of traffic, and several vehicles were towed. Only one complaint lists mileage, about 41,500 miles, and most describe the shift problem happening at highway speed.

   Recall 26V0850001 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a test drive, move through Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive and confirm each engages cleanly, and ask whether the transmission control valve campaign has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were driving on the freeway when all of a sudden the vehicle went into neutral, shut off and started slowing down. We were in the middle lane and our 3 children and grandparents were also in the car. This was incredibly dangerous and thankfully slowly we got to the right shoulder and the vehicle no longer turned on. We had to contact AAA and we took it to the dealership where we dropped it off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11662547, filed 2025-05

   “I was driving with my children in tow. My reduced acceleration light came on as well as my check engine light. Within minutes of these turning on, my car went into Limp mode (shifted in neutral) and would not accelerate and steering felt locked up. I quickly got off to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. When I restarted, the vehicle would not go into reverse or any gear other than park. This was terrifying. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11648686, filed 2025-03
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine knocking, low oil pressure, or oil burning

   • 15 complaints (26%)
   • median 131,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe a knocking or ticking noise from the engine, sometimes on cold start, when warm, or changing with engine speed. Others report a low oil pressure alert or a flashing low oil light, and some say the engine uses oil between changes, with one finding no oil showing on the dipstick. According to complaints, the knocking was noticed before the engine lost power in some cases, and one owner says the noise sounded like internal engine wear. Few list mileage, and the one that does reports about 131,000 miles, while the knocking is described on cold start, when warm, or before a power loss.

   Recall 25V274000

   What to check: Listen for knocking on a cold start and at idle, check the oil level and any oil-pressure warnings, and ask whether the engine recall inspection has been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine knocking on cold start up. Second time hearing this. Loud “rattling” noise emanating from exhaust tips on rear of vehicle. I experienced this once before and notified my dealer. Additionally, at that time, I had a loss of power while towing a very, very, light empty trailer. The vehicle was struggling to maintain normal driving speeds and required considerable throttle input to do so. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11759502, filed 2026-08

   “While driving, I noticed a very distinct knocking sound, that changed frequency and tone depending on how fast the engine was spinning or how warm it was. This noise I only noticed while walking outside the car or with the windows down. As a mechanical engineer, I knew something was terribly wrong with the internal parts of the engine (lifters, cam, main bearings, etc) as this type of sound I am familiar with in pre-emptive engine failure. I made an appointment with my local dealer (Massey Cadillac South - Orlando). I took it in. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11637003, filed 2025-01
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine problems continue or recall repairs stall

   • 21 complaints (36%)
   • median 36,218 mi at 4.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Several owners say engine problems continued or returned after a recall inspection or repair, including sudden power loss, hesitation, and oil use. Others say a recall appointment was never scheduled, a repair was denied, or the recall repair was not yet available. According to complaints, some vehicles were still not repaired after the recall visit. The two complaints that list mileage report about 28,000 and 44,000 miles, and several describe problems that continued after recall service.

   Recall 25V2740002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Before buying, ask for the completion record of the engine recall campaign and whether any repair was denied or delayed, since some complaints describe long waits for engine work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am reporting persistent safety issues with my 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV, with ~87k miles. Despite a completed recall for an engine seizure, the vehicle continues to fail dangerously, eroding confidence in its safety and reliability.Early in ownership, the computer and dashboard were replaced due to malfunction. Later, the engine seized while driving at 70 mph on a highway, a recall-related issue requiring a three-month repair. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11662258, filed 2025-05

   “My wife's 2022 Cadillac Escalade was recalled for possible engine failure. The vehicle passed the recommended engine inspection procedure; new weight oil was installed, and I was assured that the Cadillac was safe to drive. Yesterday, while driving my family home from the children's playground, the engine failed as I was driving at the posted speed limit of 50 miles per hour. There was no warning of any kind, the engine just stopped working. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11763876, filed 2026-09
5. 5
   Engine

   Hesitation, surging, or reduced power when accelerating

   • 7 complaints (12%)
   • median 44,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle hesitating before responding to the accelerator, then surging, or not accelerating fully. Other complaints describe erratic RPM changes, rumbling when letting off the accelerator, a whining noise, and in one case a diesel-model engine with intermittent reduced power and a check engine light, which the owner attributes to a failed engine coolant control valve. One owner says the hesitation started soon after a recall inspection, and another says the vehicle slingshots forward on acceleration rather than pulling smoothly. Only one complaint lists mileage, about 44,000 miles, and it describes the hesitation as starting soon after recall service.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a test drive, press the accelerator from a stop and at highway speed to check for hesitation or surging, and ask whether the engine coolant control valve bulletin has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle is burning oil with low engine oil light flashing months before the oil change is required. Vehicle does not always have full power and may slingshot forward at time of acceleration as opposed to a smooth acceleration.”

   NHTSA complaint #11661215, filed 2025-05

   “The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) in August of 2025. However, soon after the recall inspection, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated before responding. The vehicle also hesitated when started and shifted into drive(D) when depressing the accelerator pedal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11717881, filed 2026-02, 44,000 miles

Buying note. Buyers considering this model year should ask for the full engine and recall service history, including whether the engine recall inspection and any fuel pump or transmission campaigns were completed. A test drive at highway speed that checks for warning messages, knocking, hesitation, and oil level can help show whether the issues described above are present on a specific vehicle.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 55 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.