Cadillac Escalade Reliability
2,182 NHTSA complaints (1999–2026). Complaint rate: 37.0 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2007–2008 Cadillac Escalade. The 2018–2020 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Cadillac Escalade Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 377 | 1.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 317 | 10.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 226 | 4.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 136 | 2.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 107 | 4.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 95 | 8.4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 65 | 4.6% |
| SUSPENSION | 58 | 1.7% |
| STEERING | 53 | 9.4% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 48 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | — | 46 | 3 | 1 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000 | — | 96 | 13 | 3 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | 1 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002AVOID | — | 164 | 16 | 8 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | — | 111 | 5 | 6 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 99 | 14 | 7 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | — | 63 | 5 | 2 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006GOOD | — | 26 | 2 | — | View 2006View→ |
| 2007AVOID | — | 317 | 17 | 14 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | — | 180 | 7 | 12 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009 | — | 89 | 1 | 1 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010 | — | 47 | 0 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011 | — | 53 | 0 | — | View 2011View→ |
| 2012GOOD | — | 32 | 5 | — | View 2012View→ |
| 2013GOOD | — | 22 | 0 | 1 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014GOOD | — | 29 | 8 | 1 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015AVOID | — | 140 | 7 | 5 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016AVOID | — | 119 | 3 | 5 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | — | 74 | 3 | 2 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 27 | 3 | 3 | View 2018View→ |
| 2019GOOD | — | 25 | 1 | — | View 2019View→ |
| 2020GOOD | — | 14 | 4 | 3 | View 2020View→ |
| 2021 | — | 79 | 2 | 1 | View 2021View→ |
| 2022 | — | 91 | 8 | 2 | View 2022View→ |
| 2023AVOID | — | 156 | 4 | — | View 2023View→ |
| 2024TOO NEW | — | 52 | 0 | — | View 2024View→ |
| 2025TOO NEW | — | 17 | 0 | — | View 2025View→ |
| 2026TOO NEW | — | 11 | 0 | — | View 2026View→ |
See also: Cadillac Escaladeaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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