Cadillac Escalade Ext Reliability
126 NHTSA complaints (2002–2013). Complaint rate: 933.3 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 2002–2003 Cadillac Escalade Ext. The 2009–2012 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: AIR BAGS.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
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 Ext Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 24 | 4.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 13 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE | 5 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 5 | 0.0% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 | 0.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 3 | 0.0% |
| EQUIPMENT | 3 | 0.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 | 0.0% |
| TIRES | 3 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002AVOID | — | 24 | 1 | — | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | — | 24 | 2 | 2 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 14 | 1 | — | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | — | 9 | 1 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2007AVOID | — | 22 | 0 | 4 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | — | 21 | 2 | 2 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 2011View→ |
| 2012GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 2012View→ |
See also: Cadillac Escalade Extaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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