Cadillac Escalade Engine Problems
Owners have filed 502 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Cadillac Escalade across 24 model years. The 2023 model year has the most (109). The words owners use most often: “oil pressure” (5% of reports).
- 502engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $10,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 65%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil pressure: mentioned in 27 of 502 complaints (5%)
- Complete engine: mentioned in 26 of 502 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Cadillac Escalade at $10,700, and half of them between $7,850 and $13,250.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 118 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 502 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 6 an injury.
Cadillac Escalade engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Escalade | 35 | 95% | 7,000 |
| 2025 Escalade | 12 | 60% | 6,477 |
| 2024 Escalade | 36 | 69% | 14,500 |
| 2023 Escalade | 109 | 77% | 19,000 |
| 2022 Escalade | 67 | 79% | 34,000 |
| 2021 Escalade | 45 | 59% | 73,650 |
| 2020 Escalade | 6 | 43% | — |
| 2019 Escalade | 17 | 68% | 48,000 |
| 2018 Escalade | 10 | 48% | 70,142 |
| 2017 Escalade | 22 | 43% | 33,117 |
| 2016 Escalade | 31 | 35% | 75,000 |
| 2015 Escalade | 27 | 28% | 88,500 |
| 2014 Escalade | 3 | 15% | 72,133 |
| 2013 Escalade | 3 | 16% | 100,000 |
| 2012 Escalade | 3 | 15% | 78,000 |
| 2010 Escalade | 3 | 8% | 91,000 |
| 2009 Escalade | 9 | 16% | 169,195 |
| 2008 Escalade | 13 | 10% | 162,643 |
| 2007 Escalade | 33 | 14% | 125,500 |
| 2006 Escalade | 3 | 16% | 120,000 |
| 2005 Escalade | 5 | 12% | 85,750 |
| 2004 Escalade | 3 | 4% | 128,482 |
| 2003 Escalade | 4 | 5% | 130,000 |
| 2002 Escalade | 3 | 3% | 125,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252494000.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system
Model years: 2015
Problem: General Motors is recalling certain 2014 model year Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, and 2015 model year Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV; Chevrolet Silverado HD; and GMC Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL, equipped with a 4.3L engine or 5.3L engine.
Risk: The overheated exhaust components may melt nearby plastic parts and may result in an engine fire.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the engine control module, free of charge. The recall began on January 16, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number for this recall is 14008.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle passed the L87 V8 recall inspection, but subsequently suffered sudden engine failure/knocking.
6.2L Engine blew with less than 6,200 miles. Driving highway speed, started by hearing a slight tick and within 3 miles, the tick got louder, check engine light came on, then the pull over notice, pulled over and wouldn't start. Awaiting install of new motor for a Rear Main Bearing failure…
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle completely stalled. The check engine warning light was flashing, and the Stability, Parking, and Collision warning lights were illuminated alongside several other unknown alerts. The vehicle was…
I was driving the vehicle into a XXX parking lot in [XXX] on Thursday XXX at around 7:00pm, and as I slowed to park, the vehicle completely died and the dash screens went dark. The vehicle would not restart. I was able to rule out quick fixes such as a battery or fuse issue and then had the vehicle…
Started car and all of sudden shaking, loss of power, flashing engine light and punch of flashing warnings. The car is being towed to cadillac dealer!
Frequently asked questions
Do all Cadillac Escalades have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 502 owner complaints about engine for the Cadillac Escalade. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Cadillac Escalade engine?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Cadillac Escalade?
Owners report a typical cost of $10,700 (half paid between $7,850 and $13,250), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Cadillac Escalade?
The most frequent phrase is “oil pressure”, in 27 of 502 complaints, followed by “complete engine” (26).
Other Cadillac Escalade problems
- Air Bags problems (327)
- Electrical System problems (278)
- Power Train problems (190)
See all Cadillac Escalade problems.