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Cadillac · vehicle model

Cadillac Escalade

2,117 NHTSA complaints and 96 safety recalls across model years 1999–2026.

Complaints
2,117
Recalls
96
Model years
28

The verdict

The Cadillac Escalade pairs above-average complaint volume with 96 recalls (heavily recalled).

7th pctile
complaint volume, US models
96
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Cadillac Escalade vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

2,117 Higher than most more complaints than 93% of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The CadillacEscalade appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 2,117 consumer safety complaints and 96 recall campaigns across 28 model years (1999–2026). That averages roughly 76 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 10 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20264
202516
202449
2023145
202279
202167
202011
201924
201827
201771
2016113
2015137
201429
201322
201232
201153
201044
200989
2008180
2007317
200626
200563
200499
2003111
2002164
20013
200096
199946

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 696 in 2017-2021 to 641 in 2022-2026, a fall of 7.9%. That is the 59th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

3
’99
24
’00
31
’01
44
’02
48
’03
39
’04
42
’05
39
’06
30
’07
21
’08
36
’09
44
’10
30
’11
37
’12
54
’13
74
’14
92
’15
92
’16
157
’17
130
’18
192
’19
135
’20
82
’21
51
’22
82
’23
76
’24
375
’25
57
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare CadillacEscalade to Similar Vehicles

CadillacEscalade vs VolvoXc90 → CadillacEscalade vs KIATelluride → CadillacEscalade vs PontiacVibe → CadillacEscalade vs AudiA6 →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen2024-04-11

Electronic Brake Module Component Failure

PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2022-07-22

Rear-View Camera Failure

PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-02-01

Roof Skin Separation While Driving

EQ11001EQClosed2011-02-07

IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats

EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed2007-12-07

REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE

PE07037Preliminary EvaluationClosed2007-07-17

FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL

EA06001Engineering AnalysisClosed2006-01-20

SUNROOF GLASS FAILURE

PE04060Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-08-17

FAILING SEAT BELT BUCKLES

RQ99013Recall QueryClosed1999-06-10

CADILLAC COOLANT COOLED ALTERNATOR FIRES

SQ97017SQClosed1997-07-02

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Cadillac Escalade?▼
The Cadillac Escalade has received 2,117 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1999 to 2026, with 96 recalls. That averages about 76 complaints per model year.
What years of Cadillac Escalade are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Cadillac Escalade from 1999 to 2026 (28 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Cadillac Escalade have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Cadillac Escalade model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Cadillac Escalade complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the Cadillac Escalade are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Cadillac Escalade has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Cadillac Escalade totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.