CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV · model year

2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV

5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006CADILLACESCALADE ESV carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 ESCALADE ESV is air bags with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and engine and engine cooling (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 2006 ESCALADE ESV, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
ENGINE1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recalls (1)

05V55200007/12/2005

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SHIPPED WITH TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABELS LISTING AN INACCCURATE VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHT.

Recent Complaints

20190218SERVICE BRAKES

THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND LEAKING IN AT LEAST TWO LOCATIONS. THE DEALER MASSEY CADILLAC OF SOUTH ORLANDO HAD TO REPLACE FROM THE REAR AXLE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERNATIONAL DRIVE ON OUR WAY HOME TO MC.

Mileage: 115,000

20150226ENGINE

EXHAUST MANIFOLD MISSING BOLTS, TRANSMISSION LINES LEAKING AT QUICK CONNECT CONNECTION, INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING, HEATER HOSE LEAKING AT CONNECTION. MOST OF THESE ITEMS ARE COMMON CONCERNS AMONGST OTHER OWNERS OF SAME ENGINE SIZE. NO RECALL ON MANIFOLD BOLTS? COMPLETE SAFETY HAZARD.

Mileage: 118,000

20080714ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH UP A VERY STEEP MOUNTAIN WITH VERY STEEP SWITCHBACKS, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES STOPPED OPERATING AS WELL. THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. FIVE TO TEN MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER THE COMPUTER SEEMED TO RESET. ON JULY 8, 2008, WHILE DRIVING DOWN A 6,000 FOOT MOUNTAIN, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ALL ALTITUDES, THE FIRST BEING APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,034 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,000. UPDATED 07/29/08. *LJ UPDATED 08/05/08

Mileage: 11,000

20080707POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, A SMALL TRUCK MOVED INTO HIS LANE. HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE INTO THE LEFT LANE AND TAPPED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR ON ITS OWN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SEVERELY SWERVE ACROSS THE FREEWAY AT 180 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WAS FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT; THEREFORE, OTHER VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT A CRASH OCCURRING. HER HUSBAND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND EXITED THE HIGHWAY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE INDICATED HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE FLUID SMELLED BURNT. HER HUSBAND CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE WAS HEARD. THE FOLLOWING DAY, AFTER CALLING THE MANUFACTURER, A TECHNICIAN CAME OUT AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 36,500. THE DEALER STATED IT APPEARED AS THOUG

Mileage: 36,500

20070125CrashAIR BAGS

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE B WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH. THE CONTACT LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND HIT A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. THE CONTACT HAS A POLICE REPORT.

Mileage: 13,000

Compare 2006CADILLACESCALADE ESV to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV have?
The 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV?
Yes, the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV?
The most-complained component for the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. 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.