What 101 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Cadillac Escalade Iql

While driving my 2016 Cadillac Escalade, the vehicle experienced a sudden mechanical failure associated with the engine and charging system. Upon failure, the vehicle displayed warning indicators including a “low battery” warning and emitted a burnt smell. The engine subsequently failed completely. Diagnostic findings stated: engine would not crank, oil contained metal contamination, crankshaft seized, complete engine replacement required. The estimated repair cost is approximately $14,000–$18,000. This failure occurred despite regular maintenance, including an oil change completed on January 18, 2026. This sudden failure created a major safety concern because the vehicle lost reliability while being operated on public roads. A sudden engine This sudden failure created a major safety concern because the vehicle lost reliability while being driven the vehicle it completely quit and shut down in rush hour traffic causing an unsafe situation for me and my family. This sudden failure created a major safety concern because the vehicle lost reliability while being operated on public roads. A sudden engine or charging-system failure at driving speeds could have caused a crash, loss of steering assistance, loss of power, or stranded occupants in traffic. I contacted GM/Cadillac seeking assistance through the goodwill process, but assistance was declined despite the catastrophic nature of the failure. I am filing this complaint because I believe there may be a broader defect involving the engine, crankshaft failure, lubrication system, or charging system components in this vehicle platform. I request investigation into similar failures affecting Cadillac Escalade vehicles with the 6.2L engine.

NHTSA ODI 11736660

While driving in rush hour traffic, engine completely stopped. We were stranded in traffic for 2 hours until the police came to help push us out of the street. It was 20 degrees and we sat for 4 hours to get towed. After much ado, the dealership stated the following; "Checked and found engine wouldn't crank over, towed vehicle into the shop. Removed inspection cover to access torque convertor bolts, removed bolts engine still will not turn over. Checked oil in engine full of metal. Engine crank seized will need engine replacement." Upon further investigation, the recall for this vehicle only covers 2021-2025 however this is the same problem that is happening under the recalled years.

NHTSA ODI 11729944

Experienced loss of electric power steering while driving at 60 MPH on interstate. Had 6 passengers in vehicle at the time and could have crashed if another vehicle was in other lane next to us during steering loss. Steering available for inspection. Have taken vehicle to dealer to fix issue. They diagnosed and replaced Negative and Positive wiring harness to battery; however, vehicle steering loss occurred again right after picking up and is back at dealership now. Sent dealer article about other owners of 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade experiencing same issue to help explain steering issue. Also sent video of steering glitching while driving back to dealership. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior, during, or after failure known.

NHTSA ODI 11722231

Suspension failed at 50,000 miles. At 56,000 miles one of the valve components inside the engine (a lifter) has collapsed. This part controls the opening of the engine valve, and because it is no longer moving, that cylinder cannot build compression and is causing the misfire. This is an internal mechanical failure inside the engine and cannot be caused by body work, fuel quality, or anything external.

NHTSA ODI 11720984

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle sounded like it was going to stall, and the accelerator pedal was depressed to keep the vehicle from stalling. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with lifter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,027.

NHTSA ODI 11720471

TRANSMISSION ISSUES. MY VEHICLE LUNGES AND HAS HARD SHIFTS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEED TO HIGH SPEEDS. ALSO LUNGES WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING

NHTSA ODI 11720292

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact then observed smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle through the vents from the engine and turned off the vehicle. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence, inspected the vehicle, and determined that the engine had seized. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710855

I purchased a car from a used car dealer in Sacramento. Two days later, the lifters went bad. This truck only has 115,000 miles on it. This is a know issue that GM has and they're doing nothing to remedy the issue. They keep putting DOD/AFM in these expensive cars knowing the lifters will fail and cause damage to the cam. They should be responsible for doing a DOD/AFM delete on all trucks that have this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11702045

The engine started making a tapping noise on the right side. Then the tapping noise got louder and then stopped but the engine light came on and the engine started running very rough. By the noise was described to the shop and they said it is bad lifters and camshafts and this is very common for the GM 6.2L engine. The vehicle has 117,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11693623

Bought vehicle certified in 2023 with 86000 miles now at 123000 Engine needs replacing..Bought it from an accredited Cadillac dealership

NHTSA ODI 11687481

Purchased 2016 Cadillac Escalade in April 2022 - VIN [XXX] . License plate [XXX] . Car has had electrical shortage issues in the navigation screen ever since purchasing. The navigation screen flickers, switches between apps simultaneously and isn’t responsive to finger touch as advertised. I have taken the car to the dealership 4 times within the 90 day dealership warranty. Those dates were April 25, 2022; May 26, 2022; September 3, 2022; and September 24, 2022. However, the problem hasn’t been resolved. This has also caused the car ignition start up to start slowly. The battery has been checked and is fully charged and working properly. The ignition, alternator and transmission are all working properly in good condition. I believe the dealership sold me a “Lemon” vehicle. The initial CarFax report didn’t disclose any mechanical or electrical issues. I paid a $6000 downpayment and have paid $15,999.98 so far. My monthly car payment is $999.98. This car isn’t safe to drive and I am seeking a financial settlement of $20,000 and for the dealership to take back the car without a negative ding on my credit report and no voluntary repossession listed on my credit report. [XXX] my car completely shut down and no longer would start. I had a brand new battery installed a few days prior. Called AAA 4x’s and they couldn’t jump start my car. They tested the alternator, starter, and transmission and there were no failed sensors. I didn’t have any warning lights. I had my car towed to my mechanic and he verified nothing was wrong with transmission, starter and alternator. I noticed there was a strong burn smell and something popped underneath the car causing the car to no longer start or turn on. I ended having to voluntary surrender the car back to Capital One Auto Finance (Account [XXX] ) on Monday [XXX] because the car no longer is operable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11683544

While I was driving the car turned off and the steering wheel got really hard, making it harder to get out of the road to keep my children safe since we were in the highway. Second time it happened the stabilitrack service message came up, and also the steering assist is reduced please drive with care. The ebrake. ABS and stabilitrack light on the dash turned on. This started happening on may 14 until present

NHTSA ODI 11668491

When I’m trying to park my car shuts off and turns back on, steering wheel stops working, service stabilitrak turn on and goes away, sometimes my car won’t turn on and have to disconnect the battery and connect it for it to turn on again.

NHTSA ODI 11667873

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while coming to a stop to park the vehicle, the vehicle turned off and restarted continuously, and the steering wheel straightened unintendedly. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle failed to restart after being turned off. The contact had to disconnect and reconnect the battery cables to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the message "Service Stabili-trak" was temporarily displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

NHTSA ODI 11667098

1/2/24, at odometer reading 103,885, while driving on a busy street, the car lost engine power and made a loud knocking noise. Was taken to the shop immediately. It was determined to need new lifters and cam shaft. The vehicle has always had routine maintenance this there were no prior indicators of any problem and the symptoms came on suddenly. The repairs were done and the car seemed to run fine once again. 4/24/25, at odometer reading 109,913 the symptoms appeared again suddenly. The vehicle was once again taken to the shop for repair. At this time the shop says they notice excessive oil consumption. Oil change was completed and noise stopped. Car was back in my possession on the evening of 4/29/25. Driven 60 miles and on 5/2/25 the issue returned. Maintenance shop is now saying a full engine replacement is necessary.

NHTSA ODI 11664051

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle and the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

NHTSA ODI 11663079

Complete engine failure with approx 80,000 miles on it, no warning. Engine failed while driving in the middle of the street.

NHTSA ODI 11658995

The engine just stopped working mid traffics shifted to neutral automatically- almost causing a serious accident on a busy interstate . Brought to the mechanic, readings stated misfiring cylinders as engine seized and slipped. Tried fixing issue for $8300.00. Then after trying to fix it with no luck, cylinder 5 and seven were stuck and could not be repaired. Cost of labor to out engine back together was $4600.00 plus $400 to tow it to a dealer. Not only life threatening but also wallet draining with no warning. Will never buy a Cadillac again. This is a serious threat for those driving in it and for those who come across it when something happens.

NHTSA ODI 11658681

While driving the vehicle just turned off I though it was the battery, took the battery off but it was good then the alternator then the starter after repairs there was a loud clacking sound took vehicle to TIEKEN AUTO in san antonio texas come to find out the crank was no good scarring on the head and cylinder two bus dropped new engine would cost too much to fix

NHTSA ODI 11658171

Engine problems with 6.2 loss of power rod in engine and crankshaft went out. Took into to shop and and shop varified all issues. Check engine light came on dash board. I noticed they have a recall on the newer vehicles with the same issues as what my vehicle has.

NHTSA ODI 11657761

There is a known issue with this year and other model years of the lifters going bad inside the engines. I personally had this happen and heard about several other cases. This notice stems from the recent news release of 2021 and on model years being affected. This repair cost me roughly 5,000 dollars and I nearly drove off the road once the engine failed.

NHTSA ODI 11657953

My starter caught on fire trying to start my car

NHTSA ODI 11634988

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the noticed a failure with the brake pedal. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11608803

I own a 2016 Cadillac Escalade that has been experiencing issues with the DVD player unit, as described in Bulletin No.: PIT5370C, dated December 2015. The specific problem is that a DVD has been stuck in the unit and will not eject. Additionally, the DVD button does not light up or respond to any touch. This malfunction aligns perfectly with the condition outlined in the bulletin, where the Instrument Panel Multifunction Switch (Eject Button) has been found to be hypersensitive, causing these disc handling problems. The safety of my passengers and myself has been compromised due to this issue. For instance, the inability to use the DVD player has caused significant distraction while trying to manage the media system during travel. This has been particularly concerning on longer trips where the media system is intended to provide entertainment to backseat passengers, reducing driver distraction. The unexpected ejection of discs has also posed a potential hazard within the vehicle. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center, where the technicians verified that the disc player is malfunctioning due to the hypersensitive multifunction switch as detailed in the bulletin. However, despite this confirmation, my vehicle's VIN has been erroneously excluded from the recall, leaving the DVD unit inoperable. Prior to the complete failure of the DVD player, there were no specific warning lamps or messages indicating the impending issue. The symptoms started appearing gradually and have now rendered the DVD player completely unusable. Given that the described issue and its symptoms match the conditions outlined in Bulletin No.: PIT5370C, I request that my vehicle be included in the recall for covered repair to replace the faulty Instrument Panel Multifunction Switch (Eject Button) and restore the functionality of the media disc player.

NHTSA ODI 11605152

The driver seat belt cable ripped apart when attempting to unbuckle it. It is a safety hazard to drive this vehicle . It was inspected by Frank Fontanez(crash technician)about 3 weeks ago, at that time several pictures was taken and he instructed me to fill out this report. The vehicle was not inspected by any other agencies, [XXX] Mr Fontanez in my path because this is my only transportation method and I need immediately attention thanks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11593586