What 119 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Cadillac Escalade

On Saturday, December 28, 2024 @ 1 PM while driving 70 mph on the I-10 freeway; the vehicle downshifted causing the engine RPM’s to increase. We had 15 seconds to make a decision as the vehicle shutdown immediately. On my driver’s side were 5-6 lanes of freeway with cars going 70 mph, while on the right-passenger side was Exit 73b called Waterman Ave. in San Bernardino, CA. We managed to park on a small strip dividing the 5-6 lanes and exit lane, as we couldn’t get over to the shoulder. In addition, the vehicle was stuck in Park and would not go into Neutral. The engine wouldn’t start. NO WARNING LIGHTS. Called 911 at 1:04 PM and asked for an officer to assist us because we were scared for our lives sitting on the freeway. We were worried someone would hit us from behind. About 1/2 hour after my 911 call an officer arrived. We told him what happened, and informed him we called AAA’s Roadside Assistance. The officer informed us that if there was a call, he would have to leave, and he was worried we’d get hit by drunk driver going 70 mph. Our vehicle was towed to Dutton Motor Company in Riverside, CA. • Engine failure possibly due to oversized lifter bores. Replace the engine to fix. • We had 15 seconds to stop suddenly going 70 mph, not on the shoulder of the I-10 freeway. Our safety was at risk so I called 911 asking for an officer. • Dealer told us the engine needs to be replaced. • Vehicle not inspected by police, insurance, just shop at dealership. • No warning lights. Absolutely nothing.

NHTSA ODI 11636678

Engine failure at 29k. There were no signs of malfunction or warning. There were two incidents before Cadillac approved warranty for a new replacement engine. First incident I was passing a vehicle on a two lane road when I was mid past the car suddenly vehicle died electrical and all. Message came on saying to restart engine. Thankfully I coasted past the vehicle I was passing and onto the shoulder of the road. Vehicle would not restart and left us stranded for hours waiting on a tow company. Had it towed to Cadillac where they told me it was a faulty fuse that caused the failure and it was fixed and was a fluke. They got it running said no other issues were found and vehicle was good to go. I had it back for only a few days and my wife and I were on the way to a restaurant. I stopped at a red light, again no signs of malfunction, no warning lights etc. the vehicle just completely dies again. Would not restart and left us stranded in a busy intersection. Thankfully a state patrol was sitting at the light across from us and came to our assistance and called for a tow. This time at the dealership they said engine failed and needed replacement. Just got it back as of Jan 2025 after 3 months. We were extremely fortunate that both times my 1 year old was not in the vehicle with us and no accidents occurred. From my knowledge 3 other Escalades were at the dealership for the same reason as ours was. Extremely dangerous situations the vehicle put us in and disappointment from a 6 figure vehicle from a manufacturer known to be reliable. I’ve owned two prior generations of Escalades and multiple other GM vehicles never having any issues and put over or close to 100k miles on each of them. Note we bought this vehicle “used” around 10k on it when purchased so we were unable to file a lemon law claim against it. Thankfully it came with a 100k bumper to bumper warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11636662

The tires that were delivered on my new auto were deflective and dangerous as reported by the dealer on 10/1/24. The tires were wearing abnormally. One of the tires was worn so badly that I was warned that it could have blown at any moment. The tires had less than 16,000 miles. The car was maintained at the dealer every 5,000 miles. I was not notified about the defect until a worker at my home noticed the severe wearing of the edge of the right rear tire. (photo attached). As a result of the warning from the dealership I had to replace all 4 tires as I was warned that all of the tires will end up with abnormal wear within a 5,000 mile period. The problem was inspected and confirmed by the dealer. There were no warning signs, alarms or other signs other than at the time the rotation of the tires at 16,248 miles. The cause in my opinion was defective tires from the manufacturer (Bridgestone ALENZA) TPC spec356ms 275/50R22 111HM+S. The dealer stated that the auto might have been out of alignment but did not find any malalignment. I was informed by the dealer that I was lucky not to have been in an accident. I have photos of the defective tires.

NHTSA ODI 11624591

Driving and power started to die and engine warning lights came on. Pulled over immediately and engine stopped. Wouldn’t come back on. Towed by Cadillac and discovered engine blew. Apparently a know issue with many similar in the shop awaiting new engine.

NHTSA ODI 11614577

On 6/16/24 While driving on I95 the car started making a flapping noise and the car started to lurch and buck. No warning lights were on at the time. I pulled over and turned the car off and could not get it to restart right away. After a few tries it did turn on and the engine light stayed on but the car would not shift into gear. The car had to be towed and we were told there was a total engine failure.

NHTSA ODI 11594885

On [XXX] my 2023 Cadillac Escalade Super Cruise VIN: [XXX] with approximately 9600 miles failed to operate in a safe manner and has malfunctioned. The vehicle has been well maintained and follows all manufacturer specifications. It is a lemon. The engine seized while operating on the highway. The vehicle lost speed, there was a crashing boom sound, followed by extreme shaking as grinded to a halt. It was extremely challenging for the driver to maintain control. The dealership confirmed the engine will not turn over, they removed the oil filter and examined the oil sample from it. The sample showed signs of metal, a clear indication of an internal failure. The procedure now is to order a new engine, radiator, oil cooler lines and all one time use components of the fuel injection rails all seals, gaskets and bolts required by General Motors. In addition, the emergency braking system did not engage. The onstar system emailed me the night before a clean bill of health with their diagnostic app. There were also no check engine lights prior to using the vehicle. Our use of the vehicle has been impaired, the market value has dropped, and there are obvious safety concerns in placing my family in this vehicle. My research online indicates this is a known issue, however no safety recall has been issued. Police arrived on scene to assist in tow. Police station was Boxford, MA. A report has yet to be completed. I look forward to your prompt response and resolution to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11591452

Was at red light my light turned green proceed threw the light, another vechile ran the red light hitting my car at 50 mph. Sending the car into a 360 air bags did not deploy and on star never called

NHTSA ODI 11576528

The vehicle has an “auto hold” option, when enabled if you come to a complete stop you can take your foot off the brake and it will stay stopped. Most vehicles have this offering, and when enabled, stays on by default. Cadillac’s version needs to be enabled every time the car starts, as well as if you put it in park, plus potential other situations. They claim this is a safety “feature” when in fact it is a safety HAZARD. The point being, if it’s on by default and you forget about it, worst case you take your foot off the brake and need to hit the gas to move forward. With theirs, your worst case (which happens often unfortunately) is that you think it’s still enabled when it actually has disengaged, then you take your foot off the brake at a stop sign or stop light, and instead of staying stopped you roll into the car in front of you. This is a serious hazard that needs to be fixed but Cadillac doesn’t seem interested in addressing it. Hopefully you have more success

NHTSA ODI 11562664

When reversing this huge SUV, there is no visibility. Currently, I have to keep pressing my brakes to get the red light to see little however it is not enough. I have taken it to the 2 different Cadillac Escalade dealership and they keep giving it back to me that it is working properly. This has been a problem since I bought this car, unfortunately when we went to test drive it was in a very bright parking lot. During the day it is fine, however if I reverse at night and god forbid hit someone/something - GM will be liable as this should not be on the road and they refuse the fix this big safety concern. Please note this is a 7 passenger SUV- It is too big to lack reverse visibility.

NHTSA ODI 11558884

The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH on the highway, there was an abnormal popping sound heard. There were no other vehicles nearby. The contact pulled over and checked the vehicle, and the contact became aware that the sunroof had cracked. There was a hole the size of his hand. There were no reported injuries. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the replacement glass was not in stock. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 18,200.

NHTSA ODI 11557285

INCIDENT: I was driving on the highway when I heard a strange "whistling noise." Thinking the noise originated from an old van in front of me, I passed it. The noise grew louder; the vehicle slowed very suddenly and, I pulled to the side of the road. The "low oil pressure" light came on just as the engine entirely blew. There were NO OTHER WARNING LAMPS, MESSAGES or OTHER SYMPTOMS. On-Star did not send roadside assistance for six hours and the battery died from extended use of the emergency lights. DANGERS: Experiencing catastrophic engine failure while driving on a highway presents obvious dangers as does sitting roadside for six hours (with a dead battery and no emergency flashers). INSPECTION: The G.M. Dealer (manufacturer representative) inspected the engine and confirmed that it was a catastrophic engine failure, requiring a new engine. The issue was also reported directly to G.M. The engine core, if need of further inspection, is likely either at the dealer, G.M., or a GM remanufacturing facility.

NHTSA ODI 11533961

While riding after a stoplight, the engine started malfunctioning and not responding. Noise came out apparently from the engine heads (sounded like the valve lifters) . Driver was unable to accelerate and take a street exit almost hitting another vehicle The truck was towed

NHTSA ODI 11527068

Vehicle: 2023 Cadillac Escalade purchased in Oct 2022. At the time of new vehicle delivery the Dealer in Atlanta Peachtree Blvd, informs the Reverse Camera is not working completely - Has issues - 1.) Missing Gridlines 2.) Blue Hour Glass reducing the visibility while reversing the vehicle. Dealer states this is GM Cadillac issue and they cannot solve it. 3.) There is an irritating vibration sound while driving this 2023 Escalade above 70 mph ( like a flag on top of vehicle). The dealer in Atlanta, Peachtree Blvd cannot fix the problem even after 4 service center visits, and keeping the vehicle for more than 10 days . It is now almost 8 months since the new 2023 Escalade was purchased. Called up GM Cadillac Customer Support many times on 800 333 4223 since one month and registered the complaint case and even GM Cadillac does not know and does not have a clue on how to provide any solution. The customer support provided by GM Cadillac Customer support team is pathetic. No response to customer complaints !!!!! The GM Cadillac Customer Support team is not qualified to deal with customer issues / pain. It is pathetic to have companies like GM Cadillac to ignore problems with their premium vehicle like Escalade. I do not see any other solution, hence reporting the issue with NHTSA. Manufacturers like GM Cadillac should not sell vehicles with known issues, without informing customers.

NHTSA ODI 11522093

Please explain your complaint in detail: Every Cadillac dealership in the area is refusing to service my vehicle for a serious safety recall •GM #: N222384930
 Trailer Brake Control Switch. When I call the dealerships to set up an appointment, they tell me there is a note on my account to not service your vehicle. The vehicle is brand new and was purchased from Brotherton Cadillac. All of the Cadillac dealerships are working together to block any service of my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11513125

Friday 03/03/2023 Off hwy 34 was on i25 for about 5 minutes going 75 I accelerated to 80, to get in my right lane and out of the fast lane got over and a pop up came on my dash board, said press start. I then realized my car lost power on the interstate with cars going 75-80+ mph and I had no way of starting or pulling off the side of the road, as there was construction and temporary road w/ barricades on both sides. My car was stopped in highway traffic, I was pumping my brakes to notify the semi behind me that something was wrong so he wouldn’t hit me. How is a 2023 vehicle going to stop on the highway with evening traffic, no where to pull over and hope I don’t get in an accident, it was dangerous and there was no notifications on the dashboard telling me what was wrong. My fuel was full, battery was fine and oil life was good. There could have been several fatalities as it was on the interstate and I was in the right lane with moving traffic in both. Approximately 6:50pm. I do have photos and video of the incident. I hit the onstar button, was holding for several minutes, it disconnected, so I hit the SOS emergency button and the operator took my info including my location on I-25 near mile marker 255 prior to the exit near the park n ride. She advised she was sending cdot to get traffic controlled, traffic in the left lane was still moving fast, people were honking and going around the semi. My sister was in her Cadillac in front of me stopped with her hazards so traffic behind could see the hazards. Cdot arrived about 15 minutes later, and then followed by a State Patrol officer. He advised ME TO GET IN MY SISTERS VEHICLE, and go to the park n ride at exit 255 and the tow truck and office would meet me there.

NHTSA ODI 11510369

when i took delivery of my vehicle in November of 2022 my rear parking and pedestrian guide lines worked perfectly and a month later they stopped working and is no longer active. Given the huge size of the Cadillac escalade this is major safety issue and could result in a rear collision or a pedestrian being injured. I contacted Cadillac and there is no fix for this and when i start my vehicle a blue hourglass appears on my center info screen

NHTSA ODI 11508707

System Failed: Back up lights are not working. Safety Concern: Cannot reverse in dark and putting self, family and others in danger. Problem reproduced at dealership: Fred Beans Cadillac in Bucks County Pennsylvania. Dealership Response to problem: They said GM is aware of the issue and it is related to software issue, no ETA of when it will be fixed however telling me it is safe to drive. No warning lamps however do have a blue hour glass in backup camera (not sure if that is related). "Cannot see anything when reversing as no reverse lights are working". Please see picture, driveway lights are on, front headlights are on, but no lights are working for reverse.

NHTSA ODI 11506645

I hooked up a 20' car hauler trailer with trailer brakes to my 2023 Cadillac Escalade and proceeded to go on a trip when immediately I received a message on the dash that said, "service trailer brakes" and then proceeded by another message that says "trailer brakes have been disabled". I took the trailer to a trailer shop where they checked all of the wiring, connections and brakes on the new 2023 trailer and they said everything was working perfectly when they hooked up their electrical device to the trailer. They said the problem was with the 2023 Cadillac Escalade internal brake controller. I took the Escalade to Cadillac of South Charlotte on Dec 30, 2022 and they confirmed that there is a problem with the controller and there is no fix. This is consistent to what I have read on the 2021-2022 GM vehicles that have this controller. This is a safety hazard should anyone try to trailer assuming their brakes are working on their trailer and they do not.

NHTSA ODI 11499582

The backup camera has no guidelines. GM has a bulletin but no fix and has not issues a recall. Document ID is 6153943. My dealer has told me they cannot do anything. This is a brand new car! Here is link to forum where frustrated owners have discussed the issue: https://www.cadillacforums.com/threads/backup-camera-grid-lines.1124433/ Here is link to youtube video to illustrate the issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYXcroezZE

NHTSA ODI 11492277