Home · 2024 Cadillac Escalade Iql · Complaints

What 41 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 Cadillac Escalade Iql

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (41)Crash / fire / injury (1)Engine (28)Transmission & drivetrain (7)Driver assistance (5)Electrical system (5)Engine & cooling (4)Brakes (3)Fuel system (2)Lights (1)Speed control (1)

Newest first · 41 complaints · page 1 of 2

Jul 1, 2026Engine

After accelerating from a stop sign to about 60mph on a 2 lane road, the engine shut off and the vehicle changed to neutral. I had to glide the truck down the road and off to the side. Vehicle would not start and had to be towed to a Cadillac dealership on a flatbed.

NHTSA ODI 11747611

Jun 24, 2026Transmission & drivetrainEngine

Driving on the freeway at 70mph, vehicle lost power and slowed down with no warning. Gas pedal unresponsive. Received message on screen to start vehicle. was able to swerve to shoulder lane out of oncoming traffic's way just in time for it to come to a full stop and never start again. When attempted to start vehicle again, it was completely unresponsive. Had to call for police escort since car was in near path of oncoming traffic. Tow truck had to haul to dealership location near home (100+ miles away). Currently still receiving alerts from onstar that all vehicle functions are clear and OK with no issues "green checkmark" on all components. No recalls or service issues in the vehicle for 22k miles until failure.

NHTSA ODI 11746280

Jun 1, 2026Transmission & drivetrainDriver assistance

I want to report several recurring issues with my 2024 Escalade transmission:Rough/Hard Shifting: Drivers experience jerky, clunking, or harsh shifting, especially when accelerating or decelerating.Transmission Slipping: The vehicle slipped between gears, impacting performance.Delayed Engagement: A delay or clunking sound when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse.

NHTSA ODI 11741209

Apr 22, 2026Engine

On Sunday April 19th at approximately 12:00pm. I was driving on NJ’s garden state parkway when the car had catastrophic engine failure at highway speeds. I lost full power, including power steering, and brakes. This SUV could have killed my family and I if I was unable to use brute force to control it into the right lane. While I understand that any vehicle can experience warranty-related issues, a catastrophic engine failure at highway speeds is not a typical or acceptable occurrence. The severity of this incident has significantly impacted my confidence in both the vehicle and the brand. I am particularly concerned about the safety implications associated with the L87 6.2L V8 engine, which has been widely reported as affecting a substantial number of vehicles. Given what occurred, I no longer feel safe operating this Escalade. My wife is unwilling to drive it, and I am not comfortable having my child in the vehicle under any circumstances.

NHTSA ODI 11733122

Apr 17, 2026Engine

Vehicle experienced catastrophic failure while going approximately 45 miles per hour in the middle lane of one of the busiest streets in the city…my [XXX] son was in the vehicle when this occurred….I am a disabled veteran who purchased this vehicle for transportation for son and his team mates to sporting events and tournaments…the vehicle has been at the dealership for 60 days…there was one attempt around the 30th day to replace the engine…that engine was found to be faulty as well…another 30 days have passed and the vehicle has not been fixed…the dealership does not have a loaner vehicle for me…I am concerned about the safety of this vehicle and honestly am not comfortable with my wife and son experiencing additional traumatic incidents INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11731992

Mar 23, 2026Engine

I’m using this car in Poland (Europe) my engine starts to make knocking noise due to Bearings rods and lifters failure . N252494001 L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion I called to European Cadillac authorized service and they refused to replace the engine because USA based manufacturer don’t wan’t to repair a car even is still on warranty

NHTSA ODI 11726487

Mar 19, 2026EngineFuel system

After having the initial engine failure recall completed by the dealership by switching to a different viscosity oil… While traveling at 45 mph the motor made a knocking or ticking sound with a squeal and then “hiccuped “ and immediately lost all power. I was only able to steer the vehicle onto a busy sidestreet. The vehicle had recently been serviced by Cadillac. Once stopped, the vehicle cannot be shifted from park due to “shifting conditions not met” so I was blocking the entire intersection. Police had to respond for traffic control. Due to the electronic shifter the only way to shift the vehicle into neutral is with tools and getting underneath the vehicle to remove a bolt. There is no reasonable or prudent way to do this in the middle of an intersection.

NHTSA ODI 11725534

Feb 18, 2026EngineFuel system

Traveling on interstate preparing to exit on ramp. Press start button displayed, car immediately sounded like it geared down hard and then lost power, unable to control well, all I could do to come to a safe stop, while praying that the car behind me didn’t hit me. The car basically locked up while preparing to exit the interstate. So scary, terrifying and dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11718962

Jan 28, 2026Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

Component/System Involved: Engine / Powertrain and Vehicle Electronic Control Systems, including Serial Data Gateway Module Description of Failure: While driving at highway speed (approximately 60 mph), the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion without warning. Engine power was lost while traveling on an interstate, forcing me to pull onto the shoulder without propulsion. The loss-of-power event occurred more than once during the same trip. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Cadillac dealership for inspection. Dealer diagnosis confirmed internal mechanical engine failure, including metal debris present in the engine oil, requiring full engine replacement. During diagnostic procedures, the dealership also identified electrical communication faults involving the serial data gateway module, including voltage fluctuation and wiring chafing within the vehicle harness. These faults caused loss-of-communication conditions between control modules and required repair. Safety Risk: The loss of propulsion occurred at highway speed with passengers present in the vehicle, creating a serious safety hazard. Sudden power loss on an interstate increased the risk of collision due to the inability to maintain speed or maneuver safely in traffic. Confirmation / Inspection: The failure was confirmed by an authorized Cadillac dealership. The engine was removed and replaced due to internal damage. Electrical communication faults related to the serial data gateway module were also confirmed and repaired. Warning Indicators: No warning lamps or alerts were displayed prior to the loss of propulsion. Communication faults were identified during post-failure diagnostics. Current Status: The vehicle has undergone engine replacement and electronic repairs and is currently under post-repair monitoring due to the severity and safety implications of the failure. Availability for Inspection: The vehicle and repair documentation should be available through dealership

NHTSA ODI 11714023

Jan 25, 2026Engine

While driving vehicle reported multiple system failures and started shaking. Was safety parked and towed to dealership. Dealership found metal shavings in engine oil. No resolution as of yet.

NHTSA ODI 11713244

Jan 7, 2026Engine

The check engine light has been coming on intermittently and the engine has felt rough operating. On December 23, 2025, despite the absence of an illuminated "Check Engine Light", I was driving the vehicle when it suddenly lost power/acceleration in the middle of a busy street, which caused me to nearly get into an accident. I brought the vehicle into the Dealership on 12/29/25, and is still there as of 1/7/26. The Dealership has hooked my car up to the scanner, which found code P0300, and they indicated that it's showing a history of misfires across all cylinders. The Dealership has said that they cannot fix the car because they cannot get the Engine Light to illuminate and because as of 1/7/26, my VIN is not included in part of the widespread Engine recall. My vehicle poses an extreme safety risk to drive, and I do not feel comfortable driving it, knowing that the Engine is misfiring and could lose acceleration or power at any moment and without warning.

NHTSA ODI 11709355

Jan 6, 2026

Vehicle tires were swaying

NHTSA ODI 11709119

Jan 4, 2026

Vehicle: 2024 Cadillac EscaladenV VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~31,000 miles On December 29, 2025 at approximately 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time, while driving at Approximately 30 mph under normal operating conditions, the front panoramic sunroof glass of my 2024 Cadillac Escalade V catastrophically shattered without warning. Ambient temperature was approximately 21°F. Weather conditions included freezing rain and high winds. The vehicle interior was heated. The interior sunshade was closed at the time of failure. The vehicle was equipped with a roof rack and a mounted cargo box positioned directly above the sunroof plane, providing physical shielding of the glass from above. There was no collision, no road debris strike, and no external object interaction. The glass failure was sudden and explosive. After safely pulling over and retracting the interior sunshade to assess the damage, glass fragments fell into the passenger compartment and struck both front occupants. Two children seated in the second row were not injured. Visual inspection shows no identifiable impact point, crater, or localized strike origin. Fracture patterns appear to originate near the perimeter of the glass panel, suggesting possible stress related or installation related failure rather than impact damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11708639

Nov 27, 2025Engine

Engine failure. Started making a knocking noise on road with my whole family in the car, no lights or warnings on dash and had to pull over and get it towed to nearest dealer. Took a week to get a diagnostic done. Dealer found metal shavings in oil filter believe to be from a connecting rod bearing. Recall 252494000 was done 2,000 miles prior to engine failure. Now dealer must replace engine assembly, engine oil cooler and radiator all due to contamination

NHTSA ODI 11701795

Nov 20, 2025Engine & cooling

See attached document for complaint. I am writing to you as a deeply concerned mother and consumer seeking urgent help with a danger ous and unresolved engine defect in my 2024 Cadillac E calade, which has been formally recalled under NHT A Campaign 25V-274 (GM Recall 1 252494000). I purchased this vehicle in good faith, believing it would be a safe, reliable car to transport my three young children (age [XXX] , [XXX] , and [XXX] ). lnstead, the experience ha been frightening and exhau ting. The veh icle has suffered repeated engine issues, loss of power, and extended repair attempts - and despite the recall acknowledgment, there is till no available remedy or meaningful support from General Motors. For month , I ha e been unable to afely rely on the car 1 depend on every day. I have pent over a month col lectively without my vehicle and continue to live\ ith constant fear that the engine may fail while dri ing with my children in the car. Each time I tart the vehicle, 1 brace for the po sibi lity that it could suddenly lose propulsion in traffic i a terrifying thought for any parent. I have followed e ery step required under the, arranty and recall process, contacted the manufacturer, and recently issued a formal repurchase demand under California's ong-Beverly Con umer Warranty Act. GM has admitted the defect but continues to leave families like mine waiting indefinitely for a repair that doe not yet exi t. Tam pleading for your agency' immediate intervention and over ight to en ure that GM repurcha es my vehicle before tragedy strike . My family hould not be left driving an unsafe vehicle with known defects - especially when manufacturers had prior knowledge of these issues years before notifying the public. Plea e, I urge HTSA to reviev thi case and compel General Motors to take immediate, re ponsible action to resolve it. The fear and uncertainty this has caused are overwhelming. I should not have to choo e between my family' afety and my only mean of tran portation. Thank you for your time, attention, and dedication to consumer safety. I am truly de perate for your help in resolving thi matter wiftly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11700501

Nov 7, 2025EngineDriver assistance

Having it at four different dealers have not corrected the infotainment screen, adaptive cruise control phantom braking, electrical display issues such as ambient temperature, malfunctioning fuel gauge. Check engine notification was on, they seem to have corrected that, the next notification was service rear axle. Back up camera fails intermittently. I have had it to the dealer nine times, GM won't do a buy back I guess until they are sued. Also, dealer changed the oil to a thicker viscosity due to the engine recall. All the above ongoing for a full year.

NHTSA ODI 11698116

Oct 14, 2025Electrical systemBrakesDriver assistance

Clicking that the dealer stated was normal. It was not loud knocking saying that is how the high flow fuel pump worked. Safety braking did not work at all. And there was a water intrusion in the trunk.

NHTSA ODI 11693478

Sep 26, 2025Brakes

The brake system failed within 3 months of purchase of Cadillac Escalade. The mileage was 4,209 miles, when the incident occurred The vehicle was towed to Massey Cadillac, Authorised Service Partner (ASP) and diagnosed that 'DIAG BRAKE LIGHT C058A BREAK MASTER CYLINDER HAS INTERNAL FAULT'. They replaced the faulty part and the brake is working good now I was saved from a major accident, there was a chance to ran over some one as I realised the failure of brake, while the vehicle was in motion. I believe, this a potential claim for a compensation from manufacturer. I filed complaint with General Motors and I did not get a satisfactory reply. They were dragging it without any timely response.

NHTSA ODI 11689832

Sep 5, 2025Engine

The vehicle died while driving with no warning and had 6,800 miles on it at the time. I received a message to "Push ignition to start" but it did nothing. Had it towed to Cadillac dealership. The engine was replaced. The paperwork that I received says "Large amounts of metal debris in oil. Drained engine oil and found oil to appear silver not brown/black. Suspect major internal failure not allowing engine rotation. Engine requires replacement due to extent of oil contamination with metal debris. I now need to use 0W20 oil. I feel like this isn't solving the problem and I don't feel safe driving this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11685221

Aug 11, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact called several local dealers who confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while stopped, the vehicle shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact made multiple attempts to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. Due to the failure, the contact was forced to have the vehicle towed. The contact attempted to have the vehicle towed to a local dealer; however, the dealer refused to take the vehicle due to a staffing shortage. The vehicle was eventually dropped off at another dealer, who stated that the vehicle could not be serviced for two weeks. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 11679786

Jul 11, 2025Engine

I was driving on the expressway going 75mph in the middle lane when the vehicle said “press start button” and lost all propulsion. I started slowing down rapidly and was unable to get to the right lane as there were vehicles so I merged to the left lane and came to a stop narrowly missed by a speeding driver. The vehicle would not turn back on. I was in the left lane around 2:30pm with rush hour beginning. I did not feel safe waiting for a tow truck so was picked up by a coworker.

NHTSA ODI 11672955

Jul 2, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11670864

Jun 30, 2025Engine

While traveling 65 mph on a highway the car turned itself off and shifted into neutral. I was able to make it to the side of the road nearly avoiding a high speed accident. The car was placed in park and restarted. Less than five minutes later it did the exact same thing again. This time forcing me to come to a complete stop on a highway in a construction zone. The vehicle is only a few months old with 9k miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11670402

May 19, 2025Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact accidentally spilled coffee on the center console and the cupholder. The service transmission and shift message were displayed. The lights illuminated on the gear shifter. The display was flashing on and off. The contact stated that while driving, the message to slow-down to shift gear was displayed. The contact tested the vehicle in reverse(R), drive(D), and park(P). The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly slowed down to 10 MPH and slammed into park(P). The vehicle failed to move. While the vehicle was idling, the vehicle started to roll. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who determined there was no coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and filed a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 11661926

May 12, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11660335

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Working with the data? Download all 41 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2024 Cadillac Escalade Iql verdict →