2021 Cadillac Escalade engine problems

ENGINE

On the day I was driving my 2021 Escalade had completely stopped in the middle of traffic , the vehicle was looked over by a certified mechanic and stated that it was at the full level of oil 0w-20 as stated to be put in by gm on the oil cap he stated that the motor L87 which is in my vehicle is under recall for this reason it the motor has put I and my child in complete danger in the middle of a busy street with the vehicle unable to move at all I stay on top of all vehicle maintenance and all recalls and was not informed that this motor was under recall for seizure I would like for the NHSTA to place this vehicle motor and others that are not informed of this information to please notify and rectify the issue because this has put me and my child and me being a pregnant mom in complete danger due to GM .i had no symptoms or problems or lights messages on my dash board the vehicle just abruptly stopped and scared me and my child .

NHTSA complaint #11758736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Bought a 2021 Escalade and at 50,000 miles it turned off at the middle of intersection while riding with my kids taking them to basketball. I had it towed to Cadillac they said it needed a new battery I left with new battery and broke down on the interstate while trying to pick up kids from school. I then had the car towed back to shop where they then said two days later I needed a new motor and that my warranty would not cover that and I’d have to pay 25,000-30….even though I just bought the car for 100,000….i towed it to RK Chevrolet where I waited for Over a YEAR. I had to buy a used car because I was never offered or able to use a loaner. My Cadilliac then got hit at the shop by a uber driver and the whole front in had to be fixed. I got my car back in November 2025 it’s now August 2026 9 months later it is back in the shop for motor and transmission issues with check engine light on. I am a hard working mother and I have spent more money on a car in my life. As a mother with kids to not have a car is a problem but the worst is the lack of help I have received. I would love any help in what I should do as this has been a nightmare. Please send or give me any advice I would greatly appreciate it.

NHTSA complaint #11758776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint #11758533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On 7/14/26, I scheduled Escalade to be serviced at local dealership (MT) when A/C went out on drivers/middle vents and I noticed a faint ticking noise under hood. Was told engine lifters were damaged & needed to be replaced. Service was completed 7/21 and I picked it up that evening. On [XXX] my husband and I departed for San Diego; stayed overnight in St George UT. On [XXX] around [XXX] pm, I was driving in second from left lane on [XXX] San Bernadino area. I braked quickly as traffic from far left lane merged right to avoid debris from a refrigerator that had shattered all over the highway. The Escalade engine failed and shut off without warning or any indicators. I tried several times & could not restart the vehicle; therefore I could not shift the vehicle into Neutral so it could at least be pushed off the highway. My husband immediately called 9-1-1 and requested assistance. I frantically searched the internet for a way to shift to neutral when there is no power to the vehicle, and discovered the manual neutral override is under the vehicle. It was impossible for us to attempt that in this situation. All we could do was sit in the middle of the freeway with our hazard lights on and pray while we waited for law enforcement to arrive while heavy fast-moving traffic flew around us, honking and cursing at us to "get out of the way". This was a very perilous situation and our lives were endangered. We were helpless until CHP officers arrived on scene, followed by a tow company. The vehicle was towed to the closest dealer service center. We were told four days later that the entire engine needed to be replaced. It remains at the CA dealership while we fight with GM Warranty to have it shipped to MT. If the engine failure recall was dealt with appropriately as promised by GM, this would have been avoided altogether. **Note: Escalade passed engine recall inspection 10/9/25; was 'upgraded' to 40W oil. Regular service/oil changes completed 1/23/26 and 6/8/26. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INF

NHTSA complaint #11754806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while approaching a red light and slowing down, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000(ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 40,000.

NHTSA complaint #11751066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Accelerated onto a 4-lane major highway and lost most engine power and many warning lights came on. I lost most vehicle power merging onto a 4 lane highway around other vehicles. I was able to get the car stopped car safely on side of the road and cut off for one minute. There was a noticeable rattlling noise in the engine compartment and severly reduced power. No lights regarding engine were previously available. Got the vehicle to dealer service center. Below is their report. "engine misfire detected. checked misfire data, all cylinder has recorded misfires with cylinder #4 being the most at 23,316. will have to remove bank 2 valve cover for inspection of rocker arms along with push rods. after removing valve cover no visible issues. started vehicle and the scraping/ticking noise is very audible. all rocker arms are moving. when touching cylinder #4 exhaust valve rocker arm can feel the roughness of the noise. which is indication of failed valve lifter or camshaft lobe. estimate provided. labor op 4067490 engine replacement 18.4 add 1.2 evacuate and recharge r1234yf a/c system. old engine #N1203011CU8X0269. new engine #19420611 007507775 1110000000000X. service completed."

NHTSA complaint #11749989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Following a recent oil change, I started the vehicle back up to drive approximately an hour to another city and the engine was making a horrible “knocking” sound. Took the vehicle back to the dealership and it was confirmed catastrophic engine failure which fell under GM’s known 6.2L engine issues. My safety and my children’s safety were put at risk because had I not drove directly to the dealership instead of getting on the highway as planned, the vehicle could have died at highway speeds posing a serious safety risk. No warning signs, no engine light, nothing prior to the failure.

NHTSA complaint #11746855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine failure while driving on highway at 70 mpg.

NHTSA complaint #11744332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My family and I were returning from a trip, and the engine just died in the middle of the street at 2 AM. No noises from engine or anything, but it just stopped out of the blue.

NHTSA complaint #11733938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On 4/17/2026 in Tomball Texas I experienced a sudden loss of engine propulsion while driving on a 4 lane road. The battery had voltage, hazard lights and radio worked normally. The car rolled to a stop in a traffic lane as this road has no shoulder and was put into park. The push button ignition was pressed but no restart of engine. The car was towed to the dealer that same day and told me the engine was "seized" and they have seen many of the same engines with the same problem. This car is not under the current recall for the L87 but those a few months to years from the recall lot have a current NHTSA investigation ongoing.

NHTSA complaint #11732045 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

There was a recall on the L87 propulsion. The dealer changed the oil and said it was fixed. I left the dealer and the issue still persists. They refuse to address it.

NHTSA complaint #11725927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I SCHEDULED SERVICE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL. AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE AS SCHEDULED THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SAFETY COVERED RECALLS AND STATED DUE TO THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A BRANDED TITLE.

NHTSA complaint #11724838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On 2/21/26, while driving approximately 60 mph, my car experienced a sudden loss of propulsion. The vehicle unexpectedly shifted into neutral and began decelerating, displaying a prompt instructing me to press the start button. I was able to coast to the shoulder and avoid a collision, but the incident occurred in active highway traffic on a Saturday afternoon and posed a significant safety risk. The vehicle had completed manufacturer recall service related to engine propulsion concerns less than 90 days prior to this event and had PASSED the associated safety checks. Approximately 5,000 miles had been driven since that service without prior warning signs. Given the nature of the failure and its occurrence after recall completion, I am concerned that the recall remedy may not adequately address the safety defect. A loss of propulsion at highway speed could reasonably result in serious injury or death. Cadillac has NOW agreed to replace my engine, but they didn't replace it when they had the chance in November. The recall parameters failed me.

NHTSA complaint #11720374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

GM issued a special coverage in bulletin N252508341 for the coolant control valve in my vehicle. This issue happened to my vehicle exactly as the symptoms are stated in the bulletin: check engine light, P1098 code, fan running at high speed with the engine on and off, and reduced acceleration. I took the vehicle to the dealer to be covered, and they say my vehicle is not covered by the bulletin. To be clear, the bulletin covers 2021-2023 Cadillac Escalades with the LM2 3.0L Duramax engine. My vehicle is a 2021 Cadillac Escalade with a LM2 3.0L Duramax engine. Which had all the issues and symptoms listed in the special coverage. Yet, they say it is not covered. This seems incredibly shady. And very wrong. Why in the world would they not be covering my vehicle? It seems unsafe to be driving a vehicle that has reduced acceleration, a fan constantly running at high speed, and a check engine light for malfunctioning parts. Faulty parts from GM which they have already acknowledged are bad.

NHTSA complaint #11720079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine needs to be replaced or rebuilt Also the fuel pump power control nodule failed

NHTSA complaint #11719071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Rod/Main bearing Debris Causing block damage Engine needs rebuild/ replace

NHTSA complaint #11719087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 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.

NHTSA complaint #11717280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

General Motors issued a recall on various 2021-2024 Tahoes and Escalades with 6.2L V8 engines. Since issuing the recall, they have given no information and my Escalade has been sitting at the dealership for months with not ETA of the engine and parts needed ti fix the vehicle. GM is dragging this out slow and methodically!

NHTSA complaint #11698687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Complete engine failure with vehicle only having 79615 miles on the vehicle. Vehicle was inspected by authorized Cadillac dealership and it was determined that the crank shaft/connecting rod had failed causing the engine to be replaced. Dealership communicated that issue was consistent with issue with known GM recall however vehicle was not covered under current recalled vin numbers at the time of engine failure.

NHTSA complaint #11698168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway. The check engine warning light then illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was later examined by a mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 113,000.

NHTSA complaint #11695997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint. IN RE: GM Recall N252494000 I received notice in May of 2025 that my 2021 Cadillac Escalade is involved in a recall. At first my dealer said the part to repair is not available? Then in September we stopped by my dealer and he said the recall does NOT involve my Cadillac. So I will attach a copy of my notice so there is no question they notified me I have a defective Cadillac. Please someone tell me Why this happened? I want a different automobile!!! By the way I find it very interesting that Regina A. Carto,, Vice President of Global Product Safety and Systems FAILS TO PROVIDE HER ADDRESS?

NHTSA complaint #11695751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I have been waiting for GM to send authorization for the dealer to inspect and remedy the engine, as per the open recall, but have heard nothing since May 2025, when GM stated parts were not available.

NHTSA complaint #11692012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine failure Driver side seat belt light on dashboard.

NHTSA complaint #11688796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). Prior to the letter being received, the message "Engine Oil Low" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the issue was with the engine. However, the part to do the repair was not available. The dealer topped off the engine oil. The contact stated that the messages remained displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the engine was tested. The engine passed inspection, and a higher viscosity oil was added, and 6 oil fill caps were installed. The contact stated that the messages persisted, and the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact received a 2nd recall letter regarding the engine. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired and that the only fix available was to keep adding oil to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

NHTSA complaint #11686358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts availability. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint #11685658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that a customer was operating the vehicle through the Turo App when the vehicle lost motive power while driving at an undisclosed speed. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA complaint #11683654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint. Text from attached document: Last week [ went to get the oil changed at my local Jiffy Lube and was told, "We can' t service Lhis vehicle any longer because it has been re-called." I asked, "what I am supposed to do? They said Cadiliac is supposed to Lake care of it. After calling Mark Christopher Cadillac in Ontario, Cali fornia they said they can't help me until they get parts and have no idea when that will be.

NHTSA complaint #11682316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

A major recall has been issued due to possible engine failure. It sounds like a ticking time bomb and the dealer and GM currently refuse to do anything about it because “remedy not available yet.” I’m stuck driving a vehicle where the engine could fail randomly at any minute putting my family in danger and there’s no fix being offered right now despite the massive recall. Replace my engine!

NHTSA complaint #11681017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While driving my 2021 Cadillac Escalade to Utah, the engine completely locked up and failed without warning. The vehicle had to be towed to a GM-authorized dealership. Upon inspection, the dealership confirmed the failure was directly related to an active safety recall on the vehicle. Prior to the failure, there were no check engine lights or no other warning lamps, messages, or symptoms. The failure occurred suddenly and without additional notice. The dealership stated the needed part is currently on national backorder and that the vehicle cannot be repaired or safely driven until the part arrives. It has now been over four months since the vehicle was brought in, and there is still no estimated repair date from GM. This has left me without a functioning vehicle due to a known safety defect. The vehicle remains inoperable at the dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11678340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.