549 of the
2,367 complaints filed about the Cadillac Escalade
are about the engine —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2023.
The same exact engine make and model was recalled and mine didnt fall under it but I am having the same exact issues. And now my car is in the shop and im having to pay an outlandish amount of money to get my car fixed from a known recall on my exact vehicle and engine.
NHTSA complaint #11763552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The engine started clicking and rumbling out of no where. I have done every maintenance protocol since buying and was told there was a recall on all of these engines. Somehow mine is not covered in the recall?
NHTSA complaint #11763125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the engine replacement, the low oil warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been repaired for an oil consumption-related recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
NHTSA complaint #11763070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine failure and replaced. Received vehicle back and placed under 2k miles on the new engine and 3 times now it has shut off while in motion and required a restart.
NHTSA complaint #11762810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 8/25/2026, my 2024 Cadillac Escalade with the 6.2L V8 suffered a sudden loss of propulsion at approximately 49,754 miles. While my husband was driving and preparing to enter the highway, the vehicle went into Neutral and lost propulsion. He heard a loud banging noise, the low-oil warning illuminated, and the check-engine light began flashing. I later looked in the Cadillac app and saw code P0016. The engine then completely seized. The vehicle was towed to Sewell Cadillac. The dealer documented that the engine would not crank or turn manually, found metal/debris in the oil and internal bearing/rod damage, and replaced the complete engine. We picked up the Escalade on 8/29/2026 at approximately 49,779 miles. After only 127 miles, at approximately 49,906 miles, I experienced another loss of propulsion while driving. The vehicle unexpectedly went into Neutral and shut off. I was able to restart it and safely move it, but it shut off again. There were no warning lights after restarting. The vehicle was towed back to the dealership. On the second repair order, the dealer documented the complaint as “vehicle turned off and went to neutral.” They found code U3000, documented “ECM software out of date” and “ECM software malfunction,” and reprogrammed the ECM using GM’s SPS system. The repair order identifies this as a “REPEAT REPAIR” related to the prior engine replacement. As far as I know, my VIN was not included in the applicable 6.2L engine recall, and I was not informed by the dealership about the known 6.2L engine issue. I am reporting this because the vehicle has experienced two sudden loss-of-propulsion events in less than 50,000 miles, including one only 127 miles after complete engine replacement. I am concerned this vehicle is unsafe to drive.
NHTSA complaint #11762473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had a 2023 Escalade that I was experiencing issues with. I decided to pay lot of money to get out of the 2023 and purchase a 2025 - which is what I was told would get me around the engine problems I was experiencing. Well that was quite the opposite. In 2025 Cadillac Escalade: 1. All the lights on the dashboard lit up and the engine seized up. It was at night with both of my kids scared. Had it towed in, and they diagnosed with with "spark" plugs as the issues. 2. I picked it up and proceed to drive to my field off [XXX] - the same thing happens. I am now 100 miles from home with a dead truck. It gets towed back to the dealership. At this point they called me and had to replace the engine - 15,000 mies. I then experienced more issue with car starting. - this time it needed a new battery. I just had a ruptured brain aneurysm with 3 surgeries - so my husband had to pick it up fro m the shop - and no one had driven. We are scared of the car - when we have only had it a year. The Cadillac team on IG is extremely condescending with no solution - just kinds fake words. What do we do? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11762225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On August 25, 2026, while driving my 2026 Cadillac Escalade, the vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure. The engine lost power and the vehicle became inoperable while I was on the road. There was no meaningful advance warning that would have allowed me to safely anticipate the failure. The sudden loss of engine power created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could no longer be driven normally or moved under its own power. The vehicle ultimately had to be transported by a specialty tow service to an authorized Cadillac dealership. The Cadillac dealership inspected the vehicle and advised me that there was a major internal engine failure involving the bottom end of the engine, including the crankshaft/rod-bearing area, and that the engine requires replacement. The vehicle was purchased brand new on December 31, 2025 with approximately 15 miles and suffered this major engine failure less than eight months after purchase. The vehicle had approximately 12,000 miles at the time of the failure. The vehicle is currently at the authorized Cadillac dealership and is available for inspection. Cadillac/GM has been notified of the failure, and a case has been opened with the manufacturer. My primary safety concern is that a major engine failure occurred suddenly while the vehicle was being driven. A sudden loss of propulsion in traffic could create a significant risk of a collision, particularly at highway speeds or in circumstances where the driver needs engine power to safely maneuver the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11761421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Currently receiving it's 4th engine (it has shut down on me while driving down the road, twice) onStar module has been replaced, radiator has been replaced (i think twice), sway bar has been replaced, front suspension problems multiple times (i don't remember all of them), coolant leak, for some reason eats up front tires in about 10K miles and nobody can explain why (discount tire says they have never seen anything like it), flashes error codes on me constantly. this has all been going on since i bought the car in October of 2022. I keep taking it in and they "fix" it and then send me on my way only for me to end up right back where we started.
NHTSA complaint #11761011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting ongoing safety concerns with my 2023 Cadillac Escalade involving unexpected acceleration and loss of propulsion while driving. On XXX, while traveling to [XXX] in slow-moving traffic with Super Cruise engaged, my vehicle unexpectedly accelerated forward. I immediately applied the brakes to avoid striking the vehicle ahead. I reported the incident to the Cadillac dealership and contacted OnStar. OnStar records reflected the acceleration/hard-braking event, but the dealership could not identify the cause. On XXX, the vehicle experienced a significant loss of engine/transmission power while I was driving. I contacted OnStar, which reported transmission control module-related diagnostic codes P0747 and P0700 and indicated reduced power/transmission malfunction. I had difficulty reaching a safe location and the vehicle was ultimately towed to a Cadillac dealership. I have also experienced ongoing excessive oil consumption. I first reported this in May 2024 at approximately 21,000 miles. Multiple oil consumption tests were performed, but I repeatedly had to add oil between changes. In June 2026, the vehicle displayed an “Add Oil” warning even though the oil life monitor showed approximately 37% remaining. The vehicle has also had recurring HVAC problems requiring multiple dealership visits, including a coolant flush for an air pocket and later vent actuator recalibration. The vehicle has been inspected and serviced by authorized GM/Cadillac dealerships multiple times, including recall work, oil consumption testing, powertrain diagnosis and HVAC repairs. Despite these repeated visits, concerns continue. My primary safety concerns are the unexpected acceleration and subsequent loss of propulsion/reduced power while driving. I am reporting these incidents because they may indicate a safety-related defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11761033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2024 Cadillac Escalade had the 6.2 v8 engine recall done in 6/25. I’ve put less than 8k miles on it since and just rolled 32400 miles total. While driving with my family in the car on 8/30 on the highway, it lost all power and just shut off while driving highway speeds. I was able to safely stop but very dangerous. Vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to dealer.
NHTSA complaint #11761154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing this complaint regarding my 2022 Cadillac Escalade and serious concerns about how a safety-related engine issue and recall were handled. I purchased my Escalade new and have consistently maintained it at the Cadillac dealership, following all recommended oil-change and maintenance intervals. Over approximately two years, I had multiple service appointments where I waited more than four hours for what I believed was simply an oil change. I now have documentation showing my vehicle had little to no oil in the engine while the vehicle still indicated more than 40% oil life remaining. Despite these repeated visits, I was not clearly informed of the seriousness of what was happening with my engine. I was eventually informed of the recall and that the condition of my engine was serious enough to require a complete engine replacement. I am extremely concerned that I was not made aware of this safety risk sooner. Since the replacement engine was installed, I have continued to experience a concerning metal-on-metal type sound when my vehicle stops. I have reported this to the Cadillac service department multiple times, but I still do not feel confident that the problem has been properly addressed. I have told the dealership that I do not feel safe driving this vehicle, especially with my children and grandchildren riding in it. I have even asked to be released from the vehicle because I no longer have confidence in its safety. I am asking NHTSA to investigate how this recall was handled, whether customers were adequately informed of the safety risks, and whether replacement engines and continuing reported symptoms are being properly addressed. I am concerned other Cadillac owners may be experiencing similar problems without understanding the seriousness of the issue. I have documentation of my service history and vehicle condition and can provide it if requested.
NHTSA complaint #11760779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down the road, doing approximately 50 mph, when my vehicle shifted itself into neutral and I lost power completely. The information center said "reduced power. Press the start button to regain power," which I did, but nothing happened. I had to pull off the road and have my vehicle towed to a Cadillac dealership in Lima, OH. The dealer, Lima Auto Mall, confirmed I suffered a complete engine failure. This is one of the 6.2L engines that GM has recalled and I had already had the engine inspected by my local Cadillac dealer and they told me my engine was "good," and switched to the 0W40 motor oil. I had just had the vehicle into my Cadillac dealer 4 days prior where they performed an oil change, tire rotation, 80,000 mile service , etc. Four days later, the motor completely failed and had to be replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11760822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Total engine failure. Had to replace entire engine. Crank shaft issue. We had just returned from vacation and could have been stranded MILES away. Willis Cadillac in Iowa replaced the engine. No warning light whatsoever. Immediate failure upon turning the car on.
NHTSA complaint #11760418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My engine locked up with only 9k miles on it. Left me stranded in 109 degree heat. Had it towed to local dealer over 3 weeks ago they determined engine was bad and ordered new engine from GM but the engine is on back order. I need GM to buy my vehicle back so I can replace it I have nothing to drive.
NHTSA complaint #11760163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The L87 in our Escalade had a catastrophic failure at 97,088 miles. We were told that the right cylinder head had failed which caused the lower main bearings to fail. We had the engine replaced with a newly rebuilt L87 on XXX (invoice date). The engine was rebuilt by GM. Our local shop procured it through Weisner GMC in [XXX]. The cost to us was $11,428.22. Fortunately, we were able to limp the car into our local shop. Now, this newly rebuilt engine has 11,056 miles on it and we are experiencing the same symptoms as the last. Those are: ticking during acceleration and very rough idling and a growling noise at low speeds. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11759690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.