64 of the
2,305 complaints filed about the Cadillac Escalade
are about the steering —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2015.
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 complaint #11722231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On September 8, 2024, while traveling approximately 75 mph on Interstate 4 with my wife and five children, this 2023 Cadillac Escalade experienced a sudden catastrophic loss of engine power following a hard shift. Steering, braking assist, and acceleration were effectively lost and the vehicle shifted into neutral without warning. We were nearly struck by a tractor-trailer while attempting to reach the shoulder and were stranded on the highway in unsafe heat for over an hour without roadside assistance. A dealership inspection confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure involving metal debris and spun bearings, requiring complete engine replacement and related component repairs under manufacturer direction. The vehicle was out of service for approximately 15 days. The failed components and repair documentation are available for inspection through the dealer and manufacturer. No prior warning lights or messages were present before the initial failure. On February 8, 2026, the replacement engine experienced a second sudden loss-of-power event. The day before, the vehicle briefly lost propulsion near 40 mph approaching a stoplight and restarted with difficulty. The following day, while backing from a parking space into an active roadway, the vehicle again lost propulsion and became disabled, nearly resulting in a collision with an approaching truck while surrounding traffic was forced to stop. This repeat failure of the engine/powertrain system has been reproduced and confirmed by a dealership and previously inspected by the manufacturer. The recurring sudden loss of propulsion without adequate warning creates a serious and ongoing safety hazard to occupants and surrounding motorists. The failed components and vehicle remain available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11717346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
System that failed/malfunctioned: power steering (EPS) system How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Power steering went out while driving. Steering wheel immediately became stiff and made it extremely to turn the wheel in either direction. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem was confirmed at an independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Others. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were NO warning messages or other symptoms prior to failure.
NHTSA complaint #11710220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Tuesday, [XXX] at approximately [XXX], my 2025 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a sudden and complete failure of multiple critical safety and control systems while in motion. My wife was driving downhill toward a stoplight with our two toddlers in the vehicle when the incident occurred. Without warning, all dashboard alerts illuminated simultaneously, including brake, engine, collision, and steering warnings. At the same time, the vehicle lost braking capability, power steering assist, electronic gear shifting, and emergency brake functionality. The vehicle continued moving downhill with no functional means of controlled stopping. Because the vehicle was approaching an intersection at the bottom of the hill, a collision would have been unavoidable if the traffic signal had been red. The only way to stop the vehicle was to leave the roadway and pull into dirt, using terrain resistance to bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle became inoperable and required towing. This was not a degraded performance or warning condition; it was a complete loss of control over a moving vehicle. The failure placed the occupants, including young children, at immediate risk of serious injury or death. The vehicle was towed to North County Buick Cadillac GMC Service and remains under evaluation. A GM safety escalation case has been opened (GM Case #[XXX]). Due to the severity of this incident, trust in the vehicle’s safety is permanently lost INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11708250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my 2022 Cadillac Escalade when suddenly the engine shut off. Lost the ability to drive forward and steering became hard. I was close to being rear-ended as I was on the highway. Towed it to the dealer who said engine seized. Installed new engine after a month of waiting and the vehicle doesn't run right. It has a rough idle. Dealer installed incorrect oil as replacement engines were supposed to retain original oil of 0W-20. Had to make numerous trips to the dealer due to low coolant, wrong oil on a new engine and rough idle. Dealer says its fine. $100K vehicle with a rough idle is a joke!
NHTSA complaint #11696780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was on the Highway and the EPS stopped working and steering wheel became hard. I looked online and saw there was a recall for this certain model of vehicle and when I checked the NHTSA page there was no recall for my VIN. We had to continue using the vehicle to get back to out city and it suddenly worked again. Now it does it every few times. We’re scared we might crash. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V586000
NHTSA complaint #11675475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 complaint #11668491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Entire information cluster has lost power vehicle halts to a stop in mid driving breaking response is sometimes hard sometimes very loose intermittent warning lights
NHTSA complaint #11666957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Our 2021 Cadillac Escalade has experienced multiple ongoing issues. The “driver airbag warning” light has been a major concern, with the dealership stating that the airbag could malfunction at any moment. When we took the vehicle in for repairs, they determined that a previous maintenance job on the driver’s airbag was done incorrectly, which was causing the warning light to activate. Additionally, the vehicle intermittently displays warnings for the “service system restraint system,” “service power steering column,” “reducing features to save battery,” and “service driver assist system.” Despite multiple visits to the dealership, we are consistently told that their diagnostic computers do not populate any error codes, leaving them uncertain about the cause of these warnings. Another major issue is battery drainage. We replaced the original battery two years ago, yet we have needed Cadillac roadside assistance twice because the vehicle wouldn’t start. Each time, the battery tested as healthy, but the car remained inoperable due to a drained battery. Lastly, we have had to replace the remote key batteries every 2-3 months, which seems excessive for a relatively new vehicle. Safety Risks: The driver airbag warning light indicates that the airbag could malfunction at any moment, which poses a serious safety risk in the event of an accident. The service system restraint system warning suggests potential failure in critical safety components. Issues with the service power steering column could lead to steering difficulties while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. The reducing features to save battery warning and service driver assist system warning suggest possible electrical failures that could impact vehicle performance and safety. The other issues, including system warnings and battery drainage, have been repeatedly reported to the dealership, but they have been unable to confirm the cause as their diagnostic system does not register error codes.
NHTSA complaint #11642093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my 2016 Cadillac Escalade with a6.2L V8 engine on [XXX] near Bristow, Oklahoma at approximately 75 mph, the vehicle suddenly and completely lost power. Without any prior warning or unusual noises, the engine shut down, and I lost power to the dashboard and power steering. This caused the vehicle to decelerate rapidly, making it extremely difficult to control. I managed to steer the vehicle to the shoulder of the highway, narrowly avoiding a collision due to the loss of control. The vehicle could not be restarted. The affected components seem to include the engine, electrical system, and steering. These failures put my safety and the safety of others at significant risk due to the sudden and unexpected loss of vehicle control on a busy highway. The vehicle was towed to the nearest Cadillac dealership for inspection and repair. As of now, the dealership has been unable to determine the cause of the engine failure despite conducting multiple tests and inspections. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The dealership has confirmed the issue but has not identified the root cause. The vehicle remains at the dealership for further diagnostics and is available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11591560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Power steering locks up whenever it decides to without warning. Its happened several times. Dealership saus nothing found wrong. We have hit curb once and tonight it happened while exiting the interstate causing me to run off the road.
NHTSA complaint #11559322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AND I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO MANEUVER CAUSING ME TO VEER OUT OF MY LANE CAUSING A CRASH. THE AIRBAGS ALSO DID NOT DEPLOY FULLY CAUSING ME TO HAVE A DISLOCATED SHOULDER AND BROKEN RIBS. THE CAR ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE DURING IMPACT AND I HAD TO BE PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL REGARDING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP ON ME IS MOST LIKELY THE REASON I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11375347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE EXITING A PARKING SPOT, WHEN THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ORR CADILLAC LOCATED AT 8750 BUSINESS PARK DR, SHREVEPORT, LA 71105, (318) 798-7250, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING STARTER AND BATTERY TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT 1 MONTH LATER SHE EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE FOR A SECOND OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED LOCAL DEALER ORR CADILLAC GMC LOCATED AT 400 TX-63 SPUR, LONGVIEW, TX 75601,(903) 757-6600, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING UNKNOWN WIRING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE MOMENT. THE CONTACT STATED ON 7/1/2017 WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SEIZED AND THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO SEIZED CAUSING HER TO LOSS CONTROL AND COLLIDE INTO TREE. BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED SHE AND HER 5 CHILDREN'S SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES (BRUISES) BUT DID NOT SEEK ANY MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER WAGNER CADILLAC LOCATED AT 4100 S BROADWAY AVE, TYLER, TX 75701, (903) 705-0787, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, BRAKES, AIR BAGS, DASHBOARD, WINDSHIELD, ALL 4 TIRES AND RIMS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE AROUND 14 TIMES IN TOTAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000.
NHTSA complaint #11373186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING WHEN I AM PLACING IT IN REVERSE OR MAKING SLOW TURNS. THE CAR TURNS OFF AND THE DRIVER ASSIST SCREEN TURNS OFF (CAMERAS DO NOT WORK) AND THEN MY CAR SAYS 'SERVICE: DRIVER ASSIST'. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED ON THE STREET AND MY CAR STOPS RUNNING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY TIGHT AND HARD TO TURN. WHEN I AM BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE, MY STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF AND THE SCREEN THAT SHOWS MY CAMERAS GOES OUT AND THEN THE CAR COMES BACK ON. IT IS VERY SCARY. I AM VERY AFRAID THAT THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING WHILE IN MOTION AGAIN AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED ONSTAR ABOUT THIS AND REQUESTED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, IT WAS THE WEEKEND AND THEY WOULD NOT SEND THEM. THE CAR TURNING OFF HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN 7 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH. IT STARTED IN APRIL 2020.
NHTSA complaint #11337396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING HAS FAILED.WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. A SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED IN THE DASH AND THE VEHICLE ALMOST WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE I WAS ON A TWO LANE DUAL HIGHWAY. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS A MOTOR THAT IS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN THAT HAS A WEAK SHAFT THAT IS KNOWN TO BREAKAGE. THE VEHICLE IS MORE THAN DIFFICULT TO TRY TO STEER. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AND HAS BEEN NOTED TO BE HAPPENING IN QUITE A NUMBER OF THESE LIMITED PRODUCTION VEHICLES.
NHTSA complaint #11327274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1) AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON IN VEHICLE. 2) R-134 LEAKS 3) BODY AND OR REAR REVERSE LIGHT FIXTURE HAS CONDENSATION AND WATER GETS IN AREA IN FRONT OF SUNROOF. 4) REAR BACK DOOR NO UNLOCK ALL THE TIME. 5) POWERTRAIN WORK PERFORMED AT DEALER AND EXPERIENCING SLIPPING. 6) STEERING COLUMN NOISE/CLUNK
NHTSA complaint #11323310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE TRUCK WAS STATIONARY AND OIL AND POWER STERING FLUIDS WAS ON MY CARPORT. I HAVE CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET AND MORE THAN A FEW IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME SUV.
NHTSA complaint #11307946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.