Cadillac Escalade recalls & complaint record (MY 2017–2025)

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

As of July 10, 2026, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 19 recall campaigns and 462 consumer complaints for the Cadillac Escalade (MY 2017–2025). The most-reported complaint areas are Engine, Power Train, Electrical System. Every recall is a free remedy — an open recall is repaired at no cost — so a recall adds nothing to what the Escalade costs to own.

Every Cadillac Escalade recall campaign, by year

All 19 NHTSA recall campaigns on file for the Escalade (MY 2017–2025), newest first. A recall is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.

2026 — 2 campaigns

Wheels26V304000 · May 14, 2026 · about 2,457 vehicles
Risk: A bolt that loosens or breaks during vehicle operation can result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front left and right wheel hub bolts, free of charge.
Power Train26V085000 · February 13, 2026 · about 43,743 vehicles
Risk: Rear wheels that lock up while driving increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module (TCM) software, free of charge.

2025 — 2 campaigns

Fuel System25V619000 · September 18, 2025 · about 12 vehicles
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for the correct fuel tank and replace it, if necessary, free of charge.
Engine And Engine Cooling25V274000 · April 24, 2025 · about 597,571 vehicles
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine.

2024 — 2 campaigns

Power Train24V797000 · October 24, 2024 · about 463,295 vehicles
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge.
Service BrakesOTA fix24V674000 · September 12, 2024 · about 449,671 vehicles
Risk: Without a warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Electronic Brake Control Module (eBCM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge.

2023 — 1 campaign

Suspension23V642000 · September 20, 2023 · about 189 vehicles
Risk: A broken suspension bolt can result in misalignment of the rear wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both rear suspension outer control arm bolts, free of charge.

2022 — 4 campaigns

Exterior LightingOTA fix22V903000 · December 8, 2022 · about 740,108 vehicles
Risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge.
Exterior LightingOTA fix22V827000 · November 3, 2022 · about 338,735 vehicles
Risk: Daytime Running Lights that do not deactivate as intended may cause a glare, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will provide an over-the-air (OTA) update for the Body Control Module software, free of charge.
Seat Belts22V617000 · August 11, 2022 · about 484,155 vehicles
Risk: A seat belt with a deformed rivet may not properly restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rivet head formation on both the left and right side third-row seat belt buckle assemblies and replace seat belt buckle assemblies, as necessa…
Power Train22V036000 · January 27, 2022 · about 1,789 vehicles
Risk: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left and/or right rear driveshaft assemblies, free of charge.

2021 — 4 campaigns

Fuel System21V739000 · September 23, 2021 · about 14,939 vehicles
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge.
Air BagsOTA fix21V421000 · June 10, 2021 · about 285,622 vehicles
Risk: The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge.
Seat Belts21V190000 · March 18, 2021 · about 94,641 vehicles
Risk: A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third-row outboard seat belts, replacing any damaged seat belts, and rerouting them if necessary, free of charge.
Tires21V115000 · February 25, 2021 · about 33,838 vehicles
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge.

2020 — 1 campaign

Service Brakes20V603000 · October 1, 2020 · about 14,620 vehicles
Risk: A decrease in brake assist can increase the brake pedal effort and distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge.

2019 — 2 campaigns

Fuel System19V837000 · November 21, 2019 · about 502 vehicles
Risk: Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge.
Service Brakes19V645000 · September 6, 2019 · about 3,456,719 vehicles
Risk: As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle, thereby increasing the risk of a…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Electronic Brake Control Module, free of charge.

2016 — 1 campaign

Air Bags16V651000 · September 8, 2016 · about 3,640,162 vehicles
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and fr…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software.

Where the Escalade’s recalls and complaints cluster

Recalls by component (19 campaigns total): Power Train (3), Fuel System (3), Service Brakes (3), Exterior Lighting (2), Seat Belts (2), Air Bags (2), Wheels (1), Engine And Engine Cooling (1), and 2 other components.

Complaints by reported area (462 total; a single complaint can cite more than one area): Engine (281), Power Train (68), Electrical System (58), Service Brakes (37), Engine And Engine Cooling (36), Forward Collision Avoidance (24).

Recall counts are NHTSA campaign records; complaint counts are consumer reports. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Crash, fire, injury and death reports

Across those consumer complaints, NHTSA’s records for the Escalade (MY 2017–2025) include 18 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 15 injury reports and 0 reports of a death. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Do recalls affect what the Escalade costs to own?

No direct cost. A recall is a free remedy: the manufacturer must repair the defect at no charge, so an open or completed recall adds nothing to the 5-year cost of ownership.
Resale is the one caveat. An unrepaired recall can make a used Escalade harder to sell or trade in — a buyer or dealer may want it fixed first — but the fix itself is still free, and completing it removes that friction.
How our totals treat it. Our 5-year cost-of-ownership totals use market-level depreciation estimates; they are not adjusted per recall campaign. See the honest 5-year cost to own: Cadillac Escalade cost to own →.

Recalls & complaints — FAQ

How many recalls does the Cadillac Escalade have?

As of July 10, 2026, NHTSA lists 19 recall campaigns for the Cadillac Escalade (MY 2017–2025). Each is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. The full dated campaign list is above.

What is the most serious Escalade recall?

The largest by scale is campaign 16V651000 (September 8, 2016, Air Bags), affecting about 3,640,162 vehicles: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and fr… The remedy is free of charge.

How do I check if my Escalade has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s free recall lookup, nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows any open (unrepaired) recall for your exact vehicle, and recall repairs are always free at a franchised dealer.

Do recalls make the Escalade cheaper or more expensive to own?

Neither, directly — recall repairs are free, so they add nothing to the cost of ownership. An unrepaired recall can make a used one harder to resell, but our 5-year cost totals use market-level depreciation and are not adjusted per campaign. See the Escalade cost to own.

About this data

All powertrains and trims. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the Escalade nameplate for the model years shown (MY 2017–2025).
A recall is a free fix. A recall means the manufacturer must remedy a safety defect free of charge; it is not the same as a breakdown or a repair bill.
Complaints are unverified. Consumer complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA — a signal of what owners report, not confirmed defects.

Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.