Is your defective Cadillac Escalade actually a LEMON?

Find out in 30 SECONDS or less if it qualifies for a REFUND or a CASH SETTLEMENT.

8.2

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,371 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2023 Cadillac Escalade engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2023 Cadillac Escalade:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2023 Cadillac Escalade Owner Comments

problem #14

Sep 012024

Escalade

  • 43,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the following day while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle started to stall with a high-pitched squeaking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light flashed on the instrument panel moments before the vehicle shut off. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact stated that the engine was replaced under warranty. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. Despite the repair, the contact stated that the check engine warning light was intermittently flashing on the instrument panel. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

- East Lansing, MI, USA

problem #13

Jan 122025

Escalade

  • miles
Was driving on the highway and the engine completely died on me. Towed it to the dealer only for them to tell me that the engine needs to be replaced.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #12

Jul 172024

Escalade

  • miles
I had a 2023 Escalade that was purchased new and it had TWO motors seize up in it. I filed a separate complaint for the 1st one. This will have to do with the 2nd time. The 2nd motor that seized up happened also on vacation, with a trailer. These new 6.2-??s don-??t like a trailer or any type of load. We were NOT even at 1/2 of the max trailer amount. We have had the 6.2 engine for 12 plus years in different vehicles pulling the same trailer and never had an issue until this 23-??. So we were traveling in the panhandle of OK, in July, not close to a town, doing 68 mph and a warning light came on for 5 seconds saying something about engine oil hot, we couldn-??t even read it before it went away and the engine died. Doing 68mph down a highway pulling a trailer. We got it safely to the side of the road. I had to leave my husband and son on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere, in the hot as hell Oklahoma panhandle to drive back to our hometown with the family that was traveling with us to get our truck. My husband and son had to wait for 4 hours on the side of the highway. It was super dangerous. Not close to a city, in July when it was super hot. There was not enough room in the car I road in for my son and my husband had to stay with all our stuff so it didn-??t get stolen! It took me 4 hours to get back to them and the tow truck showed up at the same time as me-??4 hours later. It was awful. And this was the 2nd time!!!! This 23-?? Escalade now has it-??s 3rd motor in it before 30K miles!

- Ponca City, OK, USA

problem #11

Jul 172023

Escalade

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2023 Escalade Sport that was purchased new has had two engines seize up while driving. The first time happened was July 17th, 2023, when we were traveling for vacation. It had 10,697 miles on it. We were driving 70 down the highway with the cruise set and it just died. No warning at all. There was no shoulder, the side of the road was steep and muddy so my husband had to time it to get it in someone-??s driveway safely. We were pulling a 14ft trailer. We were NOT close to the max weight, so that had nothing to do with it. How it happened was not safe at all. It was scary having that happen with no warning and we were not close to a city. We had to call family to come offload our car as we had suitcases for vacation. We also had to have another family member bring a truck to pull the trailer home. We lost days of vacation over this. The car was towed to our cadillac dealer and we were told it needed a new engine. Making another claim for the 2nd engine that failed in this same car.

- Ponca City, OK, USA

problem #10

Dec 062024

Escalade

  • miles
On [XXX] My wife and son were driving down [XXX] in passing lane running 70mph and the suv just started slowing down and had no power at which she started panicking due to trying to get all the way over to median with no power. thank god they made it without getting hit. At this time we called dealership and explained issue and they told us the motor has locked up (very known issue) Fast forward until now january 19,2025 they have verified it is locked up and they can't get another motor and have no eta on new motor(motor on national back order) So now we're paying a car payment and a rental $2200 a month and they(cadillac) keep telling us they will get a loaner (after countless calls and hrs on phone)so were not having to pay for a rental but have yet to receive one. only thing we have received is a $100,000 vehicle broke down with no eta on repairs, a rental bill of $2200 a month, and a bunch of broken promises. very disappointed customer really thought cadillac was way better than this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Fort Valley, GA, USA

problem #9

Jun 072024

Escalade

  • miles
[XXX] driving on the freeway in AZ when had the motor completely fail with only 10,000 miles on it putting my family in harms way at 70mpg trying to get to right side of the road during rush hour traffic with no power. Complete failure due to a lifter I was told by dealer 55days later it was fixed and have still issues. Currently doing a lemon law buyback that-??s now over 90days with no responses from GM. Now having to take them to court to get rid of this unsafe vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Queen Creek, AZ, USA

problem #8

Dec 282024

Escalade

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On Saturday, December 28, 2024 @ 1 PM while driving 70 mph on the I-10 freeway; the vehicle downshifted causing the engine RPM-??s to increase. We had 15 seconds to make a decision as the vehicle shutdown immediately. On my driver-??s side were 5-6 lanes of freeway with cars going 70 mph, while on the right-passenger side was Exit 73b called Waterman Ave. in San Bernardino, CA. We managed to park on a small strip dividing the 5-6 lanes and exit lane, as we couldn-??t get over to the shoulder. In addition, the vehicle was stuck in Park and would not go into Neutral. The engine wouldn-??t start. NO WARNING LIGHTS. Called 911 at 1:04 PM and asked for an officer to assist us because we were scared for our lives sitting on the freeway. We were worried someone would hit us from behind. About 1/2 hour after my 911 call an officer arrived. We told him what happened, and informed him we called AAA-??s Roadside Assistance. The officer informed us that if there was a call, he would have to leave, and he was worried we-??d get hit by drunk driver going 70 mph. Our vehicle was towed to Dutton Motor Company in Riverside, CA. -?? Engine failure possibly due to oversized lifter bores. Replace the engine to fix. -?? We had 15 seconds to stop suddenly going 70 mph, not on the shoulder of the I-10 freeway. Our safety was at risk so I called 911 asking for an officer. -?? Dealer told us the engine needs to be replaced. -?? Vehicle not inspected by police, insurance, just shop at dealership. -?? No warning lights. Absolutely nothing.

- Boise, ID, USA

problem #7

Oct 052024

Escalade

  • miles
Engine failure at 29k. There were no signs of malfunction or warning. There were two incidents before Cadillac approved warranty for a new replacement engine. First incident I was passing a vehicle on a two lane road when I was mid past the car suddenly vehicle died electrical and all. Message came on saying to restart engine. Thankfully I coasted past the vehicle I was passing and onto the shoulder of the road. Vehicle would not restart and left us stranded for hours waiting on a tow company. Had it towed to Cadillac where they told me it was a faulty fuse that caused the failure and it was fixed and was a fluke. They got it running said no other issues were found and vehicle was good to go. I had it back for only a few days and my wife and I were on the way to a restaurant. I stopped at a red light, again no signs of malfunction, no warning lights etc. the vehicle just completely dies again. Would not restart and left us stranded in a busy intersection. Thankfully a state patrol was sitting at the light across from us and came to our assistance and called for a tow. This time at the dealership they said engine failed and needed replacement. Just got it back as of Jan 2025 after 3 months. We were extremely fortunate that both times my 1 year old was not in the vehicle with us and no accidents occurred. From my knowledge 3 other Escalades were at the dealership for the same reason as ours was. Extremely dangerous situations the vehicle put us in and disappointment from a 6 figure vehicle from a manufacturer known to be reliable. I-??ve owned two prior generations of Escalades and multiple other GM vehicles never having any issues and put over or close to 100k miles on each of them. Note we bought this vehicle -??used-?? around 10k on it when purchased so we were unable to file a lemon law claim against it. Thankfully it came with a 100k bumper to bumper warranty.

- Hoschton, GA, USA

problem #6

Jul 132024

Escalade

  • miles
Driving and power started to die and engine warning lights came on. Pulled over immediately and engine stopped. Wouldn-??t come back on. Towed by Cadillac and discovered engine blew. Apparently a know issue with many similar in the shop awaiting new engine.

- Alpine , UT, USA

problem #5

Jun 162024

Escalade

  • miles
On 6/16/24 While driving on I95 the car started making a flapping noise and the car started to lurch and buck. No warning lights were on at the time. I pulled over and turned the car off and could not get it to restart right away. After a few tries it did turn on and the engine light stayed on but the car would not shift into gear. The car had to be towed and we were told there was a total engine failure.

- Ocean View, NJ, USA

problem #4

May 292024

Escalade

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On [XXX] my 2023 Cadillac Escalade Super Cruise VIN: [XXX] with approximately 9600 miles failed to operate in a safe manner and has malfunctioned. The vehicle has been well maintained and follows all manufacturer specifications. It is a lemon. The engine seized while operating on the highway. The vehicle lost speed, there was a crashing boom sound, followed by extreme shaking as grinded to a halt. It was extremely challenging for the driver to maintain control. The dealership confirmed the engine will not turn over, they removed the oil filter and examined the oil sample from it. The sample showed signs of metal, a clear indication of an internal failure. The procedure now is to order a new engine, radiator, oil cooler lines and all one time use components of the fuel injection rails all seals, gaskets and bolts required by General Motors. In addition, the emergency braking system did not engage. The onstar system emailed me the night before a clean bill of health with their diagnostic app. There were also no check engine lights prior to using the vehicle. Our use of the vehicle has been impaired, the market value has dropped, and there are obvious safety concerns in placing my family in this vehicle. My research online indicates this is a known issue, however no safety recall has been issued. Police arrived on scene to assist in tow. Police station was Boxford, MA. A report has yet to be completed. I look forward to your prompt response and resolution to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Newburyport, MA, USA

problem #3

Nov 272023

Escalade

  • 18,200 miles
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH on the highway, there was an abnormal popping sound heard. There were no other vehicles nearby. The contact pulled over and checked the vehicle, and the contact became aware that the sunroof had cracked. There was a hole the size of his hand. There were no reported injuries. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the replacement glass was not in stock. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 18,200.

- Glendale, AZ, USA

problem #2

Apr 292023

Escalade

  • miles
INCIDENT: I was driving on the highway when I heard a strange "whistling noise." Thinking the noise originated from an old van in front of me, I passed it. The noise grew louder; the vehicle slowed very suddenly and, I pulled to the side of the road. The "low oil pressure" light came on just as the engine entirely blew. There were NO OTHER WARNING LAMPS, MESSAGES or OTHER SYMPTOMS. On-Star did not send roadside assistance for six hours and the battery died from extended use of the emergency lights. DANGERS: Experiencing catastrophic engine failure while driving on a highway presents obvious dangers as does sitting roadside for six hours (with a dead battery and no emergency flashers). INSPECTION: The G.M. Dealer (manufacturer representative) inspected the engine and confirmed that it was a catastrophic engine failure, requiring a new engine. The issue was also reported directly to G.M. The engine core, if need of further inspection, is likely either at the dealer, G.M., or a GM remanufacturing facility.

- Monticello, WI, USA

problem #1

May 312023

Escalade

  • miles
While riding after a stoplight, the engine started malfunctioning and not responding. Noise came out apparently from the engine heads (sounded like the valve lifters). Driver was unable to accelerate and take a street exit almost hitting another vehicle The truck was towed

- Laredo, TX, USA

Not what you are looking for?