2021 Cadillac Escalade Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 11 NHTSA recalls and 95 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
D
45/100
High Reported Activity — 2021 Cadillac Escalade
The 2021 Cadillac Escalade shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.
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11
NHTSA Recalls
11 recalls on record
95
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
3
Crash Reports
2 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Cadillac Escalade (11)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Cadillac dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump: Control/Drive Module
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac…
🔧 Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft
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. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 14, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020;…
🔧 Air Bags: Srs Malfunction Warning Lamp/Light
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. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners…
🔧 Seat Belts
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. The recall began on…
🔧 Seat Belts: Critical Fasteners
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 necessary, free of charge….
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Lighting Control Module: Software
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. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2022. Owners may contact GM customer service…
🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Control Module: Software
Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install new transmission control module software, free of charge. GM will provide a special coverage program to cover the repair of transmissions that are identified by the remedy…
🔧 Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine, and as necessary, repair or replace the engine. For vehicles that pass inspection, dealers will add higher viscosity oil, install 6 oil fill cap, replace…
🔧 Fuel System, Diesel: Storage: Tank Assembly
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. Owner notification letters were mailed November 5, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service…
🔧 Steering: Steering Control Module
Increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021. Owners may…
Showing 10 of 11 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2021 Cadillac Escalade
Based on 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Cadillac Escalade — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Cadillac Escalade VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2023 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2018, 2019, 2020 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Cadillac Escalade
Is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Cadillac Escalade has 11 recall campaigns and 95 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2021 Cadillac Escalade have?
The 2021 Cadillac Escalade has 11 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Cadillac Escalade?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Cadillac Escalade are: Engine, Power Train, Electrical System, Engine And Engine Cooling. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade safe to buy?
The 2021 Cadillac Escalade has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 11 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Cadillac Escalade should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Cadillac Escalade are: 2018, 2019, 2020. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2023.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.