SUV, gasoline, 4x2, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Jan 7, 2017 to Aug 31, 2026.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19V-645 | Sep 6, 2019 | Amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time | Brakes | 3,456,719 | Software update |
| 16V-651 | Sep 8, 2016 | In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test | Airbags | 3,640,162 | Software update |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
51 complaints on file, page 1 of 3.
I am the owner of a 2017 Cadillac Escalade and am reporting premature and widespread deterioration of the factory exterior paint/clear coat. The condition is present over large areas of the roof and hood and is not limited to normal isolated scratches or rock chips. The finish has developed extensive hazing/cloudiness and a severe pattern of surface deterioration that is particularly visible in direct sunlight. I am concerned this may be related to the known paint/clear-coat problems reported on 2015–2020 Cadillac Escalade vehicles. I am requesting that this complaint be documented and that the vehicle be inspected by Cadillac/GM for a possible factory paint or paint-process defect. The vehicle has not been involved in an accident that would explain this condition. I have photographs and video documenting the condition. Please provide me with a case number and document this complaint in the vehicle’s service history.
NHTSA complaint 11760938The transmission gear make noise when the gear shift and the engine have loud noise tick tick inside the engine . I’m feel not safe to drive and feel very stressful of my car .i can’t sleep due to car not safe drive
NHTSA complaint 11749846The vehicle has experienced premature factory paint and clear coat delamination across the main roof panel structure. This is not cosmetic weathering; it is a latent factory application defect where the clear coat chemically failed to bond to the substrate. The resulting delamination has left raw structural metal exposed, leading to rapid substrate oxidation and structural degradation of the roof panel sheet metal. The advanced delamination and corrosion have directly compromised the sealing integrity of the roof-mounted GPS/emergency communication antenna and the structural integrity of the roof rack mounting tracks. Water intrusion through the compromised factory finish risks shorting out emergency telematics, causing electrical fires in the headliner, or causing a structural failure of aftermarket cargo crossbars at highway speeds, creating a severe road hazard for vehicles traveling behind me. This is a known, widespread manufacturing flaw originating from the Arlington Assembly Plant affecting 2015-2020 GM full-sized platforms, requiring a total structural strip and repaint to resolve. General Motors has issued no recall or remedy for this latent safety and structural defect.
NHTSA complaint 11739170Engine misfire, AFM lifter collapse, defective AFM/DOD lifter technology. The three diagnosis I have had done to check for multiple opinions have all come back the same with a collapsed AFM lifter causing camshaft damage, overall failure of an AFM/DOD deactiviating lifter in the 6.2L L86 engine leading to engine damage. It is available for inspection. The problem has been confirmed by multiple independent service providers and confirmed to be an issue in ongoing litigation against GM. It was initially diagnosed by a mobile mechanic and then taken to a independent service mechanic who confirmed the initial diagnosis. It was then confirmed again by a third party independent mechanic. The engine light did not appear until the noise started and what I now know as when the lifters failed, at which after my vehicle alerted me with the engine light. When the problem first occurred, I was driving around 35 MPH down a public road, I had to immediately slow down and pull over. I then limped the vehicle to a safe destination where the mobile mechanic was able to check it out. Luckily, I was not going high speeds and the public road I was driving on was not busy so I was able to pull over safely upon the issue the start of the warning lamp flashing. The engine component failure would have been a much higher safety risk for myself and others if I was driving on a busy road or highway. I have spoke with both GM and Cadillac, they are aware of this defect, yet refuse to provide relief. I have been quoted $13,000-$17,000 to begin repairs to the engine.
NHTSA complaint 11733767My 2017 Cadillac Escalade with the 6.2L V8 engine experienced AFM (Active Fuel Management) valve lifter failure. While driving on the freeway the vehicle began stuttering and shaking violently, and it felt as though I had lost control of the vehicle. The check engine light illuminated and diagnostic codes P0300 (random misfire) and P0304 (cylinder 4 misfire) were found. The vehicle was confirmed by a Cadillac dealership to have collapsed AFM lifters on the right side, a faulty valve lifter oil manifold (VLOM), and a broken exhaust bolt requiring extraction. The engine was also showing slightly low compression at times and making noise on cylinder 4. This is a known defect in GM's AFM system across multiple model years. The failure poses a serious safety risk as the stuttering, shaking, and sudden loss of engine power occurred unexpectedly at freeway speeds, significantly reducing my ability to safely control the vehicle. The repair has been confirmed and quoted by an authorized Cadillac dealership. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint 11724347The 6.2 L engine on my 2017 Cadillac Escalade failed at around 97,000 miles. I took it to Heritage Cadillac dealership for a diagnostic check and had it repaired. The engine had a broken engine rod and lifters damage to the engine. I had the engine repaired at the dealership but a few weeks later I heard rattling noise coming from the engine. I took it back and told I would need a another engine due to complete engine failure. Prior to my engine failure around 55,000 miles, I reported to the same dealership service department that I noticed the engine would give me a rough idle occasionally and burn more gas whenever it happened. I was told it was nothing they could do because the check engine light wasn't on.
NHTSA complaint 11719885System 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 11710220I am writing to formally report an unresolved issue involving a 2015 Cadillac Escalade that I purchased from a Toyota dealership less than one year ago. The vehicle has experienced a complete engine failure, and I am currently left with a non-drivable vehicle and a loan balance of approximately $30,000. Shortly after the engine failure, I took the vehicle to two different certified repair shops, one of which was a Cadillac service center. Both informed me that the engine is beyond repair and advised me to return the vehicle to the selling dealership due to the short time since purchase. I attempted to return to the Toyota dealership to seek a resolution or possibly trade in the vehicle. However, they informed me that the engine is now inoperable, and they declined to offer assistance. Despite repeated phone calls and emails requesting to speak with a manager, I have not received any response to date. I have also been informed that replacing the engine would cost approximately $17,000, while the current value of the vehicle is around $18,000. This puts me in an extremely difficult position—paying off a $30,000 loan on a vehicle that I cannot drive or repair affordably. The dealership arranged my financing and is fully aware of my financial obligations. I believe they should take some level of responsibility for selling me a vehicle that failed so quickly, especially given that I purchased it less than a year ago. I am seeking assistance from the DMV to help resolve this issue. I believe there may have been negligence or lack of proper disclosure at the time of sale, and I request a formal investigation into this matter. I am also open to mediation or any recommended steps to hold the dealership accountable and find a fair resolution. Please advise on the appropriate next steps or documentation you may need from me to proceed with this complaint. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U
NHTSA complaint 11675147At 86,000 miles my 6.2 engine had to be rebuilt. Costing $14,000
NHTSA complaint 11674824The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle briefly jerked and was unable to accelerate as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel injectors. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Special Coverage: N182198000. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.
NHTSA complaint 11674002Widely known problem with the 2017 Escalade motor with the active fuel management system. Driving in a very remote part of Wisconsin when engine light went on, indicating a lifter failure due to the afv shutting down cylinders. This is an extremly common problem with this engine/feature. I was left stranded with my family and a costly repair. (5k)
NHTSA complaint 11672163on 5/15/25 at approx. 11am the vehicle was seen with smoke rolling out of the doors and windows, which were all closed. The vehicle had been parked since approx. 8am that day. Once the FD had the fire knocked down, they found that a seat belt retractor module, replaced in 1/2025, was most likely the cause for the fire and damage. The locking mechinisms were metled and unable to open either the driver door (where the fire had occured) or the front passenger door. The FD was only able to gain initial access to the vehicle by breaking out the driver window and the back passenger window. There were no warning signs of this happening. The vehicle is currently sitting with an auto body shop for an estimate of damage. Had the driver been in the seat they could have received severe burns, smoke inhalation or worse with the doors unable to open.
NHTSA complaint 11662455The driver seat has randomly started moving while driving most recently moving further back away from the steering wheel making it difficult to reach the break and gas. Which is severely dangerous since I was on a busy roadway. Sometimes the seat also goes completely forward also making it difficult as I’m literally pushed against the steering wheel. All times when I go try to adjust the seat after these kind of incidents I have to keep messing with the side buttons because they don’t want to work right away. The most recent incident was on May 11, 2025 The driver seat moved back away from the steering wheel as well as the back part of the seat moved back into a reclining position all while driving.
NHTSA complaint 11660354The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rocker arm, crankcase, and the overhead valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a misfire coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA complaint 11657209Engine making loud lifter tick
NHTSA complaint 11652211The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 30 MPH. The contact continued driving the vehicle to the residence at 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the lifters had collapsed and bent the push rods. The contact was informed that the cam shifter, push rods, and lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, who determined that the active fuel management port holes needed to be flushed with fuel additive. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The manufacturer opened a case for the failure and offered to cover half the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was 65,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint 11651072Battery terminals going from battery to power distribution panel on top of battery, crimps bad/corroded causing intermittent connection and overcharging the battery by providing false voltages to alternator,
NHTSA complaint 11648599The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormally loud ticking sound coming from the engine before the vehicle decelerated. The check engine warning light and traction control light were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The independent mechanic sent the contact a picture and diagnosed that a rod bearing was damaged. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, an abnormally loud ticking sound was coming from the engine. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the lifters had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
NHTSA complaint 11644549The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud clunking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle then decelerated to 30 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who recommended replacing the valve body. The part was on backorder, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
NHTSA complaint 11631346I have a 2017 Cadillac Escalade that is all black. This vehicle is now sitting a 140,000 miles now. but before the 140,000 miles I was experiencing horrible peeling, and discoloration of the black paint on the hood, and roof of my vehicle. This particular issue should not be happening in such a highly luxury vehicle. I have driven Lexus, Nissan, and other vehicles, that are way older, im still possession of those vehicle, and still have not experienced such issues, with the paint or coating. This paint peeling and discoloration began well before the 140,000 miles. I want to say at about 90,000 miles I observed issues with the paint located on the top of my hood, and roof. I have also done research on the class action law suit for such issues as well. So I have seen I’m not the only person experiencing the paint discoloration or peeling problem
NHTSA complaint 11603433Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.