2018 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2018 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV has 22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: engine stop working had to replace whole engine. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

8 complaints

36%

• ENGINE STOP WORKING HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE ENGINE
• The vehicle shut off in traffic going 60 MPH. No electric, just off like it was shut off but wasn’t. (Different occasion unknown related 5k miles later) The motor has to be replaced because the piston. Which in return caused the rest of the motor to fail.
• When I started car I heard knocking. Engine failure. According to mechanic the lifter, rod and camshaft are bent. The car was always serviced and had regular oil change according to owners manual. The dealer recommends a new engine

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ENGINE STOP WORKING HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE ENGINE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

5 complaints

23%

• The vehicle shut off in traffic going 60 MPH. No electric, just off like it was shut off but wasn’t. (Different occasion unknown related 5k miles later) The motor has to be replaced because the piston. Which in return caused the rest of the motor to fail.
• The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly
• Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 108,000 and at the time of re

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“The vehicle shut off in traffic going 60 MPH. No electric, just off like it was shut off but wasn’t. (Different occasion unknown related 5k miles later) The motor has to be replaced because the piston. Which in return caused the rest of the motor to fail.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

2 complaints

• FRONT STRUTS HAVE FAILED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. GM HAS CHANGED DESIGN ON REPLACEMENT STRUTS WHICH INDICATES THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND FIR A NEW VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. AFFFECTS STEERING. NO CONTROL ON BUMPY SERVICE.
• FRONT STRUTS HAVE FAILED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. GM HAS CHANGED DESIGN ON REPLACEMENT STRUTS WHICH INDICATES THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND FIR A NEW VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. AFFFECTS STEERING. NO CONTROL ON BUMPY SERVICE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“FRONT STRUTS HAVE FAILED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. GM HAS CHANGED DESIGN ON REPLACEMENT STRUTS WHICH INDICATES THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND FIR A NEW VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. AFFFECTS STEERING. NO CONTROL ON BUMPY SERVICE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

2 complaints

• The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly
• The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

2 complaints

• Vehicle caught fire in seatbelt harness
• We were on our way home from charlotte nc where the suv sat for a week while we were on vacation. Less than an hour of traveling home we smelled something burning so my husband pulled over, turns the suv off, and we looked on the outside at the tires. We didn’t see anything no smoke, no flat tires,

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“Vehicle caught fire in seatbelt harness”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 22 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ENGINE STOP WORKING HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE ENGINE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: The vehicle shut off in traffic going 60 MPH. No electric, just off like it was shut off but wasn’t. (Different occasion unknown related 5k miles later) The motor has to be replaced because the piston. Which in return caused the rest of the motor to fail.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SUSPENSION: FRONT STRUTS HAVE FAILED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. GM HAS CHANGED DESIGN ON REPLACEMENT STRUTS WHICH INDICATES THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR COST SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS AND FIR A NEW VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. AFFFECTS STEERING. NO CONTROL ON BUMPY SERVICE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: The front cue system has spiderwebs caused by normal sun exposure, all safety radar features don’t work due to electrical defect that makes the car not function perfectly
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)