2016 Cadillac ESCALADE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Cadillac ESCALADE has 120 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: in the early hours of august 15th 2016 my cadillac escalade 2016, vin [xxx], caught fire while staying parked (stationary) all night. as per the pictures taken by the neighbors, the escalade tuned into a huge fire ball and burned the truck down to ashes. it also burned down two other cars parked beh. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 2 crash reports 3 injuries

120

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

30 complaints

25%

• IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 15TH 2016 MY CADILLAC ESCALADE 2016, VIN [XXX], CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STAYING PARKED (STATIONARY) ALL NIGHT. AS PER THE PICTURES TAKEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, THE ESCALADE TUNED INTO A HUGE FIRE BALL AND BURNED THE TRUCK DOWN TO ASHES. IT ALSO BURNED DOWN TWO OTHER CARS PARKED BEH
• AFTER COMING TO A STOP, CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF. NO WARNING OR FAILURE LIGHTS CAME ON. PUT CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED. DASH LOOKED TOTALLY NORMAL BUT NO RPM'S. CANNOT SAY WHETHER CAR ENGINE STOPPED BEFORE CAR CAME TO A STOP BUT SOMETIME BETWEEN SLOWING FOR A STOP SIGN TO WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT STOP SIG
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HENNESSY CADILLAC (3377 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096, P

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

“IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 15TH 2016 MY CADILLAC ESCALADE 2016, VIN [XXX], CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STAYING PARKED (STATIONARY) ALL NIGHT. AS PER THE PICTURES TAKEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, THE ESCALADE TUNED INTO A HUGE FIRE BALL AND BURNED THE TRUCK DOWN TO ASHES. IT ALSO BURNED DOWN TWO OTHER CARS PARKED BEH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

16 complaints

13%

• VEHICLE EXHIBITS A CONSTANT VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 MPH AND 75 MPH. VIBRATION IS NOT ROAD RELATED, IT IS A CONSTANT, STEADY VIBRATION REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS, BEST DESCRIBED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING OVER CORDUROY. THERE IS ALSO A STEADY "BUFFETING" NOISE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF TH
• COLLISION ALERT ON WHILE IN PARK. THEY ALSO FLASH FAINTLY WHILE DRIVING WITH NOTHING IN FRONT. ALL SENSORS CLEAR OF DEBRIS. THIS IS A RECURRENT ISSUE FOR WHICH I WAS TOLD IT WAS CUE RELATED AND THAT REPLACING THE CUE WOULD FIX. (RECURRENT ISSUE) SERVICE PERSON WAS ABLE TO SEE THIS PROBLEM AS IT HAPP
• KNOWN TRANSMISSION ISSUE WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO TO BUCK AND SURGE WHEN YOU PULL UP TO TA STOP LIGHT, STOP SIGN, ON HIGHWAY,OR IN TRAFFIC. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION WITH NO FIX. DEALER DESCRIBES ISSUES WITH SOME VEHICLES WORSE THAN OTHERS. GENERAL MANAG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“VEHICLE EXHIBITS A CONSTANT VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 MPH AND 75 MPH. VIBRATION IS NOT ROAD RELATED, IT IS A CONSTANT, STEADY VIBRATION REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS, BEST DESCRIBED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING OVER CORDUROY. THERE IS ALSO A STEADY "BUFFETING" NOISE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

15 complaints

13%

• CAR VIBRATES FROM 35MPH UP TO 80 PLUS. HAD IT TO DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A VIBRATION. THEY SAID GM SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS OUT OF BALANCE AND GM WAS DESIGNING A FIX . ABOUT 5 CALLS AND THREE WEEK LATER THEY RECEIVED A NEW SPECIAL TORQUE CONVERTER AND AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED T
• IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 15TH 2016 MY CADILLAC ESCALADE 2016, VIN [XXX], CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STAYING PARKED (STATIONARY) ALL NIGHT. AS PER THE PICTURES TAKEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, THE ESCALADE TUNED INTO A HUGE FIRE BALL AND BURNED THE TRUCK DOWN TO ASHES. IT ALSO BURNED DOWN TWO OTHER CARS PARKED BEH
• I PURCHASED A NEW VEHICLE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, PICKED IT UP AT 4PM, ON MY DRIVE HOME I NOTICED A VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 MILES PER HOUR PLUS. THE VIBRATION INCREASES WITH SPEED. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING ON SATURDAY AT 8AM. I WAS ASKED TO DROP IT OFF D

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

“CAR VIBRATES FROM 35MPH UP TO 80 PLUS. HAD IT TO DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A VIBRATION. THEY SAID GM SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS OUT OF BALANCE AND GM WAS DESIGNING A FIX . ABOUT 5 CALLS AND THREE WEEK LATER THEY RECEIVED A NEW SPECIAL TORQUE CONVERTER AND AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

15 complaints

13%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT PARKED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ED MORSE CADILLAC TAMPA (101 E FLETCHER AVE, TAMPA, FL 33612, (813) 556-7287) FOUR TIMES WHILE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED
• AROUND 20,000 MILES WE STARTED DOCUMENTING ISSUES WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN BY TAKING IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP BUT WE HAD HAD THESE ISSUES PRIOR TO THE 20,000 MILE MARK. WHEN YOU WOULD BE TRAVELING AROUND 20 MPH AND TRAFFIC WOULD SLOW DOWN NEARLY COMING TO A STOP AND THEN SPEEDS WOULD PICK UP BACK AND YOU
• THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL RADAR SENSOR WAS FOUND CRACK AFTER BEING TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ERROR CODE. ( THEIR WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER OR THE BOTTOM OF THE BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE. GM FAILED TO REPLACE THE PART UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE IS PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE P

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT PARKED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ED MORSE CADILLAC TAMPA (101 E FLETCHER AVE, TAMPA, FL 33612, (813) 556-7287) FOUR TIMES WHILE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

8 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AS THE SPEED INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W
• VEHICLE EXHIBITS A CONSTANT VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 MPH AND 75 MPH. VIBRATION IS NOT ROAD RELATED, IT IS A CONSTANT, STEADY VIBRATION REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS, BEST DESCRIBED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING OVER CORDUROY. THERE IS ALSO A STEADY "BUFFETING" NOISE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF TH
• I PURCHASED A NEW VEHICLE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, PICKED IT UP AT 4PM, ON MY DRIVE HOME I NOTICED A VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 MILES PER HOUR PLUS. THE VIBRATION INCREASES WITH SPEED. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING ON SATURDAY AT 8AM. I WAS ASKED TO DROP IT OFF D

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AS THE SPEED INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 120 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: IN THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 15TH 2016 MY CADILLAC ESCALADE 2016, VIN [XXX], CAUGHT FIRE WHILE STAYING PARKED (STATIONARY) ALL NIGHT. AS PER THE PICTURES TAKEN BY THE NEIGHBORS, THE ESCALADE TUNED INTO A HUGE FIRE BALL AND BURNED THE TRUCK DOWN TO ASHES. IT ALSO BURNED DOWN TWO OTHER CARS PARKED BEH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE EXHIBITS A CONSTANT VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35 MPH AND 75 MPH. VIBRATION IS NOT ROAD RELATED, IT IS A CONSTANT, STEADY VIBRATION REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS, BEST DESCRIBED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING OVER CORDUROY. THERE IS ALSO A STEADY "BUFFETING" NOISE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: CAR VIBRATES FROM 35MPH UP TO 80 PLUS. HAD IT TO DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A VIBRATION. THEY SAID GM SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS OUT OF BALANCE AND GM WAS DESIGNING A FIX . ABOUT 5 CALLS AND THREE WEEK LATER THEY RECEIVED A NEW SPECIAL TORQUE CONVERTER AND AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT PARKED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ED MORSE CADILLAC TAMPA (101 E FLETCHER AVE, TAMPA, FL 33612, (813) 556-7287) FOUR TIMES WHILE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)