2021 Cadillac Escalade problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (29) · Power Train (10) · Engine And Engine Cooling (10)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Cadillac Escalade model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (9)
Fuel System, Diesel:storage:tank Assembly 2025-09-18 · campaign 25V619000 · 12 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 2021, 2023-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, and 2022 and 2024 GMC Yukon vehicles equipped with a 6-cylinder diesel engine. The original fuel tank may have been replaced with an incorrect fuel tank, which can allow fuel to leak in a rollover crash.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: 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 at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252512770. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 18, 2025.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/Mechanical 2025-04-24 · campaign 25V274000 · 597,571 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
Risk: Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 the oil filter, and update the owner's manual. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 18, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number
Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/Lubricant:valves/Valve Body 2024-10-24 · campaign 24V797000 · 463,295 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, GMC Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with diesel engines. The transmission control valve may fail and cause the rear wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Rear wheel lock-up can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 software as containing a defective control valve. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, GMC customer service at GMC 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Exterior Lighting:lighting Control Module:software 2022-11-03 · campaign 22V827000 · 338,735 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Daytime Running Lights that do not deactivate as intended may cause a glare, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222382220.
Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 2022-08-11 · campaign 22V617000 · 484,155 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (M) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seat belt buckle assembly may have been improperly formed.
Risk: A seat belt with a deformed rivet may not properly restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 28, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 1, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2022-01-27 · campaign 22V036000 · 1,789 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, and Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles. The rear wheel driveshaft assemblies may have internal components that were not heat-treated properly, possibly resulting in driveshaft failure.
Risk: Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212351030.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump:control/Drive Module 2021-09-23 · campaign 21V739000 · 14,939 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump power control module may cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, which can interrupt fuel flow to the engine, and cause an unexpected engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 customer service at 1-800-458-8006; or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212332040.
Air Bags:srs Malfunction Warning Lamp/Light 2021-06-10 · campaign 21V421000 · 285,622 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate.
Risk: The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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 may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212338110.
Seat Belts:rear/Other 2021-03-18 · campaign 21V190000 · 94,641 vehicles
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Chevrolet Suburban, and Tahoe vehicles with third-row seating. The third-row outboard seat belts may have been entrapped or misrouted behind the outboard seat-folding mechanism, which could result in damaged seat belts.
Risk: A damaged seat belt can break during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Fix: 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 April 21, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313000.
Service bulletins (813)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-10-05 · PIT6477D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary pi was created to advise techniians in the field that they will not be able to perform a gds automated bleed with the scan tool dues to a issue with the software in the scan tool
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-26 · PIT5698F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides diagnostics tips on how the lin bus works and how to diagnosis it.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-10 · PIT5801F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates diagnostic tips for air leveling suspension system.
Unknown Or Other 2026-09-04 · PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email gds2 session logs into technical assistance.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-27 · PIT6516C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates ordering process for the night vision camera that are on restriction for all listed vehicles for technical assistance review.
Unknown Or Other 2026-08-26 · PIT5869B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi provides a diagnostic tip when fuse f4dr is opening and dealerships are to inspect the wiring at the center console lid.
Showing the 6 most recent of 813 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-28 · Electrical System“i own a 2021 cadillac escalade premium luxury with approximately 47,000 miles. on oct 11, 2026, after stopping for gas, i noticed shortly after driving away that my entire digital instrument cluster was black. i had no speedometer, fuel gauge, mileage display, or dashboard warning indicators, although the center infotainment screen worked. i do not…”
2026-10-17 · Engine“there is internal engine failure. yes it is available for inspection. my safety as well as others were at risk when the engine started to fail, without warning, causing my car to jolt and briefly lose control of steering. if complete engine failure happened while driving, i would not have control over my car. my life and other's lives would severel…”
2026-10-16 · Structure:body“after soft-close, left-side passenger door won't open. not form the outside, not from the inside. happened before about a year ago. logged into dealer system but the were unable to identify (and correct) the issue. this presents a big hazard in case of an accident, roll-over etc - unable to exit the vehicle swiftly. …”
2026-10-15 · Service Brakes“while driving in a heavy rainstorm on october 15, 2026, the vehicle hydroplaned and every brake warning light came on at once, and the dashboard displayed a message that the brake system had failed and the brakes did not work. i believed i had no brakes while crossing a river bridge and thought i was going to die. the brakes actually worked and i g…”
2026-10-14 · Engine · 67,300 mi“the contact owns a 2021 cadillac escalade. the contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle completely stalled. the check engine warning light was flashing, and the stability, parking, and collision warning lights were illuminated alongside several other unknown alerts. the vehicle was towed to a dealer, where two failed lifters were in…”
2026-10-09 · Power Train“started car and all of sudden shaking, loss of power, flashing engine light and punch of flashing warnings. the car is being towed to cadillac dealer! …”
2026-10-06 · Unknown Or Other“with just over four years of service, backup camera driver assistance system began to fail, with it working intermittently and eventually going completely dark. this being a safety feature, the warranty ought to cover it but manufacturer argues not. we understand many other cadillacs have the same problem.…”
2026-09-20 · Engine“on saturday august 16, 2026, my family and i were in laredo texas and when we were driving on the freeway the motor blew out on my 2021 cadillac escalade. one month before this occurred the dealership contacted me to replace the oil to a thicker oil because my trucks vin was on the recall and replacing the oil would help fix the issue. replacing t…”
2026-09-15 · Engine“there was knocking and stalling happening. i looked up the issue and saw that there was a recall on all 2021 cadillac escalades with my exact engine. unfortunately my vin did fall in the recall but i have the same issues and now my car has been at the service station for almost 2 weeks trying to figure this out and get the situation taken care of. …”
2026-09-11 · Engine“the same exact engine make and model was recalled and mine didnt fall under it but i am having the same exact issues. and now my car is in the shop and im having to pay an outlandish amount of money to get my car fixed from a known recall on my exact vehicle and engine. …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.