2016 Cadillac Escalade problems and recalls

Owners have filed 104 complaints on the 2016 Cadillac Escalade, and NHTSA has issued 4 recalls. The most cited component is the Engine (31 complaints).

104
Complaints
4
Recalls
4
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
5
Injuries
66.2
Severity index

Severity index 66.2 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 66.2p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 63 of 141 by severity index among 2016 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 55% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2016 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 31 complaints (29.8%)31 30%Power TrainPower Train: 22 complaints (21.2%)22 21%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 18 complaints (17.3%)18 17%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 17 complaints (16.3%)17 16%SuspensionSuspension: 15 complaints (14.4%)15 14%SteeringSteering: 7 complaints (6.7%)7 7%Air BagsAir Bags: 6 complaints (5.8%)6 6%Electronic Stability Co…Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4 complaints (3.8%)4 4%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE3129.8%
POWER TRAIN2221.2%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1817.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1716.3%
SUSPENSION1514.4%
STEERING76.7%
AIR BAGS65.8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)43.8%

Complaints filed per year

08172016: 72017: 72018: 102019: 172020: 112021: 92022: 42023: 92024: 52025: 152026: 10 (partial year)161718191720212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20167
20177
201810
201917
202011
20219
20224
20239
20245
202515
2026 (year to date)10
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (29 against 24).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V64500006/09/2019SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUMGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time.
16V65100008/09/2016AIR BAGS:FRONTALGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500
17V43700010/07/2017AIR BAGS:FRONTALGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrole
16V25600028/04/2016SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARMGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2016 Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. The front upper control arms may have inadequate we

Other Cadillac Escalade model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 15 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-20. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.