2021 Cadillac Escalade problems and recalls

55% of owner complaints on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade related to the Engine (46 of 83).

83
Complaints
9
Recalls
2
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
2
Injuries
53.0
Severity index

Severity index 53.0 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 53.0p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 53 of 92 by severity index among 2021 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 42% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2021 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 46 complaints (55.4%)46 55%Power TrainPower Train: 10 complaints (12.0%)10 12%Engine And Engine Cooli…Engine And Engine Cooling: 10 complaints (12.0%)10 12%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 10 complaints (12.0%)10 12%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 7 complaints (8.4%)7 8%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 6 complaints (7.2%)6 7%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 5 complaints (6.0%)5 6%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 4 complaints (4.8%)4 5%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE4655.4%
POWER TRAIN1012.0%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1012.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1012.0%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE78.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER67.2%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM56.0%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING44.8%

Complaints filed per year

018362020: 12021: 82022: 32023: 62024: 32025: 362026: 26 (partial year)2021222324253626
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20201
20218
20223
20236
20243
202536
2026 (year to date)26
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 3.8x those in 2020 to 2022 (45 against 12).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V73900023/09/2021FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULEGeneral 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 eng
22V03600027/01/2022POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFTGeneral 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
21V42100010/06/2021AIR BAGS:SRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHTGeneral 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 diagn
21V19000018/03/2021SEAT BELTSGeneral 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 mechani
22V61700011/08/2022SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERSGeneral 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 b
22V82700003/11/2022EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWAREGeneral 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 compl
24V79700024/10/2024POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWAREGeneral 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 val
25V27400024/04/2025ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICALGeneral 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
25V61900018/09/2025FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLYGeneral 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

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 2026-09-02. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.