Cadillac Escalade Esv Reliability by Year
Based on 2M+ real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
677 NHTSA complaints (2003–2026).Complaint rate: 802.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Should I buy a Cadillac Escalade Esv?
Quick answer from 677 NHTSA complaints · 2003–2026
Cadillac Escalade Esv reliability depends heavily on the model year. Several years show complaint spikes well above the model's own average, while others are meaningfully cleaner. The most commonly reported issue across all years is engine problems. Pick the right year and this Escalade Esv can be a reasonable used buy; pick the wrong one and you're inheriting known problems.
- 2013 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 3 complaints
- 2012 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 5 complaints
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 6 complaints
- 2023 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 94 complaints
- 2021 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 85 complaints
- 2007 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 83 complaints
- 2022 Cadillac Escalade Esv· 75 complaints
Keep scrolling for year-by-year complaint trends, recall campaigns, and component breakdowns — or click any year above for a full report.
Why these years are worse
The most common issues driving the complaint spikes:
- engine problems — 202 complaints (1.5% involved a crash)
- transmission / drivetrain — 68 complaints (4.4% involved a crash)
- electrical faults — 66 complaints (4.5% involved a crash)
- airbags — 52 complaints (21.2% involved a crash)
- brakes — 34 complaints (14.7% involved a crash)
What Happened to 844 Cadillac Escalade Esvs On the Road
Complaints record what owners reported. These are the outcomes actually recorded against 844 Cadillac Escalade Esv VINs built 2003–2024 — accidents, title brands and odometer flags from our vehicle-history database, not from the NHTSA complaint file.
Typical Cadillac Escalade Esv on record: 2.0 owners on average, 68,040 average miles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Rankings based on raw NHTSA complaint counts. Sales volume data not yet available for this model.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2021–2023 Cadillac Escalade Esv. The 2012–2013 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: Engine.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $8.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Cadillac Escalade Esv Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA. Bar length = volume; color = crash-involvement rate.
Show full table
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 202 | 1.5% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 68 | 4.4% |
| Electrical Faults | 66 | 4.5% |
| Airbags | 52 | 21.2% |
| Brakes | 34 | 14.7% |
| Fuel System | 32 | 9.4% |
| Engine & Cooling | 18 | 0.0% |
| Suspension Failures | 14 | 7.1% |
| Steering Defects | 12 | 16.7% |
| Wheel Issues | 12 | 50.0% |
When Each Problem Spiked
Year × component heatmap. Darker cells = more complaints that year. Reveals which model years a specific defect concentrated in — useful for spotting redesign-cycle quality dips.
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003GOOD | — | 13 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2004 | — | 28 | 3 | 1 | View → |
| 2005 | — | 19 | 0 | 2 | View → |
| 2006NO DATA | — | 5 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2007AVOID | — | 83 | 3 | 3 | View → |
| 2008 | — | 19 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2009GOOD | — | 10 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2010NO DATA | — | 6 | 0 | — | View → |
| 2011 | — | 18 | 0 | — | View → |
| 2012NO DATA | — | 5 | 0 | — | View → |
| 2013NO DATA | — | 3 | 0 | — | View → |
| 2015GOOD | — | 13 | 3 | — | View → |
| 2016 | — | 20 | 4 | — | View → |
| 2017AVOID | — | 47 | 5 | 1 | View → |
| 2018 | — | 19 | 0 | 3 | View → |
| 2019AVOID | — | 48 | 2 | 1 | View → |
| 2020 | — | 28 | 9 | — | View → |
| 2021AVOID | — | 85 | 5 | — | View → |
| 2022AVOID | — | 75 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2023AVOID | — | 94 | 5 | — | View → |
| 2024TOO NEW | — | 25 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2025TOO NEW | — | 10 | 0 | — | View → |
| 2026TOO NEW | — | 4 | 0 | — | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
Data Sources & Methodology
Complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer complaint database (677 records for this model). Public domain data, updated monthly.
Sales data: Not yet available for this model. Complaint counts are shown as raw numbers.
On-road outcomes: Accident, title-brand, theft and odometer records for 844 Cadillac Escalade Esv VINs in our vehicle-history database. Independent of the NHTSA complaint file — a complaint is what an owner reported, these are what was recorded against the vehicle. Year-level figures are shown only for model years with at least 200 VINs on record.
Rate calculation: Complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold = (complaint count / US annual sales) x 10,000. This normalizes for sales volume so high-volume models like Civic or Camry aren't unfairly penalized.
Year classifications: AVOID = 1.5x+ the model's median complaint count. GOOD = 0.6x or below. Years less than 3 years old are marked TOO NEW (insufficient data).
Buying a Cadillac Escalade Esv?
Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $8.99.
Check VIN Free