2021 Cadillac Escalade engine problems
118 of the 160 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Cadillac Escalade name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 844 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 4 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 118 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2021: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 58 · 2026: 42
Half of the 20 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 35,000 and 82,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
160 complaints in all about the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 42 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Cadillac Escalade engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Due to issues identified in - Safety Recall N252494001 L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion We have had to get our Escalade ) repaired with a cost of circa $9500. We are due to pick this up tomorrow. There was an issue with the lifters which caused damage to the engine and the crankshaft, the engine made a very louder noise so we pulled over .
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle started jerking significantly. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated, and a message advising of a rear axle failure was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side road and turned off the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who informed the contact that the engine and transmission might need to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
This vehicle experienced a sudden engine failure while traveling on the highway which caused an immediate loss of power. The safety of myself and my family was at risk as we exited the roadway to the shoulder without power and the vehicle shaking violently.
1st incident - Car stalled at a red light and had to be towed for repair. It was determined to be the fuel injector pump. No lights came on and there was no indication of an issue prior to it stalling. 2nd incident - On the intestate it started making a rattling noise and felt like it was losing power.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 25V274000 HighApr 24, 2025 · 597,571 vehicles
- 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.
NHTSA investigations
- EA26005 Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedyopened Aug 20, 2026 · open
- On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- RQ26001 Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedyopened Jan 16, 2026 · closed Aug 20, 2026
- On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued R…
- EA25007 Loss of motive power due to engine failureopened Oct 23, 2025 · open
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274. These engines are installed in Model Years (MY) 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024MY Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Y…
- PE25001 Loss of motive power due to engine failureopened Jan 16, 2025 · closed Oct 23, 2025
- On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in so…
844 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P12A6 P0300 P0201 P0202 P0203 P0204 P0205 P0206
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 Cadillac Escalade names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 118 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (74% of everything owners filed about it), and 844 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 4 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 25V274000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 62,000 miles; half of them between 35,000 and 82,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.