Cadillac Escalade engine problems, 2016–2027
692 of the 1,007 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Cadillac Escalade 2016–2027 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2023 (188), 2022 (121), 2021 (118). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 recall campaign, 4 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Cadillac Escalade engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 43 | 90% | — | 4 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2025 | 22 | 59% | — | 54 TSBs · 2 investigations | the year → |
| 2024 in depth | 57 | 80% | — | 170 TSBs · 1 recall · 4 investigations | the record → |
| 2023 in depth | 188 | 83% | 30k | 453 TSBs · 1 recall · 4 investigations | the record → |
| 2022 in depth | 121 | 86% | 40k | 567 TSBs · 1 recall · 4 investigations | the record → |
| 2021 in depth | 118 | 74% | 62k | 844 TSBs · 1 recall · 4 investigations | the record → |
| 2020 | 22 | 61% | — | 371 TSBs | the year → |
| 2019 | 38 | 64% | — | 405 TSBs | the year → |
| 2018 | 19 | 53% | — | 491 TSBs | the year → |
| 2017 | 32 | 36% | — | 579 TSBs | the year → |
| 2016 | 32 | 31% | 75k | 708 TSBs | the year → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 18 · 2024: 16 · 2025: 337 · 2026: 287
Across the model years, half of the 110 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 19,000 and 70,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
My 2023 Escalade started making a 'knocking" noise on Saturday 1/25/25. I called the dealership on Monday and they scheduled for a service appt. I let them know that it sounded like it was coming directly from the engine area. I have never had issues with the vehicle in any capacity previously.
my wife was driving down the road late at night and the engine turned off and all the lights inside the car (dash lights, etc) and outside the car turned off...it was super scary. no warning lights came on before this happened...there was no warning given by the car that something was wrong.
I was driving 70 mph on the highway and the engine shut off with no warning. The screen said to press start again. That's when I realized the engine was off. I pulled over it took four or five tries to turn the engine back on it. Cranked multiple times before it turned over.
Engine failure while driving on the highway resulting in the vehicle being towed to the dealership and requiring a brand new engine. Being advised by the dealership that this will likely take 3+ months to replace as they have 2 other Escalades in the service department still waiting on a new engine and have been there for over 2+ months
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 .
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaign filed under this heading, any model year
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Cadillac Escalade years have the most engine complaints?
2023, 188; 2022, 121; 2021, 118. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2026 (90%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Cadillac Escalade?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 25V274000 (2024). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the Cadillac Escalade?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 40,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 19,000 and 70,000. 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.