CSR

Cadillac · NHTSA safety record

2020 Cadillac Escalade

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

13

Complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Cadillac Escalade have filed 13 safety complaints with NHTSA between April 2020 and April 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 6 of them (46%). The typical failure was reported at 55,571 miles, the median across the 3 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

TIRES

21V115000 · February 25, 2021

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
The risk
Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.

General Motors, LLC · up to 33,838 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

19V837000 · November 21, 2019

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Camaro, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump may be missing a pressure regulator, allowing for over-pressurization of the fuel system.
The risk
Over-pressurization can crack the fuel pump and cause leaks, increasing the risk of a fire in the presence of an ignition source.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2019. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N192283991.

General Motors LLC · up to 502 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 13.

ENGINE 6 46%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 15%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 15%
POWER TRAIN 2 15%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 8%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 6.

2020 2026
2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · crash

This is the component that failed Parts Passenger Side Instrument Panel Wiring Harness Junction Block GM Part # 84114433 Component combustion Yes, the burning of the component has been confirmed Not checked - Just replace the component only No warning lights appeared

NHTSA complaint 11542464. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

crash · towed

Cadillac Escalade was struck in a rear end collision in Georgia. Driver of trailing car stated that the Escalade "suddenly stopped". After reviewing dash cam footage from the trailing car it can be seen that the Escalade was very slowly decelerating for ~4 seconds before suddenly stopping, the trailing driver did not react to the initial deceleration, only the sudden stop. Closer inspection of the footage suggests the non-standard brake lights of the Escalade contributed to the crash. The vertical stripes do not register as brake lights easily, especially as they blend into the structure of the vehicle. Screenshots of dashcam footage showing this are attached.

NHTSA complaint 11445717. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

towed · 106,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the lifters, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer

NHTSA complaint 11660029, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My vehicle doesn’t even have 66k miles on it and the lifters have gone bad. The check engine came on and the vehicle has stopped working.

NHTSA complaint 11733688. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Engine Failure According to Chevrolet dealership my engine needed to be replace due to tapping coming from the engine. In addition, they found lifter damage along with the camshaft. Cylinder 3 lifter roller failure causing noise and camshaft damage, Yes this was confirmed and engine replaced at that same dealership No warning light or any other symptoms prior to the problem. I have a copy of the receipt and the complete work order from the dealership.

NHTSA complaint 11727310. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem and they informed me I need a $10,000 engine replacement! My 2020 engine falls outside of the current recall by one year. I feel as if GMC should be responsible for this unbelievable and totally unexpected problem! I have several friends who are experiencing the same issues with their GMC with the same

NHTSA complaint 11725325, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Noticed smoke in rear view mirror while driving at 65 mph. Towed to repair facility. Engine has a piston rod broken and pushed through the block.

NHTSA complaint 11721402. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
THE CALAPSABLE LIFTERS HAVE FAILED AND I NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CAM SHAFT. WHY ISNTTHE 2020 ESCALADE ON THE RECAL LIST OF 6.2L ENGIN RECALLS?

NHTSA complaint 11716653. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

55,571 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while starting and driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal sounds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the year and VIN were not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,571.

NHTSA complaint 11710600. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Cadillac Escalade

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 17 3
2025 15 1
2024 43 2
2023 125 4
2022 73 4
2021 60 9
2018 21 1
2017 50 2
2016 89 4
2015 95 9
2014 20 2
2013 17 4
2012 20 3
2011 49 6
2010 38 3

Other 2020 Cadillac models

Every Cadillac on this site — 91 vehicles, 198 recall campaigns and 4 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst