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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2002–2013

Cadillac Escalade EXT recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns and 92 owner complaints for the Cadillac Escalade EXT, covering model years 2002 to 2013. The 2002 model year drew the most complaints (22), and Air Bags is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Cadillac Escalade EXT VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 16 recall campaigns on file
  • 92 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 12 model years with data (2002–2013)
  • most complaints: 2002 (22 for that model year)
  • top component: Air Bags (26 complaints)
  • latest recall 21V054000 (reported Feb 5, 2021)
  • 6 complaints reporting a crash (6.5%)
  • 5 complaints reporting a fire (5.4%)
  • 7 complaints reporting an injury (7.6%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints by model year

11 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2002 model year has the most complaints: 22 of 92, or 23.9%. Next come 2007 (16) and 2003 (15). The fewest are for 2013, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Cadillac Escalade EXT owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 2002–2013Column chart of 92 complaints across 12 model years. The highest is 2002 with 22. The full figures are in the table below the chart.2002: 22 complaints2220022003: 15 complaints1520032004: 11 complaints1120042005: 5 complaints520052006: 0 complaints20062007: 16 complaints1620072008: 14 complaints1420082009: 3 complaints320092010: 1 complaint120102011: 3 complaints320112012: 1 complaint120122013: 1 complaint12013
Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
2002221020
2003151220
2004111000
200551010
2007160210
2008142110
200930000
201010000
201130000
201210000
201310000
All model years926570

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Cadillac Escalade EXT components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Air Bags is the component named most often, in 26 complaints (28.3% of all 92), followed by Electrical System (21) and Service Brakes (11).

Components named most often in Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Air Bags2628.3%
Electrical System2122.8%
Service Brakes1112.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1010.9%
Structure77.6%
Power Train66.5%
Engine55.4%
Equipment44.3%
Tires44.3%
Fuel System, Gasoline33.3%
Steering33.3%
Unknown or Other33.3%
Vehicle Speed Control33.3%
Electronic Stability Control22.2%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)22.2%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Cadillac Escalade EXT recalls

16 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Escalade EXT, newest first. The 16 campaigns cover model years 2002 to 2013. The 2007 and 2009 model years appear in the most campaigns (5 each).

  • 16 recall campaigns
Cadillac Escalade EXT recall campaigns covering each model year
DecadeYears ending in 0Years ending in 1Years ending in 2Years ending in 3Years ending in 4Years ending in 5Years ending in 6Years ending in 7Years ending in 8Years ending in 9
2002: 1 campaign2003: 2 campaigns2004: 2 campaigns2005: 1 campaign2006: 1 campaign2007: 5 campaigns2008: 4 campaigns2009: 5 campaigns
2010: 3 campaigns2011: 4 campaigns2012: 3 campaigns2013: 3 campaigns
Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 21V054000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module

    Model years 2010–2013

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 21V053000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module

    Model years 2009–2010, 2013

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 21V052000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module

    Model years 2007–2009

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 23, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 20, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328780.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 21V051000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module

    Model year 2012

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328770.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  5. NHTSA campaign 21V050000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module

    Model years 2007–2011

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  6. NHTSA campaign 14V827000

    Reported

    Electrical System › Ignition

    Model years 2011–2012

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock actuator may bind, making turning the key difficult or causing the ignition to get stuck in the "Start" position.

    Consequence:
    If stuck in the "Start" position, the ignition may suddenly snap back into the "Accessory" position, causing a loss of engine, steering, and braking power, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. If the vehicle is in a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the ignition lock housing, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14696 for the original equipment, and 14912 for the service replacement parts.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  7. NHTSA campaign 13V001000

    Reported

    Power Train › Automatic Transmission; Steering › Column Locking › Anti-Theft Device

    Model year 2013

    General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.

    Consequence:
    As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  8. NHTSA campaign 11V007000

    Reported

    Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle

    Model year 2011

    General Motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac Escalade, escalade esv, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and GMC Canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon XL vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle. Should the pin shift out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock.

    Consequence:
    The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without warning.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  9. NHTSA campaign 10V240000

    Reported

    Electrical System

    Model years 2007–2009

    GM is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Buick, lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; model year 2008-2009 Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; model year 2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, escalade esv, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC Acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon XL; Saturn Outlook; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (HWFS). A recall was implemented in 2008 to add a fuse to the control circuit harness to address the potential consequences of a printed circuit board (PCB) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on HWFS modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the HWFS fluid chamber.

    Consequence:
    It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on June 11, 2010. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and Hummer at 1-800-732-5493 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  10. NHTSA campaign 09V154000

    Reported

    Fuel System, Gasoline

    Model year 2009

    GM is recalling 27,188 MY 2009 Cadillac Escalade, escalade hybrid, escalade esv, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, suburban, tahoe, tahoe hybrid, and Colorado; and GMC Yukon, yukon hybrid, yukon XL, and canyon vehicles. The fuel system control modules may have a condition in which an adhesive separation of the room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) seal between the seal and the housing may allow water to seep into the module.

    Consequence:
    Water in the module could cause a short or open circuit, illumination of the service engine soon lamp, setting of diagnostic trouble codes or the engine may be hard to start, may not start or may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a new fuel system control module free of charge. The recall began on May 18, 2009. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at www.gmownercenter.com.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Show 6 more recalls

  1. NHTSA campaign 08V441000

    Reported

    Electrical System

    Model years 2007–2008

    GM is recalling 857,735 MY 2006-2008 Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; MY 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, escalade esv, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; GMC Acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon XL, Saturn Outlook; and MY 2008 Buick Enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.

    Consequence:
    This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2008. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.Cadillac.com; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; Saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.Saturn.com, GMC at 1-866-996-9436; or Hummer at 1-800-732-5493; or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 06V307000

    Reported

    Wheels › Rim

    Model year 2007

    Certain sport utility vehicles and trucks fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "tire selection and rims." These vehicles have an incomplete tire rim designation on the certification/tire label located on the driver's door edge. In addition, the label may also be missing the tire load rating on the label. Although this information is not required by the standard, if a tire of a lesser load rating is installed, the tire may not be able to sustain the loads encountered during use.

    Consequence:
    If a customer replaces a wheel and only relies on the rim size designation that is indicated on the label, a wheel that is of a different rim contour designation may be installed. It may be difficult or impossible to mount the tire on a wheel with the wrong contour. If the tire is mounted on the wheel with the wrong contour, the wheel and tire may not perform as intended, which could increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    A label that will correct the label originally installed will be mailed to consumers along with installation instructions. The customer will have the option for dealers to install the label. The recall begaon on November 7, 2006. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2239, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and GMC trucks at 1-866-996-9463.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 05V552000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels

    Model year 2006

    Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "tire selection and rims." These vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.

    Consequence:
    A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on March 31, 2006. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463, Hummer at 1-800-732-5493, Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or Isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 05V055000

    Reported

    Power Train › Manual Transmission › Shift Pattern Indicator

    Model year 2005

    Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock and transmission braking effect." Under certain vehicle starting conditions, the shift lever position indicator located in the instrument panel cluster may not illuminate. If the shift lever position indicator does not illuminate, the driver may not know which gear the vehicle is in.

    Consequence:
    The vehicle may move in an unintended direction resulting in possible injury to others outside of the vehicle.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2005. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  5. NHTSA campaign 04V129000

    Reported

    Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments

    Model years 2002–2004

    On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the galvanized steel tailgate support cables that retain the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position may corrode, weaken, and eventually fracture. If both cables fractured, the tailgate would suddenly drop and strike the top surface of the rear bumper.

    Consequence:
    Anyone sitting or standing on the horizontal surface of the tailgate when both cables fractured could be injured by falling from the tailgate. On vehicles that have had the bumper removed, the tailgate may drop even lower. Additionally, if there is cargo on the tailgate the cargo may fall off if the support cables fracture.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the cables. Interim owner notification began on April 7, 20004. The recall began on September 24, 2004, when replacement parts were available, and will continue through October 29, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463, or visit www.mygmlink.com, and enter your vehicle identification number.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  6. NHTSA campaign 04V045000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic

    Model years 2003–2004

    Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.

    Consequence:
    Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
    Remedy:
    Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on June 18, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463; or Hummer at 1-866-486-6376.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Cadillac Escalade EXT questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Cadillac Escalade EXT have?

NHTSA lists 16 vehicle recall campaigns for the Cadillac Escalade EXT, covering model years 2002 to 2013. The most recent, 21V054000, was reported on February 5, 2021 and is filed under “Air bags”. The 2007 and 2009 model years are covered by the most campaigns (5 each).

Which Cadillac Escalade EXT model year has the most complaints?

The 2002 model year, with 22 of the 92 complaints in NHTSA’s file (23.9%). The next are 2007 (16) and 2003 (15). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Cadillac Escalade EXT complaint?

Air Bags is the component named most often: 26 complaints, or 28.3% of all 92. Electrical System (21) and Service Brakes (11) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Cadillac Escalade EXT?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Cadillac dealer.

How many Cadillac Escalade EXT complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 92 complaints, 6 report a crash, 5 a fire, 7 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Cadillac models

8 models · most complaints first

The Cadillac models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Cadillac VIN decoder with every Cadillac model page, WMI code and VIN note.

All Cadillac models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.