general problems of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade - part 2

Engine failure driver side seat belt light on dashboard.

The connecting rod and crankshaft failed while driving on the interstate causing loss of power.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that a customer was operating the vehicle through the turo app when the vehicle lost motive power while driving at an undisclosed speed. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with 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). The VIN was included, but the vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,000.

While driving there was a loud noise and car started shaking and continued making clunking sounds. Had to pull over. Vehicle is not drivable. Had it towed to the dealership, they are saying the ther is an issue with a rod and engine is blown and needs a new engine. They are describing the same exact issue that this motor is on recall for other vehicles with the same motor and same year, but for some reason the manufacturer won't put ours on the recall list.

A major recall has been issued due to possible engine failure. It sounds like a ticking time bomb and the dealer and gm currently refuse to do anything about it because “remedy not available yet. ” I’m stuck driving a vehicle where the engine could fail randomly at any minute putting my family in danger and there’s no fix being offered right now despite the massive recall. Replace my engine!.

My vehicle comes to an abrupt stop while driving or when I’m pulling off at an intersection. This has happened on 4 different occasions in which I’ve injured my knee due to the vehicle stopping at random while I’m driving or pulling off. I’ve stated this to Cadillac of memphis and to landers GMC. The first time I happened I hit my knee by the control panel on the driver side. I’m in a brace because my patellar tendon are inflamed and as well my hoffas fat pad due to the impact. Cadillac of memphis stated it was something that went out and needed to be replaced. They replaced the battery and another part. That did not correct the issue. It happened again after that repair. The third time it happened I was told it was because the transmission was about to go out. Landers replaced the transmission. The advisor stated it should fix the problem. This was about a month ago. Today on 08/08/2025 it happened again and I also hit my knee injuring it even more than more. I’m still in a brace and now have to re-evaluated to see if the abrupt stop caused more injury. This is dangerous because my entire body jerks and cars are coming up behind me in the road and I can get into an serious accident. I need something done about this.

I own a 2021 Cadillac Escalade that falls under the manufacturer recall issued by gm/Cadillac for engine problems associated with this specific make, model, and year. I received an official recall notice via both email and u. S. Postal service, instructing me to take my vehicle to my local dealership to have the recall addressed. I promptly complied and took my vehicle to the dealership. However, I was informed by both the dealership and the manufacturer that my VIN number “excludes” my vehicle from the recall, despite it matching the same year, make, and model. Approximately one month later, my engine failed due to the exact same defect that is the subject of the recall. Nevertheless, gm/Cadillac continues to refuse to cover my engine replacement under the recall, solely on the basis that my VIN number is not included in the recall list. As a result, the dealership has ordered an entirely new engine for my vehicle. I am now expected to be without a vehicle for two to three months while waiting for the new engine to arrive and be installed. I believe gm/Cadillac is misrepresenting to consumers which vehicles are covered under the recall to avoid financial responsibility for defective engines. My situation demonstrates that vehicles outside the listed VIN range are experiencing the exact same defect, yet gm/Cadillac is refusing to extend the recall coverage. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether gm/Cadillac is improperly limiting recall coverage and failing to include all affected vehicles, leaving consumers with significant expenses and lengthy repair times for a defect the manufacturer already acknowledged. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph on the freeway, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

General motors issued a recall on various 2021-2024 tahoes and Escalades with 6. 2l v8 engines. Since issuing the recall, they have given no information and my Escalade has been sitting at the dealership for months with not eta of the engine and parts needed ti fix the vehicle. Gm is dragging this out slow and methodically!.

I was sitting in a drive through when the car just stopped running. I could not get it to restart. Engine light had come on and gone off a few times. I had it towed to a firestone next door , they advised it needed to go to dealership for engine recall. Dealership did not look at it for 3 days so I had it towed to Cadillac- waiting for them to call.

See attached document for complaint. Text from attached document: last week [ went to get the oil changed at my local jiffy lube and was told, "we can' t service lhis vehicle any longer because it has been re-called. " I asked, "what I am supposed to do? they said cadiliac is supposed to lake care of it. After calling mark christopher Cadillac in ontario, cali fornia they said they can't help me until they get parts and have no idea when that will be.

My vehicle has a recall and I took it to the dealer on the 28th of June and this is the date that I still do not have my vehicle. I have a report at Cadillac to replace the engine. The dealer sends all the information to gm Cadillac to authorize the engine replacement since it has metal inside due to the recall and the vehicle is off, it does not start, nobody tells me anything. I am renting another vehicle paying for two vehicles. My situation is very difficult. Cadillac only talks and talks and nothing from Cadillac. It has been 72 days waiting, losing money. Cadillac has not offered me anything, for move nothing.

Engine noise loud knocking feels like engine is going to stall, had in service 6-9-25 for 3 days technician heard noise stated could be related to recall but no fix available at this time electrical glitch radio navigation shuts off during while driving screen dash goes dark.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated while driving 50 mph, the check engine and traction control warning lights illuminated. Additionally, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle started to lose motive power and was pulled over, turned off, and then restarted. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

Experienced engine failure as outline in recall for 6. 2liter l87 engines. Engine failure occured on 5/28/2025. Confirmed engine failure by Cadillac dealer on 5/29/2025. Vehicle is still in repair shop with no eta on replacement motor. Cadillac has failed to provide a comparable loaner vehicle. This is creating financial impact as I use my vehicle for work.

While on a family vacation in the black hills, I began to hear a knocking sound from the front right of the vehicle. Shortly after the engine began to sputter and multiple warning lights/ messages began to appear. Just prior to this, everything on the vehicle was functioning perfectly. We stopped operating the vehicle immediately when it began to malfunction and pulled over, leaving me and my young family stranded over an hour away from our rental cabin. The next day we were able to get a tow truck and find a dealership, denny menholt Chevrolet back in rapid city, sd that was able to look at it right away. We were told by denny menholt later that day that there was a bearing failure of the rod and piston on cylinder #8 and that the entire engine block was destroyed resulting in the need of a whole new engine. We were also told by the dealer that our vehicle was not included in the recall of all the other 6. 2 motors, however, gm was going to take care of everything including a brand new engine, rental car coverage, and shipping the vehicle back to us, all free of charge to us. Fast forward several weeks and we got a call from denny menholt stating that gm had gone back on their word and was not going to pay for any of the damages because we were 7k miles over the powertrain warranty. I have filed a complaint with gm customer service but have gotten nowhere after 3 weeks worth of phone calls and emails. The engine failure that I had is the exact same problem that all of the other 6. 2 motors have been recalled for, so I don't understand why my vehicle is not also included in the recall. This issue left me in a very bad place being stranded with a [xxx] and [xxx]. As a lifelong gm customer, I'm severely disappointed in gm and the way that they have handled my case. This Escalade is supposed to be their top of the line vehicle, it only made it to 77,632 miles before it had catastrophic engine failure, and now gm will not stand behind their product. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of informatio.

Due to issues identified in - safety recall n252494001 l87 engine loss of propulsion we have had to get our Escalade [xxx] ) 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 . From that point on the vehicle would not start consistently, when it did it would not go into gear and would not go into neutral. My issue here is that although the issues that caused the repair to be neeed directly correlate to the recall my VIN is not included and thus we need to pay for this recall fix ourselves. Ideally my VIN and other like vehicles. Ours is a 2021 Cadillac Escalade 4d spt plat should be included. Per the recall notice 2021 Escalades are included hovwever my VIN is not. I’m trying to understand why even though the make and model is indicated in the recall. I have reached out to gm, Cadillac and the dealership and they all point to each other with no one assisting at all information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Gm has a coolant control valve issue that impacts all Escalades and suburban vehicles. Vehicle will maintain speed as a result of issue. This is a huge safety issue. All of a sudden the car drops to 45mph.

At [xxx] my car started shaking on the highway I was my kids I happened and thanks god was less traffic after this problem I goes to bayway Cadillac southwest houston texas 77074 from may 8 to till now my car is there and asking me 5000$ because they put new engine even this is not my fault im uber driver and that is only my source of income in loss a lot because my car is in there hand information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Complete engine failure with vehicle only having 79615 miles on the vehicle. Vehicle was inspected by authorized Cadillac dealership and it was determined that the crank shaft/connecting rod had failed causing the engine to be replaced. Dealership communicated that issue was consistent with issue with known gm recall however vehicle was not covered under current recalled VIN numbers at the time of engine failure.

I have been waiting for gm to send authorization for the dealer to inspect and remedy the engine, as per the open recall, but have heard nothing since may 2025, when gm stated parts were not available.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts availability. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Vehicle: 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv engine: 6. 2l v8 mileage at failure: 84,000 miles problem: complete engine failure description: I own a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv with a 6. 2l v8 engine. At only 84,000 miles, the engine failed and had to be completely replaced. The symptoms and failure are identical to what is described in gm’s recent recall of 2021–2024 Escalades with 6. 2l v8 engines. However, when checking my VIN, it shows that my vehicle is not included in the current recall. Given the premature engine failure and matching issue, I believe the recall scope may be too narrow and does not fully capture all affected vehicles. I’m requesting NHTSA investigate and consider expanding the recall to include my VIN. I have repair records and can provide further details.

My 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv experienced a complete engine failure at approximately 83,000 miles. I purchased it used at around 23,552 miles. Despite having been properly maintained, the engine failed and gm denied powertrain warranty coverage, stating the warranty had expired. I was forced to pay $7,300 out-of-pocket for a full engine replacement. This was an extremely dangerous mechanical failure, which could have led to serious harm if it occurred at high speed. I am aware of similar engine complaints in other gm vehicles and am requesting that NHTSA investigate this safety-related issue.

While driving my 2021 Cadillac Escalade to utah, the engine completely locked up and failed without warning. The vehicle had to be towed to a gm-authorized dealership. Upon inspection, the dealership confirmed the failure was directly related to an active safety recall on the vehicle. Prior to the failure, there were no check engine lights or no other warning lamps, messages, or symptoms. The failure occurred suddenly and without additional notice. The dealership stated the needed part is currently on national backorder and that the vehicle cannot be repaired or safely driven until the part arrives. It has now been over four months since the vehicle was brought in, and there is still no estimated repair date from gm. This has left me without a functioning vehicle due to a known safety defect. The vehicle remains inoperable at the dealership.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated that while returning from vacation, the vehicle stalled while the contact's wife was driving at 70 mph. The contact's wife managed to pull to the shoulder of the highway. The vehicle was towed over 100 miles to the nearest dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000(engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle remained with the dealer for 90 days, and an unknown partial engine repair was performed. The vehicle was then towed to the contact's local dealer, where it remained for the final repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,608. Parts distribution disconnect.

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. No lights came on to indicate any issue. Luckily we were able to exit the interstate but it stalled on the middle of the exit ramp. We were 5 hours away from home and it was towed to the nearest Cadillac dealership. They had the car for approximately 2 months and replaced the engine. 3rd incident - the car was back 2 weeks from the engine replacement. For 1 of these weeks it sat in the airport garage. When it was turned back on after sitting for a week the check engine light came on. I was able to make it home from the airport but it stalled out in our driveway and had to be towed again. It was determined it was the fuel injector pump and it was replaced again. The pump was only about a year old.

City and highway driving, lost power on acceleration. Engine started knocking. Had vehicle towed to dealership. Through a piston. This vehicle had all the described issues of 6. 2 liter v8 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv, but I have not received a recall. This vehicle has been out of service since April 2025 and no recall and no replacement parts (new engine).

Since April 2025, my 2021 Escalade has been losing oil quickly. No leak externally has been found. The recent recall found "no engine problems" and placed new thicker oil, but the leak continues with us losing significant amounts of oil every 500 miles. This engine remains defective, losing oil internally, and is putting 600,000 drivers+ at risk for engine failure or loss of propulsion. The recall has not solved the issue at all and the protocol to declare an engine ok and change the oil is insufficient.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph on the highway, a knocking noise emanated from the engine compartment, and the vehicle suddenly stopped and stalled. The contact head struck the steering wheel, and he sustained a head injury. The vehicle failed to restart. The safety restraint light was illuminated. The contact was going in and out of the vehicle to direct traffic around his disabled vehicle. A 2018 Ford escape crashed into his vehicle, which was stranded on the side of the highway. The contact sustained a broken leg, and medical attention was provided at the hospital. There was no reported fire or airbag deployment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the body shop. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who determined there was no recall coverage. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who suspected the dealer was being misleading but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Vehicle purchased: [xxx] incident date: [xxx] •engine failure – catastrophic engine failure •yes, the unit is available for inspection at north county Cadillac - escondido, CA. •yes, safety for my family and others was put at risk – unit stalled in the middle lane of [xxx] at 65mph with heavy traffic. •catastrophic engine failure confirmed by north county Cadillac. •yes, it was inspected by north county Cadillac and the engine is being replaced with new one under warranty. •there were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms, unit just turned off and went into neutral by itself. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure while it was being driven, according to the renter who had it through turo. It broke down and stalled at a stoplight. I then had it towed to a Cadillac dealership in cocoa beach. After inspection, the dealership informed me that the engine had seized and provided a replacement estimate of over $16,000. Because of the high cost, I chose to take the vehicle to a reputable local repair shop (fastlane automotive). They quoted me a lower price of approximately $11,000. The engine is currently on order but is backordered at the moment and its currently parked up there. I firmly believe this engine failure is connected to an active recall affecting this vehicle.

I purchased my vehicle a little over a year ago and have had multiple engine repairs. The first issue started with the lifters going out. Shortly after the lifters were repaired, the engine seized, causing us to get an engine replacement. A few days after having the new engine, we had the same knocking/ticking noise coming from the engine which was also repaired once again. Then yesterday, 3/13/25, the engine started to knock/tick once again, but this time more aggressively. (new engine had only 15,000 miles. ).