general problems of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade - part 2

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. ).

Was driving down [xxx] in arizona when lost engine power pulled over and had towed to dealership. The engine needs replacement it has lifter problems the dealer said. Thankfully nobody was hurt but very scary. Car will need to be at dealer for months engine is on backorder. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was driving home on the evening of Monday [xxx] in my 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The car began to shake, the yellow engine warning light began flashing, black smoke began pouring out of the exhaust pipes and there was a strong smell of fuel. I was 1/2 mile from my home. I limped the car home, left it in the driveway overnight, and called Cadillac roadside assistance to have the car towed to the Cadillac dealership in boulder, CO the next morning. The dealership's initial diagnosis it a failed lifter and cam. This is a known issue across all gm's 6. 2l engines and is caused by their afm/dfm management system. I am at 69,000 miles, with only 1,000 miles to go on the powertrain warranty (70k). Gm needs to step up and recall these motors. They are saying that they might offer extended component coverage to someone that has had at least 2 failed lifter repairs. This does me no good with only 1,000 miles to go under my 70k powertrain warranty. There are many reports of completely failed engines from this problem on super low mileage vehicles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2021 Cadillac Escalade experienced a sudden engine failure due to the l87 “loss of propulsion” recall. The vehicle has been undrivable since February 25, 2025, and has been at the dealership (ocean Cadillac in miami, FL) for over two months with no completed repair and no timeline for resolution. Despite repeated communication, gm and the dealership have failed to provide a loaner vehicle or reimbursement for transportation, even though this is a known safety-related recall issue. The extended downtime has caused significant business losses, disrupted transportation, and left me without safe vehicle access. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance to ensure gm complies with their recall obligations and resolves this matter immediately. I am also concerned about ongoing unresolved vehicle quality issues reported during warranty service visits, but my primary safety concern relates to the engine recall and loss of propulsion.

Engine shut off, misfires, put me on side of road twice. Dealer replaced engine with remanufactured engine, took car home, next day same thing happen, misfired, and put me on side of road again! car been at dealer for 2 months Cadillac refuses to acknowledge.

Engine breakdown in middle of the road. Lifter valves failed and had to be taken in for complete engine repair/replacement. Dealership is currently repairing. Vehicle is available to inspect after repair if requested. Lifter valves engine failure confirmed by dealership. Safety was serious concern as engine failed in middle road with family in vehicle during heavy traffic. Could have lost control of vehicle as engine went haywire. 45,997 miles. No warnings signs before complete failure. Just completed a road trip day prior with no issues.

Driving home going 60-70 miles an hour I lost power in the middle of the highway and cruised off to the emergency lane. Engine completely shut off out of nowhere. Spedeometer went down even though I was pressing the accelerator . Starter burned out as well. Dealership says there was metal in the engine. Ordered a new engine and that engine was also defected. Now going into my third engine. In less than 2 months. If traffic would have been worse the possibility of safely maneuvering to a emergency lane could be fatal. Also one of the day running lights on multiple 2021 Escalades go off.

Car full of kids, going down the expressway in the fast lane the car completely shuts off with no warning. I had to merge four lanes to get to the side of the road and my kids and I could have been in huge trouble if I didn’t remain calm. Once parked the car would not go back into neutral and the town truck had to drag our car with brand new tires onto the truck. I’m livid. The dealership al serra grand blanc mi confirmed it was the motor and they are now on back order. It’s been there a month.

We were driving our 2021 Escalade Cadillac on the highway and the check engine light came on and then 10 seconds later the engine completely stopped without any further warning. If we had not been right by a highway exit, we would have stopped right on the highway. When the engine stopped completely, everything was useless. We couldn't use the windows or locks or even put the car into neutral to roll it off the highway. It took 5 hours for a tow truck to get to us and we had to wait with the car the entire time because a window was rolled halfway down and we could not lock the car. Our car was towed back to midland, TX and now requires a brand new engine. The engine is on back order and there is no expected date. We may not get our car back for months.

Engine failure.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood. The contact stated that his wife was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and shut off the vehicle. The contact arrived on the scene with a local independent mechanic and became aware of the abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with a collapsed lifter, 2 bent push rods, and that a rotor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v274000 (engine and engine cooling). Prior to the letter being received, the message "engine oil low" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the issue was with the engine. However, the part to do the repair was not available. The dealer topped off the engine oil. The contact stated that the messages remained displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the engine was tested. The engine passed inspection, and a higher viscosity oil was added, and 6 oil fill caps were installed. The contact stated that the messages persisted, and the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact received a 2nd recall letter regarding the engine. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired and that the only fix available was to keep adding oil to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

I bought this car used and within a couple hundred miles the car would just shut off and the dash lights came on. I took it in and they diagnosed it and replaced the camshaft actuator. Within a few hundred more miles the same symptoms appeared as I was driving on a 70mph freeway. I had to pull over to the shoulder and this time noticed a metallic smell. Car would not turn on. Had to get it towed back to the dealer. After a month there they informed me the engine seized and needs to be replaced. Approximately 6 weeks and still no estimate to when I will get my car back.

I get oil changed regularly. For the last several thousands of miles, I keep getting low engine oil warning approximately 2,000 miles before an oil change is due. When I go to add more oil, there barely any oil showing on the dip stick and when I open the cap to add more oil, there's smoke coming out.

1) the car suddenly brakes as to avoid a collision when there are no cars in the proximity of the vehicle (think about driving on an open road on a sunny day and the vehicle suddenly brakes without warning). 2) we have received notice of low oil shortly after oil changes which have been performed at the dealership. It has been communicated to us by the dealership that it is common for these vehicles to burn approximately four (4) quarts of oil over the course of 2,500 – 3,000 miles leaving approximately two (2) quarts of oil remaining. Required tow to the dealership. 3) we have received rear axle warning messages and heard beeping noises alerting of such on at least thirty (30) occasions. The dealer has not been able to diagnose what the issue is and says that the computer is not storing any codes. They have not attempted any repair after being taken in for service on three (3) separate occasions. 4) in the past few days, the vehicle has thrown many error codes on the dashboard display including the rear axle service, service transmission unable to shift, service driver assist system. 5) on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 the vehicle again began throwing error codes. The engine failed to start and was towed to the dealer via gm roadside. Required tow to the dealership. 6) a fuel pump part required replacement as fuel was not properly being delivered to the engine. Required tow to the dealership. Safey is at risk. We have three (3) children who regularly ride in the vehicle with us along with the safety of others on the road (especially sudden braking).

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and decelerated before stalling. The vehicle was unable to be restarted and was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 25,000.

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. Vehicle was towed to a dealership where upon inspection they found the rocker arm for the intake valve on cylinder 6 not moving, a bent pushrod, and a lifter that had come apart. It is unknown if an inspection was performed by the dealer beyond the initial diagnostic. The check engine light had come on within the last 12 hours. We called onstar and they said the code indicated we should bring the car to the dealer within the next 24 hours. There was no indication that it was unsafe to drive with the light on.

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. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Under normal driving the engine seized with no warning and vehicle would not operate leaving me stranded on the street for several hours. This occured April 2024 with approximately 58000 miles. The engine had to be replaced.

There was a recall on the l87 propulsion. The dealer changed the oil and said it was fixed. I left the dealer and the issue still persists. They refuse to address it.

Engine completely seized on [xxx] pulling a trailer and boat. Vehicle was equipped to pull weight. Was stranded with 4 kids with very little cell service for over six hours. Had to tow to nearest dealership (prescott, az), and had to get a separate towing company to tow our boat to flagstaff, az (40 minutes away). The next business day it was found that something went wrong with the pistons which cussed the entire engine to seize and needed one replaced. I was just outside the manufacturer warranty, and was told it wouldn’t be covered by gm. I was initially quoted almost $20,000 for the new engine but Cadillac did offer a “good faith” repair. I still had to over $6000 to fix the issue and get it running again. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I drive it from gilbert az to san diego California the car lost power all of sudden almost killed with my family I left at dealer in California and went back to gilbert arizona no diagnosis yet by dealer but I suspect gas pump failure reported on internet that Cadillac recalled some 2021 Escalade for gas pump failure but there is no recall on my car it is now at simpson GMC Cadillac dealer buena park California.

Car lost power all of the sudden twice good things did not happen while driving on the high way has only 30000 mile still at Cadillac dealer in California they found internal case defect they r replacing it it is fatal defect.