Table 1 shows one common electrical system related problems of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Electrical System problems |
Sudden loss of propulsion at highway speeds - 2023 Escalade. We easily could have been killed. I drive a 2023 Cadillac Escalade that I purchased from motor werks Cadillac in [xxx] . It was very expensive. The car has under 33k miles on it, off memory. I informed the dealer I would be taking the car on a family vacation road trip from [xxx] to [xxx] (for spring break), and requested they perform any necessary preventative service on it to ensure it was in perfect shape to make the trip. They performed the service (basic air filter change etc) and returned the car to me two days before I packed my family [xxx] and [xxx] daughters and wife) into the car and began the journey. After driving less than three hours, the engine completely and suddenly died, without warning, while we were traveling at 75 miles an hour on the highway in the left lane in the middle of rural [xxx] . At the same time all of the electronics in the vehicle died as well. It was an extremely dangerous situation because the road is heavily trafficked by semi trucks, which I was barely able to avoid as I attempted to coast across all the lanes of traffic to get onto the shoulder of the road on the right hand side. Because the car was without propulsion, I was not able to get fully onto the shoulder, but mostly. This left the car in a precarious position because the semi's that we're driving by could easily have hit the car had they not been careful and veered slightly to the left. We easily could have been killed. There's more to the story, like the dealer telling me Cadillac is aware that catastrophic engine failure at highway speeds is a known issue impacting Escalades around the country, and including significant mental trauma that my children experienced by being stranded on the side of the road for several hours in the dark in a car that had no engine, no electronics and no heat. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Received a recall letter that stated the engine in my 2023 Escalade with roughly 49,000 miles on it at the time. Has problems with the engine breaking down and shutting the entire vehicle off. Took the car to the dealer to fix per the recall letter. They stated they only needed to replace an oil cap and put better oil in the car, and not replace the engine as stated in the recall letter. About two weeks later the transmission started to slip and the car would not go over 50 mph, in addition it would switch automatically into 4wd and get stuck in 4wd. Took the car back to the dealership they did not replace transmission they stated it may have something to do with the recall or an electrical issue. About 8,000 miles later I was driving on the highway taking kids to school and the entire vehicle just shut down completely, I could not brake, steer, control the car in anyway possible. I was riding what felt like a death trap. I was so scared for my family and myself, the car came to a stop on its own pretty drastically. I thought I was going to get slammed into or hit the car in front of me. Luckily I was not hit. The car prompted to push the start button, I tried to start the car, nothing. There was still music playing but the screens were all black, also the engine did not turn over at all. I could not put on my hazards either. I called a tow truck while sitting there and got the car towed to the dealership. The dealership took 3 days to get back to me and stated it was the engine and they are going to have to replace it with a new engine. In addition they would not provide me with a time frame at all, or a temporary vehicle to take my kids to school in. I feel this should be illegal with what has happened to me, I got regular oil changes and maintenance done. If they are still using this engine someone will end up dying from this poorly engineered engine and car. Cadillac once had a great reputation, I regret putting my kids and my life into this automobile.
To whom it may concern at general motors, I am writing to express my profound concern, disappointment, and fear following a recent experience with my Cadillac Escalade that has caused me to seriously question the safety, reliability, and future of the Cadillac brand. For important context, the first Cadillac Escalade my family owned was a 2012 model that we purchased used in ann arbor. At the time, when we encountered engine issues and various quality concerns, we attributed them to the fact that the vehicle was pre-owned. We assumed wear, prior use, or history explained the problems—and we remained loyal to the brand. Because of that loyalty, we made the decision to purchase a brand-new Cadillac Escalade, bought from lafontaine Cadillac near dearborn, michigan. We bought it during a time when it was hard to find an SUV especially of that size (extended cab needed for strollers and gear). This was my first-ever brand-new vehicle, a milestone purchase as a physcian that I made with the expectation that safety, engineering, and quality would reflect Cadillac’s reputation and price point. Unfortunately, we continue to experience the same quality and engineering issues, and in some cases, issues that are even more concerning. This came after a recall for engine faillure which had us concerned. Most alarming was a recent incident December 11, 2025 in which my vehicle experienced brake failure due solely to a low battery. According to harvey Cadillac in grand rapids, this single issue caused multiple systems to fail, all requiring reprogramming. Learning that something as routine as a low battery could compromise braking and multiple safety-critical systems was terrifying. This was not just inconvenient—it was genuinely scary. I have a lot to live for. My children need me. No vehicle should place a driver in a position where their ability to stop safely is jeopardized by a cascading electronic failure. Beyond this incident, we have quality issues as well.
On Friday, September 5, 2025, while driving with my family, the vehicle suddenly stalled while in motion. There were no warning lights or error messages before the failure occurred. While traveling at normal road speed, the vehicle instantly lost propulsion, steering assist, and braking power, leaving me without control in live traffic. For several seconds I was unable to steer or slow down normally — it was an extremely dangerous situation. The vehicle briefly restarted twice, then completely died and could not restart again. I had to pull over to the shoulder and call for assistance. This repeated sudden loss of power while driving, without any prior warning lamps or messages, creates a severe risk of collision or injury to occupants and others on the road. The vehicle’s unpredictable failure to maintain propulsion or braking control is unsafe and unacceptable.
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, while driving in regular city traffic, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion without any warning or dashboard alerts. There were no warning lights, messages, or abnormal sounds before the failure occurred. The vehicle instantly shut down while in motion, causing a total loss of acceleration power and leaving me stranded in the middle of traffic. This occurred the second time I was driving the car after prior service, and the vehicle again stopped completely, forcing me to pull over and contact onstar roadside assistance. This was the second major propulsion failure in a short period, each time occurring unexpectedly while driving. The repeated sudden shutdowns without warning present a serious safety risk and indicate an unresolved defect in the vehicle’s electrical and propulsion systems.
Unknown. Weather related - rain water incoming on floor board under steering column. Effecting electronics and vehicle driving safety. Vehicle has propulsion control issues as a cause.
Vehicle was running with the driver side door open and driver out of vehicle. The vehicle slipped out of gear and reversed quickly. Driver went to get back in while moving backwards to try and stop vehicle. The driver got smashed between the garage and vehicle door. The vehicle door hyperextended and caused damage/injury to driver. The emergency brake did not come on until after the accident. Prior to this happening recalls were not preformed due to gm advising us that our vehicle was not next to get it done. Throughout ownership the vehicle has slipped out of gear two other times. We took it in each time and were told it shouldn’t happen again and they could not replicate. Gm did an inspection after and fixed recalls and told us they would not assist us with damage or any compensation.
So I bought this Cadillac Escalade v 2023 with about 26k miles on it and I only had the vehicle for about 13 days and I got a light on my dash board and I had a mechanic check this for me and he told me that the whole entire break system was failing and needed to be replaced so I then took it back to the dealership I bought it from and they told me they had no idea since it was a certified pre owned and we where all confused about this situation and I was very unhappy that I paid 128k $ for a car and the dealer told me they could fix the issue or take the offer of 105k$ he offered me and of course because I did not want to have this problem I got rid of this vehicle as quick as possible I did not notice anything wrong with the car physically but I had that check engine light on with 13 days of owning.
While driving about 60–65 mph westbound on NY route 17 near exit 125, a warning message appeared on the dashboard reading “restart engine. ” within seconds the vehicle lost all propulsion, steering assist, and braking power. Pressing the accelerator did nothing and the car began rapidly decelerating in live highway traffic at night. I struggled to steer into the shoulder with great effort because the steering and brakes had become extremely heavy. Once stopped, the engine would not restart — there was no crank and no response when pressing the start button. The vehicle was later towed to the dealership for inspection. This failure occurred without any prior warning other than the single “restart engine” message that flashed moments before the loss of power. There were no check-engine lights, alerts, or performance issues beforehand. Unity Chevrolet Cadillac confirmed that the engine had seized and replaced the entire engine assembly, starter, and battery under warranty. The vehicle remained out of service from August 7 to August 22 2025. This sudden failure created a severe safety hazard — a complete loss of propulsion, steering assist, and braking at highway speed could easily have resulted in a high-speed collision.
My [xxx] was sleeping in the parked car. My wife was also in the car with her. Engine and ac were on. The key was inside. Doors and trunk were unlocked. I got outside the car and got my older kid. The doors opened as usual. Then my wife stepped outside the car to get something from the trunk, and she closed her door as well to avoid heat coming in. The vehicle immediately auto locked the doors with the key inside it. So my little one got locked inside. The doors or the trunk did not open again. There was no cell reception, so no way to get roadside help or call 911. The car was parked under direct sun in hot weather. It then shut off the engine (and ac) as well. To avoid heat stroke, we broke into the car to save the child. Obviously damaged the vehicle in the process. The problem of doors/trunk locking with the key inside happened a second time the next day. This time engine was off. I was already inside. My door was open. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? locks, remote how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? risk of child death from heat stroke has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? not yet taken to a dealer has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? none information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
I was driving to work at 45 miles/hour and the car's engine cut out. My life was at risk because the car cut out without warning while I was driving. When the car stopped working, I called the dealership, and they came to take the car away. The car didn't give any warning or display any warning messages beforehand. The car has been at the dealership for a month and they still haven't repaired it.
An intermittent orange flashing light in or near the heads-up display area has been reported at multiple service visits on my 2023 Cadillac Escalade esv (VIN: [xxx]) with no resolution. First reported xxx (ro xxx, ed morse Cadillac tampa) — could not duplicate. Reported again may 13, 2025 (ro xxx) — could not duplicate. The issue continues to occur intermittently as of this filing. The orange flash occurs during nighttime driving and is visible to the driver. No cause has been identified and no fix has been provided across multiple authorized dealership visits. An unresolved intermittent flashing light in the driver's field of vision during highway driving is a distraction hazard. Dealership: ed morse Cadillac tampa, 101 e fletcher Ave, tampa FL 33612. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Traveling at high speed on major 5 lane highway. The engine shut off vehicle lost power went to neutral on shifter on it’s on would not shift . There was no warning no lights nothing that would have indicated a problem at all. Luckily my husband was able to get over 3 lanes and pull on shoulder which was very difficult and extremely dangerous in traffic. The vehicle would not start back up . There were 3 children and 2 adults in the vehicle at the time it was traveling 70mph and completely shut off we were almost struck by vehicles traveling at 70mph plus when trying to get vehicle to shoulder if we were unable to get this vehicle to shoulder this would have caused a multi vehicle pile up on major highway . We would have lost our lives and possibly others in other vehicles as well. Cadialic roadside assistance is picking up this vehicle and taking it to there closest dealership. This vehicle currently has 19,000 miles.
While my wife was driving on the pennsylvania turnpike, her vehicle suddenly shut off without warning. Since there was no shoulder, she had to coast to find a safe place to pull over. All the dashboard lights came on, indicating what appeared to be an electrical issue. She attempted to restart the vehicle several times, but only received a message stating, “battery low, needs charge. ” she contacted onstar, expecting prompt assistance, but the experience was far from what’s advertised. She waited a total of 45 minutes just to speak with someone, only to be transferred to another representative. Despite having paid for onstar services when we purchased the vehicle, they refused to cover the towing charges because she was on a private highway, forcing her to pay out of pocket for a service we had already purchased. During this time, it was extremely cold and windy. My 5-year-old daughter and wife waited about an hour and a half for the tow truck to arrive, and then an additional two hours while the driver secured the vehicle onto the flatbed. Since the car was completely dead, they had no heat the entire time. When they stepped out of the car so the tow truck driver could load it, they discovered they couldn’t get back inside—the doors wouldn’t open due to the lack of power. This entire ordeal was not only frustrating but incredibly unsafe for them. Having the vehicle shut down without warning on a busy highway, especially with our young child in the car, was terrifying for them. After our vehicle was at the dealership for a week, we were informed that the engine needs to be replaced. We were shocked to learn that this is a common issue with gm’s 6. 2 engines. To make matters worse, there is no estimated timeframe for the repair because the engine is on backorder. For reference, the truck only has 24,000 miles on it and has been exclusively serviced by authorized Cadillac dealers. This experience has been both disappointing and deeply concerning.
Unknown. The car decelerated on the freeway from 80 mph by automatically going into n. Once we managed to pull over to the shoulder, the car would not turn on again or shift gears. The dealership thinks it's an engine failure and they have multiple Escalades in the shop for the same issue.
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. Got the car to the dealership and the dealer diagnosed it with a blown engine. This failure could have caused death or injury if there were other cars/people around.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that there were several unknown codes and unknown electrical issues displayed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer approximately eight or nine times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was a lemon. The manufacturer was contacted regarding a buyback, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer with the assistance of a police patrol. The dealer diagnosed that the engine was blown, and the engine was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled and was able to be restarted after 20-45 minutes. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Cadillac of manhattan (646 11th Ave, new york, NY 10036) several times; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 mph, the vehicle stalled inadvertently and was rear-ended by another vehicle. The contact stated that the accident was a fender-bender. There was no injury sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle was able to restart after 20-45 minutes. The contact resumed driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
The rear park gridlines are not getting activated. Dealer mentioned that there is a bug in an infotainment system but its been open from last 6-9 months and not resolved. This really affecting my parking ability. This should be a safety concern and should be resolved ASAP.
Please explain your complaint in detail: every Cadillac dealership in the area is refusing to service my vehicle for a serious safety recall •gm #: n222384930? trailer brake control switch. When I call the dealerships to set up an appointment, they tell me there is a note on my account to not service your vehicle. The vehicle is brand new and was purchased from brotherton Cadillac. All of the Cadillac dealerships are working together to block any service of my vehicle.
When reversing this huge SUV, there is no visibility. Currently, I have to keep pressing my brakes to get the red light to see little however it is not enough. I have taken it to the 2 different Cadillac Escalade dealership and they keep giving it back to me that it is working properly. This has been a problem since I bought this car, unfortunately when we went to test drive it was in a very bright parking lot. During the day it is fine, however if I reverse at night and god forbid hit someone/something - gm will be liable as this should not be on the road and they refuse the fix this big safety concern. Please note this is a 7 passenger SUV- it is too big to lack reverse visibility.