Table 1 shows one common exterior lighting related problems of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems |
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.
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.
System failed: back up lights are not working. Safety concern: cannot reverse in dark and putting self, family and others in danger. Problem reproduced at dealership: fred beans Cadillac in bucks county pennsylvania. Dealership response to problem: they said gm is aware of the issue and it is related to software issue, no eta of when it will be fixed however telling me it is safe to drive. No warning lamps however do have a blue hour glass in backup camera (not sure if that is related). "cannot see anything when reversing as no reverse lights are working". Please see picture, driveway lights are on, front headlights are on, but no lights are working for reverse.
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.