Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Cadillac Escalade - part 1

My Escalade had just been into the dealer because the battery died at only 4200 miles. I drove away and after 10 minutes, I was getting warning messages that the engine was overheating and to turn the vehicle off immediately. I had to pull over on the freeway while listening to my engine knock and click. I eventually got it back to the dealer where they were unable to turn the car on and unable to determine the issue other than telling me it’s something with the engine.

On [03/23/2026], while traveling at 79 mph in high-speed highway traffic, my 2022 Cadillac Escalade suffered a sudden, total engine seizure and complete loss of propulsion. This catastrophic failure occurred without any prior warning lamps or symptoms. The loss of motive power at highway speeds created an immediate life-threatening situation, forcing me to navigate through traffic to the shoulder with no engine power. This vehicle is currently at [parks Chevrolet charlotte] awaiting a full teardown and is available for inspection. Critical safety concern: this engine seizure occurred after recall 25v-274 was marked "completed" on June 18, 2025. This incident represents a direct failure of the recall remedy and is a documented escalation of the issues being investigated under NHTSA recall query rq26001. I am reporting this to provide evidence that the current remedy is insufficient to prevent high-speed engine seizures and loss of propulsion.

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On March 21, 2026 while traveling at approximately 70 mph on a public highway, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of propulsion. The vehicle stalled in active traffic, creating an immediate and life-threatening hazard. Following the stall, the vehicle’s system failed, and the vehicle would not engage any gear, including “park” or “neutral. ” consequently, the vehicle could not be towed by standard means and required a specialized car carrier to be transported to heritage Cadillac in morrow, GA 30260.

I’m using this car in poland (europe) my engine starts to make knocking noise due to bearings rods and lifters failure . N252494001 l87 engine loss of propulsion I called to european Cadillac authorized service and they refused to replace the engine because USA based manufacturer don’t wan’t to repair a car even is still on warranty.

See all problems of the 2024 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Driving on freeway, engine starting knocking loudly and completely failed. I blew an engine on my 2023 Escalade esv as well. Seems like the recall might need to be extended to the 2026 models as well.

On March 19, 2026 around 830am est, the vehicle turned off while I was driving around ~40mph. I lost all power while on a busy street and I was unable to move the car to the side of the road. The car would not shift into drive or neutral, and therefore remained in the middle of the road until a tow truck had to flatbed it to the Cadillac dealership. The l87 recall on this vehicle was performed in August 2025, however the Cadillac dealership said there were no issues found with the l87 recall. The symptoms of today's issue - vehicle turning off while driving and does not start back up, is similar to other reports of this l87 recall and demonstrates that this recall was not accurately performed and/or remedied during the service.

After having the initial engine failure recall completed by the dealership by switching to a different viscosity oil… while traveling at 45 mph the motor made a knocking or ticking sound with a squeal and then “hiccuped “ and immediately lost all power. I was only able to steer the vehicle onto a busy sidestreet. The vehicle had recently been serviced by Cadillac. Once stopped, the vehicle cannot be shifted from park due to “shifting conditions not met” so I was blocking the entire intersection. Police had to respond for traffic control. Due to the electronic shifter the only way to shift the vehicle into neutral is with tools and getting underneath the vehicle to remove a bolt. There is no reasonable or prudent way to do this in the middle of an intersection.

Vehicle: 2023 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [xxx] ) dealer: Cadillac pasadena case number (gm corporate): xxx refusal to perform a mandatory federal safety recall remedy. Details: 1. My vehicle is currently under safety recall xxx(l87 engine loss of propulsion). I experienced a loss of propulsion and brought the vehicle to Cadillac pasadena. 2 the dealership technician confirmed the engine is exhibiting "abnormal noise (lifter clatter on both banks) and active misfires. " 3 the dealership claims they cannot complete the mandatory picoscope diagnostic test for the recall because the engine condition (misfires/noise) interferes with the equipment. 4 under gm special coverage xxx, if the engine cannot be safely tested due to internal mechanical failure within the recall population, gm is mandated to cover the diagnostic teardown and full engine assembly replacement at no cost to the consumer. 5 the dealership is refusing to authorize the teardown under the gm special coverage code and is instead pressuring me to pay myself. 6 the dealership has stopped responding to my written inquiries (sent March 18th and 19th) and refuses to provide a loaner vehicle, despite the vehicle being officially "unsafe to drive" due to the open safety recall. I am asking you to requre immediate authorization of engine teardown and full engine assembly replacement under gm special coverage xxxat $0 cost to me, and provision of a loaner vehicle as required for safety recall grounding. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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I scheduled service a service appointment with rick hendrick Chevrolet in naples, FL. After leaving the vehicle as scheduled the service manager refused to perform the safety covered recalls and stated due to the issue of the vehicle having a branded title.

See all problems of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

On oct 14,2025 dealer did a gm safety recall under n252494000 on March 14th 2026 the motor with out, the dealership is now going to replace the motor under the recall.

Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem and they informed me I need a $10,000 engine replacement! my 2020 engine falls outside of the current recall by one year. I feel as if GMC should be responsible for this unbelievable and totally unexpected problem! I have several friends who are experiencing the same issues with their GMC with the same year and comparable mileage.

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There was a recall on my Cadillac Escalade regarding the engine. We had the vehicle inspected in the fall and were told that our engine was not affected and was safe to operate. However, on Sunday, March 8, the engine suddenly failed while I was driving on an exit ramp with children in the car. There were no warning lights or prior indications of a problem. I took the appropriate steps to have the vehicle evaluated under the recall, yet we were still placed in a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation due to the engine failure.

The engine in my 2015 Cadillac Escalade failed unexpectedly at approximately 53,000 miles. Immediately prior to the failure, the engine developed a noticeable knocking noise, indicating a potential internal issue. While attempting to park in a public parking garage, the vehicle suddenly lost power and the engine shut down without any warning lights or alerts. This created a hazardous situation in a confined area with other vehicles and pedestrians, as I was unable to properly control or maneuver the vehicle. The sudden loss of power and complete engine shutdown significantly increased the risk of a collision or injury. The engine would not restart after the failure, leaving the vehicle disabled in the garage. Due to the confined space, the vehicle had to be removed using specialized towing equipment. The vehicle has been dealer-maintained since purchase, and I am the original owner. There were no prior major engine issues before this incident. The vehicle was towed to a dealership, where it was confirmed that the engine had seized and failed internally. I was quoted approximately $20,000 for a rebuilt engine replacement. This type of catastrophic engine failure at relatively low mileage, without warning, presents a serious safety concern.

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The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade esv. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the 6. 2-liter gasoline engine was on a national back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

My 2017 Cadillac Escalade with the 6. 2l v8 engine experienced afm (active fuel management) valve lifter failure. While driving on the freeway the vehicle began stuttering and shaking violently, and it felt as though I had lost control of the vehicle. The check engine light illuminated and diagnostic codes p0300 (random misfire) and p0304 (cylinder 4 misfire) were found. The vehicle was confirmed by a Cadillac dealership to have collapsed afm lifters on the right side, a faulty valve lifter oil manifold (vlom), and a broken exhaust bolt requiring extraction. The engine was also showing slightly low compression at times and making noise on cylinder 4. This is a known defect in gm's afm system across multiple model years. The failure poses a serious safety risk as the stuttering, shaking, and sudden loss of engine power occurred unexpectedly at freeway speeds, significantly reducing my ability to safely control the vehicle. The repair has been confirmed and quoted by an authorized Cadillac dealership. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

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My 2022 Cadillac Escalade sports platinum has shut down several times while I'm driving, and recently it started shifting into neutral on its own. I have three kids, and my whole family was in the car when this happened. Once, it shut down and shifted to neutral as I was crossing a busy street at night. I was really scared that someone might hit us because it was hard to see. I will take the SUV to the dealer for an engine inspection because of a recall. This problem is very frightening and could put lives at risk.

Noticed smoke in rear view mirror while driving at 65 mph. Towed to repair facility. Engine has a piston rod broken and pushed through the block.

The original engine was replaced in my Escalade in September 2025 under the gm engine recall. The original engine was working, but it failed the inspection at the dealership and was replaced. March 1st, 2026 the Escalade died while driving. Police came and helped block traffic and called a tow truck since the engine was dead. The Escalade was towed back to the same dealership and they confirmed the newly replaced engine failed under the same bulletin that mandated the replacement of the original engine.

Engine lost power on steep grade hill with kids in the car on our way to tahoe putting us all at risk.

Mileage: 90,406 2015 Cadillac Escalade engine: 6. 2l v8 ecotec3 has experienced lifter and camshaft failure, and the vehicle is now stalling while driving, creating a serious safety risk. I transport my disabled child daily, and the stalls are unpredictable, putting us and other drivers at risk. This issue is consistent with the pending class action harrison v. General motors llc, which alleges that 2014–present Cadillac Escalades with 6. 2l afm/dfm lifters can fail, causing engine noise, stalling, and catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle was service on 3/02/2026 at riverview Chevrolet GMC for these issues and a complaint was summit to gm for these problems. Since after having the vehicles services I have had issues with the vehicle stalling while in progress and while driving causing me to be very scary that the vehicle will completely stall out or shut down on me while on the road driving causing an accident. Please help me resolve this unsafe matter. Thank you!.

Suspension failed at 50,000 miles. At 56,000 miles one of the valve components inside the engine (a lifter) has collapsed. This part controls the opening of the engine valve, and because it is no longer moving, that cylinder cannot build compression and is causing the misfire. This is an internal mechanical failure inside the engine and cannot be caused by body work, fuel quality, or anything external.

See all problems of the 2016 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Gm issued a special coverage in bulletin n252508341 for the coolant control valve in my vehicle. This issue happened to my vehicle exactly as the symptoms are stated in the bulletin: check engine light, p1098 code, fan running at high speed with the engine on and off, and reduced acceleration. I took the vehicle to the dealer to be covered, and they say my vehicle is not covered by the bulletin. To be clear, the bulletin covers 2021-2023 Cadillac Escalades with the lm2 3. 0l duramax engine. My vehicle is a 2021 Cadillac Escalade with a lm2 3. 0l duramax engine. Which had all the issues and symptoms listed in the special coverage. Yet, they say it is not covered. This seems incredibly shady. And very wrong. Why in the world would they not be covering my vehicle? it seems unsafe to be driving a vehicle that has reduced acceleration, a fan constantly running at high speed, and a check engine light for malfunctioning parts. Faulty parts from gm which they have already acknowledged are bad.

6. 2 engine had the recall fix done to it. It did not work because the engine seized up yesterday.

On February 21, 2026, my 2022 Cadillac Escalade esv experienced a sudden and complete engine seizure at highway speed at 57,825 miles just 8,613 miles after passing gm's picoscope inspection under safety recall n252494000 (NHTSA campaign 25v274). After fueling, I entered a highway on-ramp and accelerated to approximately 70 mph. Within 30 seconds, the engine lost power completely with no prior warning lights, no diagnostic trouble codes, and no audible warning. The only dashboard notification was a prompt to press the start button. The vehicle behaved as if shifted into neutral, decelerating rapidly from 70 mph to 40 mph while I was navigating an exit merge ramp. I reached the right shoulder safely. Under normal weekday traffic, this failure on an active merge ramp could have caused a serious collision. The engine would not restart. The vehicle would not shift out of park. Onstar could not remotely start the vehicle. A tow truck was dispatched; the operator could not shift the vehicle to neutral and required a dolly. The dealership confirmed the engine had seized and the engine would not crank. A complete engine replacement was performed under the recall warranty (ro 606490). The recall remedy was performed August 20, 2025 at 49,212 miles. Gm records confirm the picoscope result: "engine passed. " the engine seized 8,613 miles later with no warning. This is consistent with 30-plus NHTSA complaints reporting loss of propulsion after the prior remedy, and demonstrates the inspection-based remedy is insufficient to identify engines at imminent risk of seizure.

On 2/21/26, while driving approximately 60 mph, my car experienced a sudden loss of propulsion. The vehicle unexpectedly shifted into neutral and began decelerating, displaying a prompt instructing me to press the start button. I was able to coast to the shoulder and avoid a collision, but the incident occurred in active highway traffic on a Saturday afternoon and posed a significant safety risk. The vehicle had completed manufacturer recall service related to engine propulsion concerns less than 90 days prior to this event and had passed the associated safety checks. Approximately 5,000 miles had been driven since that service without prior warning signs. Given the nature of the failure and its occurrence after recall completion, I am concerned that the recall remedy may not adequately address the safety defect. A loss of propulsion at highway speed could reasonably result in serious injury or death. Cadillac has now agreed to replace my engine, but they didn't replace it when they had the chance in November. The recall parameters failed me.

My engine died 3 times so far. The first time it had 20,000 miles, I was driving on the freeway and my vehicle died. The dealer replaced the engine. The second time there was a recall for the engine, it had around 88,000 miles and the engine was replaced for a 2nd time. Note I’m at 94,000 miles and my car died on the freeway again. It has been at the dealer for more than a week and they haven’t even inspected it yet. This is definitely a safety concern, both times that it stopped I was on the freeway, things could have been much worse.

Traveling on interstate preparing to exit on ramp. Press start button displayed, car immediately sounded like it geared down hard and then lost power, unable to control well, all I could do to come to a safe stop, while praying that the car behind me didn’t hit me. The car basically locked up while preparing to exit the interstate. So scary, terrifying and dangerous.

On 2/17/2026 , while driving to work at 55 mph , the engine quit and dash board said to restart engine. Could not restart engine and had Cadillac Escalade towed to gerry lane Cadillac in baton rouge, louisiana . Today 2/24/2026 , we received a call from dealership stating that it needs a new engine. (6. 2 liter engine ) it may be a month before we get our Escalade back.

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle sounded like it was going to stall, and the accelerator pedal was depressed to keep the vehicle from stalling. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with lifter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,027.

My car die by itself when I was driving on a highway; screen shows oil pressure low. It has been haven electric problem many times.

On Saturday 2/14/26 our Escalade was making a light ticking noise. We made an appointment to bring it in for service, earliest appointment was 2/17/26. On the evening of 2/14 the vehicle died on the freeway and had to be towed to the local dealer after it would not start, crest view Cadillac in rochester hills, mi. Our service write tony griffin, confirmed verbally on 2/16 that the vehicle most likely will need an engine replacement, but had to be inspected first. I emailed him on 2/19 as I had no update and he let me know it needs more diagnostics but it will be getting an engine replacement. As of 2/21 the vehicle is still sitting in the parking lot with the battery now dead. I was given a loaner vehicle that is not at all suitable or nearly equivalent to my current vehicle. I have been given an electric Cadillac lyriq and have no means to charge it.

Rod/main bearing debris causing block damage engine needs rebuild/ replace.

Vehicle was taken in to l87 engine recall in sept 2025. Passed said inspection on September 29, 2025 and new higher viscosity oil was put in the vehicle. Feb 14, 2026 - driving the vehicle down the highway at 70mph. Car shifts to neutral, engine turns off and losses propulsion. Manage to get to the shoulder of the highway. Vehicle would not restart or turn on. We were traveling with our 3 small children in the car. Stranded on the side of the highway until a family member could come pick us up. Took 18hours through Cadillac roadside assistance to find a tow truck. After 3 calls to the local dealership, 2 days later I was told the engine failed due to the l87 recall and a full engine replacement is required.

The engine failed on I-17 while driving 75mph on 2/14/2026. The car shifted into neutral and was able to coast on to the berm of the interstate. The car was towed to flagstaff Chevrolet and was determined to have engine failure and is waiting for a replacement engine. When the engine failed a warning message came on warning of severe engine overheating and shut down and the car automatically shifted into neutral.

Engine needs to be replaced or rebuilt also the fuel pump power control nodule failed.