Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Cadillac Escalade - part 2

Dealership stated they fixed recall ref# n252494000 on 9/24/25. But on 4/9/26 noticed engine noise (knocking), then a lose of power and then vehicle stalled on the highway.

See all problems of the 2023 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Engine misfire, afm lifter collapse, defective afm/dod lifter technology. The three diagnosis I have had done to check for multiple opinions have all come back the same with a collapsed afm lifter causing camshaft damage, overall failure of an afm/dod deactiviating lifter in the 6. 2l l86 engine leading to engine damage. It is available for inspection. The problem has been confirmed by multiple independent service providers and confirmed to be an issue in ongoing litigation against gm. It was initially diagnosed by a mobile mechanic and then taken to a independent service mechanic who confirmed the initial diagnosis. It was then confirmed again by a third party independent mechanic. The engine light did not appear until the noise started and what I now know as when the lifters failed, at which after my vehicle alerted me with the engine light. When the problem first occurred, I was driving around 35 mph down a public road, I had to immediately slow down and pull over. I then limped the vehicle to a safe destination where the mobile mechanic was able to check it out. Luckily, I was not going high speeds and the public road I was driving on was not busy so I was able to pull over safely upon the issue the start of the warning lamp flashing. The engine component failure would have been a much higher safety risk for myself and others if I was driving on a busy road or highway. I have spoke with both gm and Cadillac, they are aware of this defect, yet refuse to provide relief. I have been quoted $13,000-$17,000 to begin repairs to the engine.

See all problems of the 2017 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

82. 826 miles sounded like a idler pully making dinging noise got louder driving in city went to get on highway sudden lost of power and rattling noise and jerking and lunging got off first exit pulled into parking lot and shut it off. Called dealer they sent tow truck diagnosed it as bad motor 4/6/26 got remanufactured motor on 4/17/26 waiting to see how long this one lasts.

See all problems of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

Engine started knocking and past half a mile completely lost power and stoped, towed to dealer, will wait till Monday for any info.

See all problems of the 2022 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power and failed to respond as needed, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure had recurred on several occasions, and the contact lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle became difficult to operate. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact expressed concerns that the vehicle posed a safety hazard and was unsafe to continue driving. The approximate failure mileage was 60,645.

The engine failed my check engine light came on, it was in the middle of traffic on 4/2/2026. The vehicle had a very rough idle it went away and then came back and then rough idle again I had 2 miles to go to reach my home and then it just shut off. I called the dealer immediately and then I call aaa I received a loaner from the dealer, and they said they would set up a meeting with the tech advisor and myself. My 2026 Cadillac escalate only had 3186 miles on it I was told by the dealership that it was a bearing issue.

This vehicle had its engine replaced at around 33,000 miles. Today, at around 43,000, the replacement engine failed. It's now at the dealer waiting for yet another engine replacement.

My engine started to make noise so I took it in for service and was told by Cadillac service it was a blown piston rod and it required a full engine replacement.

See all problems of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

2018 Cadillac Escalade esv platinum, 6. 2l v8 l86 engine, under 100,000 miles. Engine seized and was towed to an authorized gm dealership. Teardown confirmed a spun and twisted rod bearing resulting in complete crankshaft seizure, documented by the dealer as non-serviceable per gm, requiring full engine replacement. Component is available for inspection. Prior to seizure, the vehicle experienced a highway stall preceded by a harmonic balancer failure, belt system failure, and charging system collapse. The vehicle lost propulsion at highway speed, creating a crash risk to myself and other drivers. The failure mode, spun rod bearing with crankshaft damage, is physically identical to the defect documented in gm safety recall 25v-274, covering connecting rod and crankshaft manufacturing defects in 6. 2l v8 l87 engines in 2021-2024 vehicles. The l86 and l87 are variants of the same gen v small block architecture with the same bottom end design. I contacted Cadillac customer care and requested a field technical specialist review. Gm instructed the dealership to delay filing a technical assistance case until my third party warranty determination was made. Gm subsequently refused to file any technical case, stating the l86 is not included in the recall and they have no plans to include it. The failure has been confirmed by an authorized gm dealership. I am requesting NHTSA evaluate whether the recall scope should be expanded to include 2018 l86 engines, and whether gm's refusal to conduct technical investigation while directing a third party warranty to absorb a potentially recall-related repair constitutes inadequate recall handling.

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11/26/25 at 85,400 miles on the v8 6. 2l l86 engine, I began experiencing rough idle, loss of engine power and propulsion, a ticking/ knocking noise at idle and when rpms increased as well as blinking engine warning light. Diagnostics/repair work was done by reliable GMC/Cadillac of roseville to fix an ignition coil that was giving the engine error code. 2/24/26 at 86,697 miles, I began having rough idle worse than before, loss of power when accelerating and driving, knocking sounds that increased with acceleration in rpms as well as a blinking engine warning light. All spark plugs and wiring were changed by Cadillac which resolved engine error codes for misfire. Diagnostics/repair was done by reliable GMC/Cadillac of roseville. 3/30/26 at 87,246 (only 549 miles since the previous work up,) the car began to idle rough, and have a audible rhythmic tapping and knocking when accelerating and increasing rpms. During driving, I experienced flashing engine light, and then sudden loss of power and control of vehicle. 3/30/26 veh towed tothompson GMC, of placerville, CA diagnosed vehicle with full engine failure from broken connecting rods and crankshaft of engine. Dealership is recommending full engine replacement, costing approx $23,000. This engine failure occurred on xxx in [xxx] …a dangerous, steep and curvy 2 lane highway. The engine light and loud forceful knocking happened almost simultaneously, without warning. I was forced to perform a dangerous maneuver to exit the highway into a gas station. Had I not done so, the engine failure could have caused full control loss of the vehicle. Traveling approx 50-65mph with my wife, [xxx] son and 2 daughters, an engine failure put my entire family at risk of serious injury or death. Had I not acted quickly, the outcome would have been catastrophic if not fatal. The vehicle is currently at thompson GMC, [xxx] and available for further inspection. We believe this may be related to NHTSA ea25007. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia).

See all problems of the 2019 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

I purchased a used 2021 Cadillac Escalade in may 2025 with approximately 48,000 miles. While driving on highway 14 near acton CA at speeds exceeding 60 mph, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure (March 28th - 2026). The engine suddenly lost all power and shut off completely while in motion. Only electrical systems remained operational. At the time of the incident, I had my three children in the vehicle. This created a dangerous situation, as I was forced to maneuver across traffic and safely pull over without engine power. The vehicle could not be restarted and had to be towed to the dealership. The dealership replaced the engine with a refurbished unit April 14th - 2026. I was not informed in advance that the replacement engine would be refurbished rather than new. Immediately following the engine replacement, the vehicle began experiencing additional issues, including electrical malfunctions and air suspension problems, which required further repairs. After retrieving the vehicle, it is still not operating as expected. The vehicle is noticeably slow, sluggish, and noisy, raising concerns about reliability and the potential for another failure. Given the sudden loss of engine power at highway speed and the continued performance issues after repair, I have serious concerns about the safety of this vehicle.

After the recall work was performed, the vehicle began consuming engine oil at an abnormal and excessive rate between oil changes. Most concerning, during a recent check, the engine oil level was found to be extremely low, with no oil registering on the dipstick. This condition presents a significant risk of engine damage or failure and raises serious safety concerns. Prior to the recall service, the vehicle did not exhibit any abnormal oil consumption. The issue has only occurred after the recall was completed, which strongly suggests a direct connection to the repair.

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.

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.

Purchased the vehicle 1 year ago and immediately it had oil consumption problems. Got low oil alarm after 2000 miles from the dealers oil change. Dealer told us it was within “specs”. 6 months ago we were told the 6. 2 engine had a recall and a different type oil will be used. 1 month ago the engine locked up and it is now at the dealer waiting for an engine. Asked another car dealership about trading it in and they would not accept it as a trade-in because it currently has a stop sale issued. This means the vehicle is now worth nothing! well, I have to hire attorney to get anything for this vehicle? we paid $75,000 for it a year ago.

While driving on a highway, my wife abruptly experienced warning lights, loud rattling from engine and loss of power. Check engine light indicated cylinder misfire. Troubleshooting revealed a bent push rod and later discover broken lifter. While researching the issue it was found to be a very common issues with vehicles using active fuel management. Issue is so widespread parts are replacement parts are unavailable. If more traffic were around situation could resulted in loss of control in traffic and collision.

See all problems of the 2020 Cadillac Escalade 🔎.

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).

The vehicle experienced a total engine failure on 03/16/2026 while traveling in the houston/friendswood, TX area going home from our vacation in galveston, TX. The vehicle remained out of service at big star Cadillac in friendswood until 04/27/2026. This failure is directly related to gm safety recall n252494000, involving defective internal engine components. Prior ownership history (01/22/2024): the vehicle experienced an engine failure at 18,424 miles while under previous ownership. The engine was replaced by an authorized Cadillac dealership prior to my purchase. This material repair history was not disclosed at the time of sale. Second failure (03/16/2026): at 47,503 miles, the replacement engine (n1240062m69x0196) failed catastrophically while in my possession during a return trip from vacation with my family of five. The failure occurred on interstate 45, a heavily traveled highway, and we were barely able to exit the freeway. The new engine is part of the n126086n44x0534 series.

2022 Cadillac Escalade. Had the 6. 2 liter engine recall done about 6k miles ago in which the engine was replaced. Now it’s back at the dealer again and needs another 6. 2 liter engine. Been at the dealer for a month and gm has given them no update on when they can get another engine for it. This is insane. How am I ever supposed to be able to take my family around in this vehicle if the engines keep failing. Unfortunately I just bought this from the a dealer 6 months ago so I’m stuck with a vehicle that I do not trust… a $111,000 vehicle.

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).

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.

Hey, just wanted to let you know that I took my car in for the recall service on the 6. 2l engine issues, they determined my engine was fine and changed the oil to the different one. Within 6 months the engine blow while I was driving, they covered it under the recall however it is clear that the oil change is not an appropriate fix for this issue. Thanks.

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.

I had the recall performed on my esv in December, but driving home from [xxx] my dash indicated that I needed to push start. I did and it slowly died. I had it towed to andrews Cadillac where it was purchased and I learned that my engine locked up. It is being completely replaced with 41,000 miles. Thankfully it was under warranty but apparently this is an ongoing issue with gm and the 6. 2 liter engines. I won’t have my car for weeks while I await a new engine. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

While driving my 2021 Cadillac Escalade on an interstate highway at approximately 70 mph with my family, including two minor children, the vehicle suddenly and without warning lost propulsion, shut off, and shifted into neutral. This occurred in active traffic and created an immediate safety hazard. A warning message appeared instructing me to restart the vehicle. After several minutes navigating traffic, I was able to restart the vehicle briefly and exit the highway. Shortly thereafter, additional dashboard alerts appeared indicating critical engine and transmission failure. After exiting the highway, the vehicle shut down completely at a traffic signal and failed to restart. The vehicle was immobilized in an active roadway until police assistance arrived to prevent a rear?end collision and a flatbed tow was arranged. The sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed placed vehicle occupants and surrounding motorists at serious risk. The vehicle is available for inspection and was diagnosed as having a seized engine on March 9, 2026, by diamond Cadillac in [xxx] . This failure did not occur without warning. Prior to this incident, I repeatedly reported excessive oil consumption to the selling dealer, otto Cadillac, from whom I purchased the vehicle in April 2025 as a certified pre-owned vehicle. On two separate service visits, I reported oil consumption exceeding two quarts between recommended service intervals and requested that this be documented. I was advised that the consumption was “within tolerance” and was later informed—incorrectly—that this tolerance applied to my engine configuration. Otto Cadillac performed a recall-related inspection and implemented the manufacturer-directed remedy consisting of an oil cap replacement and a change in oil viscosity to sae 40. No mechanical repair or deeper diagnostic action was taken. The subsequent engine seizure confirms that these mitigation measures did not resolve the underlying defect. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia),.

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.

My vehicle lost full engine propulsion going 70mph on the highway. We were blocking lanes of traffic and lost speed at a very rapid pace. No engine or warning light came on before the car lost engine and shifted into neutral. We called 911 and the California highway patrol had to assist in us not getting hit from behind as our car was disabled and would not restart to move off of lanes of traffic.

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.