2023 CADILLAC ESCALADE Complaints

The vehicle has experienced the same safety issue on two separate occasions. While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and displayed a “Conditions Not Correct for Shift” warning message. During the incident, the vehicle became stuck in Drive and could not be shifted normally. The brakes also did not respond as expected, creating a significant safety hazard and making it difficult to maintain control of the vehicle. The failure occurred without warning and has happened more than once, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle’s electrical, powertrain, and braking systems.

We were driving on an interstate in Indiana and the car jerked and then automatically went into neutral. We couldn’t accelerate or put the car back into drive. We had to get over 2 lanes and onto the shoulder. We were able to put the car in park once on the shoulder but the car would not turn on or off. We couldn’t do anything. All electronics were still running but the engine was not running. The emergency break went on as well. The car sat on the side of the road for 3 hours with the electronics going while waiting for a tow which then wore out the battery. Because the car switched on the emergency break, the towing company had a difficult time getting it up on the tow truck. There were no warning lights going off. We were going 75mph on a highway with my children in the car! Scariest thing ever. I can only imagine what could have happened. We were so lucky to not be hit on the highway trying to change lanes and not being able to accelerate. Then we had to sit on the side of a highway for 3 hours in 95 degree weather and we were 2.5 hours from home! After 3 hours, a tow truck finally showed up. My family had to take a taxi to the nearest dealership because the tow truck would not take us. After 4 days, the dealership finally ran the diagnostic test and said the engine had seized up and we need a new engine which is on backorder. That dealership is 2.5 hours from home, so we then had to pay for another tow truck to get my vehicle back up to home so the local dealership could work on it. It has been one week since this incident happened and we have no idea how long the repairs will take but it’s my understanding that they are just replacing the faulty engine with another faulty engine because GM has no fix for this engine failure issue so it will happen again!!!

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)

On XXX, Dimmitt Cadillac of Pinellas Park confirmed three tires on my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV (VIN: [XXX]) at 3/32" tread depth with alignment wear damage — unsafe for highway travel at 41,796 miles. A fourth tire replaced via warranty at 20,586 miles is now at 7/32". All four tires are destroyed or degraded. This alignment condition was never identified or communicated across six service visits at two authorized Cadillac dealerships spanning March 2024 through December 2025, each including tire rotations and multi-point inspections by certified technicians. It was mentioned once on August 1, 2025 as a routine upsell with no urgency, no description of existing damage, and no warning that tires were being destroyed. The vehicle showed no symptoms of alignment loss — no pulling, vibration, or handling anomaly. No collision, pothole strike, or road hazard occurred. The condition developed within two years and 25,000 miles of purchase with no identifiable external cause, raising the possibility of a chassis or suspension defect affecting other 2023 Escalade ESV vehicles. Dealerships: Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa, 101 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa FL 33612 — Dimmitt Cadillac Pinellas Park, 3333 Gandy Blvd, Pinellas Park FL 33781. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The night vision camera lens on my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV cracked from what appears to be road debris during normal highway driving. No collision occurred. The crack — a star pattern consistent with a rock strike — was discovered during a service visit on December 1, 2025 (RO 502394, 37,314 miles). I was not aware of the failure prior to that visit, meaning the safety system may have been inoperative for an unknown period. The lens is positioned very low on the driver side grille with no protection — directly in the path of road debris at highway speeds. This placement of a standard glass lens on a safety-critical system appears to be a design defect. Research confirms multiple Cadillac owners across the Escalade and XT6 have reported identical cracking from road debris, suggesting a systemic issue across GM night vision systems. Replacement cost is $1,701.23 and requires a proprietary tool available only at Cadillac dealers. GM has categorized this as a road hazard requiring an insurance claim rather than addressing it as a design defect.

Just got the call from the dealership BAYWAY Cadillac of The Woodlands that the L87 V-8 engine recall failed inspection and the engine will need to be replaced.

I was driving at highway speeds when my vehicle suddenly lost power and began rapidly decelerating. The vehicle eventually stalled in the middle of the roadway, creating a serious safety hazard for me and other drivers and significantly increasing the risk of a crash. This vehicle had previously undergone the GM safety recall inspection under Recall N252494000 for the L87 6.2L engine loss of propulsion defect. The recall inspection and remedy failed to identify the underlying engine defect, and the engine still catastrophically failed only months later. After the recall was completed, the vehicle was maintained according to GM’s updated recall instructions, including use of the required 0W-40 engine oil. Despite compliance with the recall remedy and maintenance requirements, the engine still failed during normal highway operation. The recall specifically acknowledged potential manufacturing defects involving the connecting rod and/or crankshaft components that could lead to engine failure and loss of propulsion. That is exactly what occurred in this incident. I believe the recall inspection procedure was inadequate and failed to detect defective engines that remain unsafe and subject to catastrophic failure even after being marked as “recall completed.”

As a loyal GM customer who has purchased three Cadillac Escalades and had them exclusively serviced at Cadillac dealerships, , I am writing regarding my 2023 Escalade, equipped with the 6.2L V8 (L87) engine, affected by the recall (N252494000) impacting approximately 597,630 vehicles . I recently took my vehicle to a Cadillac dealership for the recall inspection, where it passed, received a switch to o@-40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil, and was granted an extended warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles from the purchase date. Despite this , I am deeply troubled by GM's handling of the recall, which has caused significant unease, undermined my trust, failed to honor my loyalty, and imposed unfair burdens. I respectfully request clarification and action on the following issues: Inadequate Recall Remedy and Impact on Gas Mileage - The remedy for vehicles that pass inspection- switching from 0W-20 to higher-viscosity 0W40 oil- raises serious doubts about its effectiveness in addressing a manufacturing defect in the crankshaft and/or connecting rods, which GM acknowledges can lead to engine failure and increase crash risk. Many owners, including myself, question whether thicker oil is a permanent solution or a temporary workaround. Additionally, the switch to 0W-40 is likely to reduce fuel efficiency due to increased engine drag, imposing an unaddressed cost in deduced gas mileage. This is especially concerning for me, as I rely on my Escalade for annual drives from [XXX] to [XXX] for the winter months. Can GM provide technical evidence proving the oil change fully resolves the defect, and will the company compensate owners for the loss in fuel economy? Inconsistent Communications Regarding the Extended Warranty - The dealership assured my vehicle is "fine" after passing the inspection, yet GM is providing an extended warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles. This contradiction - claiming the engine is defect-free while extending warranty coverage - suggests GM anticipat INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF IN

5/7/2026: Travelling on freeway with son at 70-75mph, vehicle shifted itself into Neutral causing loss of acceleration and a message stating vehicle engine needed to be restarted. I had to navigate crossing multiple lanes of traffic to safely exit while quickly loosing speed. Was able to safely exit the freeway and come to a complete stop to restart the engine and resume normal driving. 10 minutes later, the vehicle repeated this causing yet another safety issues. Vehicle has been at the dealership since 5/8 and as of this report 5/12, the technicians are reporting that they have not been able to replicate the problem. I am in fear of the safety of myself and my family and am very hesitant about accepting the vehicle back without a proper diagnosis or repair.

Engine failure shortly after recall remedy performed by dealer. Recall 25V-274 / N252494000. Sudden loss of propulsion while driving at highway speeds with no warning. Engine stalls and will not restart. Vehicle cannot be shifted into neutral without engine running making it impossible to get vehicle to safety and out of traffic. Dealer confirmed that engine seized as part of recall and will need to be replaced, despite having recall oil change remedy performed. Cadillac case file #98347975