2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AN EMERGENCY SITUATION REQUIRED A HARD APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. THE VERY NEXT STOP SIGN MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AT ABOUT A DROP EVERY SECOND FROM ONE OF THE HARD METAL BRAKE LINES THAT ARE ROUTED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT ALONG THE FRAME. THERE ARE FOUR BRAKE LINES THAT ARE ROUTED TOGETHER AND COULD NOT TELL WHICH ONE WAS LEAKING. EACH OF THEM IS HEAVILY RUSTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE BRAKES BEGAN TO PULSATE UPON ENGAGING. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED REPEATEDLY BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX DIFFERENT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE ABS SENSOR, FRONT AND REAR ROTORS, MASTER CYLINDER AND FOUR BRAKE CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. MOST RECENTLY, THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND WAS ALSO REPLACED WHICH REQUIRED THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE TO BE DISENGAGED FROM THE FRAME TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/16/11*LJ UPDATED 1/24/2012 *LN *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY CADILLAC ESCALADE WITH MY FAMILY AND BRAKING AT A LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 15 MPH) THE ABS SYSTEM SEEMED TO HAVE GONE OFF WITHOUT THE ABS LIGHT GOING ON AND SUBSEQUENTLY THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME HAD I NOT PULLED TOWARD THE CURB. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS QUITE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AS MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED IT. SUBSEQUENTLY THEREAFTER THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RE-OCCURRING AND I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER. I TOLD THE SERVICE CENTER WHAT MY RESEARCH FOUND AND BECAUSE A COMPUTER SCAN DID NOT EVEN PICK UP THE ISSUE THEY DECIDED T IT MIGHT BE DUE TO THE ABS SENSORS BEING DIRTY ALSO THE SERVICE CENTER REPRESENTATIVE AND MECHANIC BOTH SAID TO ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE A NUMBER OF TIMES. THEY CLEANED OFF THIS ABS SENSOR AT WHICH TIME A TEST REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE SENSORS WAS READING IMPROPERLY. SO THEY SAID TO REPAIR IT I NEED TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY ON THAT SIDE. AFTER THEY CHANGED THAT SIDE AND AFTER ANOTHER TEST DRIVE THE ISSUE STILL RECURRED. THIS TIME THEY SAID MAYBE WE NEED TO CHANGE THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL. NOW THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE OTHER WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY TO SEE IF THE ISSUE IS CORRECTED. THE COST FOR REPAIRS IS WELL OVER $1200. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT ONLY HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT AND DRIVES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. I TRIED TO CONTACT GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO ARE OF NO HELP AND ALSO ASKED TO HAVE THIS ISSUE REPORTED FOR SOME TYPE OF REVIEW OR POTENTIAL RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS CONCERN AS IT AFFECTS THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF THEIR VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT SEEM DUE TO WEAR OR TEAR BUT AN ISSUE WITH MANUFACTURING. THE SENSOR ITSELF CANNOT EVEN BE SWAPPED OUT, ONLY THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. THIS IS QUITE SCARY THAT AT ANY TIME DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS MY ABS LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF AND IT DID NOT SEEM THAT THE CADILLAC DEALERSHIPS OWN COMPUTERS COULD NOT PROPERLY DIAGNOSIS THE ISSUE. *TR

RECENTLY, MY VEHICLE WAS PRESENTED TO FIRESTONE FOR STATE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THIS COMPLAINT IS A 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. FOLLOWING THE INSPECTION, I WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE'S PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. I WAS FURTHER INFORMED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS PREVELANT IN THE CADILLAC ESCALADE PRODUCTION LINE AND SIMILAR SERIES SUCH AS THE CHEVEROLET AVALANCHE. THE ASSOCIATE ATTRIBUTED THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S NEGLECT TO ADOPT AN EFFECTIVE RETAINING CLIP WHICH RESULTS IN PREMATURE WEAR OF THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES. THIS DEFECT NOT ONLY COMPROMISES THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PARKING BRAKE, BUT PREMATURELY WEARS AND SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGES THE ROTORS OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE. DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT, MY VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION AND IS PENDING OVER $500.00 IN REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PRESENTED TO A BRAKE SHOP, THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DISASSEMBLE THE REAR DRIVERSIDE HUB TO ACCESS THE PARKING BRAKE SHOES. A BOLT WHICH NEEDED TO BE REMOVED WAS LOCK-TITE TO THE POINT OF PERMANENT AND STATIC FIXTURE (WITH THE ONLY METHOD OF REMOVAL BEING THE GRIND OR CUT THE BOLT OUT). BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, I AM UNABLE TO PASS SAFETY INSPECTIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NEVER ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING AND NEVER ENGAGED TO CREATE FRICTION WITH THE MOVING WHEELS. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS DEPRESSED, THE LEVER MOTIONS WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD.

DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. IGNITION SWITCH BROKE. AAA SENT LOCKSMITH. LOCKSMITH SAID HE HAS CHANGED APPROX. 14 OF THESE IN LAST 1 AND 1/2 WEEKS. BRASS PART AND SPRING BREAK OFF LEAVING IGNITION DEAD/UNABLE TO START OR MOVE VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT OUT ON THE ROAD. $347.00 LATER AND IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AT ANY TIME. BEFORE LOCKSMITH SHOWED UP CADILLAC WANTED TO DISCONNECT TRANSMISSION AND DROP DRIVE SHAFT PLACE ON FLATBED TO TRANSPORT TO DEALERSHIP. WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE COST ME? CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE WITH THIS POOR QUALITY PART. *NM

ALL WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE DEFECTIVE. WHEELS LOCK AND "HOBBLE" IN LOW SPEED TURNS. *NM

IGNITION SWITCH: THE TRANSMISSION MAY GET STUCK IN THIRD GEAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE THE ASC SENSOR WAS REPLACED. EACH TIME REPLACEMENT HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. A MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED NO REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

9:30 AM ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2006. 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT. ATTEMPTED TO STOP ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD IN AN EFFORT TO BACK INTO A DRIVEWAY. I WAS MOVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 5 MPH) AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW AND CONTINUED OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A CULVERT. STRUCK A TREE AND THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED $2,500 TO 5,000 IN DAMAGES (NO INJURIES). ROAD CONDITIONS: SNOW, BUT NOT SLICK PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ACCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED CADILLAC CERTIFIED DEALER FOR SERVICE. DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE CONDITIONS AND/OR SITUATION. DEALER SUGGESTED I CONTACT GM DIRECTLY TO DOCUMENT MY CONCERNS. SPOKE WITH CHERYL DANBEY AND BARBARA GREEN OF THE PRODUCT ALLEGATION DEPARTMENT. NEITHER WERE CONCERNED OR HELPFUL AND STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS SPECIFIC TO MY CONCERNS FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ACTIVATED AT LESS THAN 30 MPH. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE WAS A CHATTERING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS WAS ON ONGOING PROBLEM. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2004. THE DEALERSHIP REMOVED THE CORROSION FROM THE ABS SENSORS. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RETURN UNTIL DECEMBER 23, 2005. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE THE SAME AS BEFORE. THE DEALERSHIP CLEANED THE CORROSION FROM THE ABS SENSORS. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. *AK THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB