CADILLAC Complaints

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel with an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced; however, the check engine warning light illuminated the following day. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle started to jerk abnormally while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle shut off in the middle of the highway. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

The contact’s son owns a 2020 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the engine oil was abnormally low. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 14,466.

At approximately 6:45pm on Friday November 14, 2025, while driving among tractor trailers in the passing lane at highway speed on westbound RT 30 near mile marker 191 (Lancaster, PA), my 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV Sport Platinum experienced a complete loss of propulsion. This catastrophic and sudden engine shutdown came with no warning lights, no symptoms prior to a complete loss of power. The vehicle had previously been inspected as part of the recall service by Fred Beans Cadillac in Doylestown months prior and customer was informed it had passed the recall inspection and was given the recommended corrective action - (new oil [0W40], oil filler cap and new oil filter). Customer had ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO SUSPECT this engine had issues, because it "passed" GM's recall... This vehicle's unexpected & compete loss of power gravely endangered the lives of the vehicle's four occupants who were absolutely terrified during this experience ! I put the vehicle's hazard lights on and guided it to a stop on the right shoulder of RT 30 at the mile marker 191 Westbound. I contacted my insurance provider's roadside assistance for a flatbed tow off the highway. Vehicle was eventually flatbed to Kelly Cadillac for engine diagnosis. [will give much more details in subsequent communications as the characters here are limited] We are awaiting Cadillac dealer's diagnosis of the cause of this catastrophic engine failure with complete loss of propulsion at highway speed (after the recall was performed and vehicle was cleared). I have added photos of the confirmation from the insurance company's dispatch of a flatbed to my location on RT 30 as well as a screenshot of us on the right shoulder of RT 30. I have attached text messages received from GM of the engine issue that were received AFTER the vehicle was stopped on the shoulder of highway. My family - and others on the highway that evening - could have been gravely injured or even killed by this Cadillac's complete malfunction !

there was a sunroof recall on my year of vehicle, with this being a used vehicle the previous owners did not know about the sunroof recall and this is why they sold the vehicle not knowing the issues it caused, so I purchased this vehicle wanting it to be my forever vehicle and still do, i am wanting the sunroof drain issue fixed as this has messed with all of my electronical functions in my vehicle, when it rains or snows the electrical information stops working as it has gotten wet due to the drain shrinkage not being fixed, I cannot drive my vehicle safely when this happens, i have to wait until it dries to drive my vehicle again. Please help me with getting the recall reinstated so i can properly get this issue fixed that the previous owners did not know about and i can keep my vehicle safely driving on the roads.

I bought this 2019 Cadillac Escalade for family safety in November 2024 for 2000 miles from Ken Garfield dealership in America fork Utah. Four months ago he had a mechanical failure which costed $13,000 to repair to which Cadillac covered 90% of the cost. I got it back an 1000 miles later the engine had complete engine failure. Now they are saying they will only cover 60% of the coverage to fix the repair. I have six children and this is our only car. I need my engine repaired. This is a huge burden and we just took a loan out to pay the last repair. Please I beg of you help me.

My 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV experienced a major engine failure that required a complete engine replacement. Before the failure, the vehicle showed warning signs including rough running and loss of performance. My certified mechanic later explained that the cause of the failure was consistent with engine defects that have led to GM’s recall on later-model Escalades. However, the 2019 model year is excluded from that recall. The failure was severe enough that it posed a safety risk had it occurred at highway speed, and it required over $20,000 to replace the engine plus thousands more in related repairs. Multiple other major components failed around the same time (suspension components, thermostat, and A/C compressor). I am filing this report because the failure pattern appears identical to what GM has acknowledged on recalled Escalade engines, and I am concerned that the defect may affect more vehicles than currently included in the recall. My mechanic confirmed that the failure is reproducible and consistent with the known defect on later models.

In March 2025, my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV experienced a sudden engine failure. The engine began running rough, the check engine light turned on, and the vehicle became unsafe to drive. The Cadillac dealer diagnosed the engine with #8 exhaust push rod bent and metal debris in the engine oil. This matches the defect described in GM Recall N252494000 (connecting rod/crankshaft internal engine defect). I paid $10,000 out of pocket for a full engine replacement at Crestview Cadillac before GM mailed the recall notice. I submitted a reimbursement package to GM’s Recall Reimbursement Center by USPS certified mail. USPS Tracking Number: XXX Delivered on 07/17/2025 at 11:02 AM in Detroit, MI 48226 (“Left with Individual”). GM has refused to reimburse me and will not provide a written explanation. Two other Escalade owners with the same engine and similar failures have already received reimbursement from GM. I believe GM is not complying with the recall reimbursement requirements.

9/17/25 I purchased 2017 Cadillac Xt5 platinum from a dealership. It came with a dash mat which was concealing cosmetic damage to vinyl around air bag on passenger side, and was unglued throughout entire dashboard. I didn't have a vehicle inspection before buying car, nothing reported on Carfax. And I asked dealership why they used Velcro and dashmat to conceal damage. No response.

The engine developed a ticking noise followed by loss of power. Mechanic diagnosed lifter and camshaft failure, which may be related to the Active Fuel Management system. This caused metal contamination and requires complete engine replacement. This appears to be a widespread issue on GM 6.2L engines.”

**2026 - Cadillac Lyriq One-Pedal Driving and Brake Defect** On November 4, 2026, at approximately 9:30 AM, I was driving my 2026 Cadillac Lyriq using the one-pedal driving feature while going below 20 miles per hour. Suddenly, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly. I lifted my foot off the accelerator, but the car did not slow down despite the one-pedal driving being enabled. Within a few seconds, various warning lights appeared on the dashboard, including messages such as "One-Pedal Driving Unavailable," "Brake Assist Off," "Auto-Hold Unavailable," and "Steering Assist is Reduced - Drive with Care." Additionally, warnings for "Service Headlamps," as well as red or yellow indicators for "Parking Setting," "ABS," and "Ready," were activated. I made several attempts to apply the brakes, but they did not respond. I even tried to engage the parking brake, which also failed. Fortunately, I was lucky enough not to hit anyone or run over any curbs during this incident. The 2026 Lyriq that I purchased has fewer than 500 miles on it and has been at the dealer service center for over two weeks. This is a significant safety concern, and I believe Cadillac should take immediate action to address this issue.