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KLUNK
KLUNK

2024 Cadillac Escalade

The Verdict

87 Smooth Ride

The 2024 Cadillac Escalade has 51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (40 complaints) and transmission (4 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 87/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Cadillac Escalade, consider the 2001 model year which has 94% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2001 has 94% fewer complaints

View the 2001 Cadillac Escalade dashboard →

87

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000301115225
200111010
20024654201712
2003342827194
20041822411210
200561021178
200645681
2007587156558
2008230120186
20099134122
2010722932
20111424512
2012741041
201360634
2014501140
2015295143523
2016314173319
20171615113314
2018234102
2019502171
202011183
20211447664
2022304762
20239431216
2024232404
2025025121

By Category

Engine
40
Transmission
4
Brakes
3
Body
2
Electrical
2

By Severity

1
28
2
22
3
1

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 1

I was driving the vehicle into a XXX parking lot in [XXX] on Thursday XXX at around 7:00pm, and as I slowed to park, the vehicle completely died and the dash screens went dark. The vehicle would not restart. I was able to rule out quick fixes such as a battery or fuse issue and then had the vehicle towed to the closest Chevrolet/GMC dealership. The vehicle has been at the dealership since the XXX. On Monday, XXX the dealership informed me that the engine had seized and that this is the same known defect as recall NHTSA Campaign 25V274000. The dealership said the engine must be replaced for the vehicle to be operational. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

13d ago
Transmission 1

On Nov 16-17, 2025 we had GM recall work done - it was an manufacturers defect in connecting rod & crankshaft that can cause bearing failure or sudden loss of propulsion. The escalade ran fine since then, other than the HUD not working on the windshield. We had the oil changed on Sept 17, 2026, and they ordered the part for the HUD. On October 10, 2026, with this 2024 escalade, we were heading to SC towing an enclosed trailer with a motorcycle inside. 35 minutes into our drive on an interstate, the escalade started making a loud grinding noise, like the engine was revving up, then the engine cut out. We were able to coast to the shoulder and park it. It would not start back up. We called Onstar and ordered a tow, that took 4+ hours to arrive. The tow dropped it off at the dealership. The service rep said it's probably the engine (and he has 2 other escalades here with the same problem), but they cannot look at it until Monday. We tried to get a loaner through the dealership so we could continue our trip, and they were not able to accommodate us.

16d ago
Electrical 2

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle vibrated and the engine shut off. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with starter failure. The contact was informed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

21d ago
Engine 1

I was traveling in the middle lane at the normal rate of speed approximately 70 mph. All of a sudden I see a message to press start engine button again. I pressed the button and nothing happened. We started loosing speed and I notice that the car had downshifted into neutral. We were unable to navigate safely to the side of the road before coming to a complete stop in the middle of a busy highway with cars travelling at a high rate of speed. I had two small children in the back seat. When the police arrived, they tried unsuccessfully to determine how to move the car into neutral to push it to the side of the road. There was no safe way to exit the vehicle OR move it. We contacted OnStar and they dispatched roadside assistance and ran diagnostic. No known issues were noted. I contacted corporate and they said there are NO KNOWN ISSUES with this make or model despite there being numerous reports of other drivers experiencing the exact same thing. This could have been a tragedy. This car is well maintained, low miles, and was purchased new. The vehicle is now at the dealership with undetermined issues. The police noted that this is a known issue that they have seen with these vehicles. The dealership and the manufacturer have been unhelpful in resolving this issue and addressing safety concerns.

28d ago
Engine 1

Engine has a subtle but noticeable squeaking and chirp sound from the engine when cold and it is noticeable when decelerating, you can hear it then as well. The engine also runs fairly rough for a Cadillac and when decelerating to a stop, the engine RPM will drop significantly run rough and then it will recover. It's been Cadillac and Cadillac says this is working as designed.

1mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, the rear wheels locked up, and the vehicle came to a complete stop. No warning lights illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, and the message "Transport Mode On" displayed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The contact was informed by the service manager of a potential catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,953.

1mo ago
Engine 1

On 8/25/2026, my 2024 Cadillac Escalade with the 6.2L V8 suffered a sudden loss of propulsion at approximately 49,754 miles. While my husband was driving and preparing to enter the highway, the vehicle went into Neutral and lost propulsion. He heard a loud banging noise, the low-oil warning illuminated, and the check-engine light began flashing. I later looked in the Cadillac app and saw code P0016. The engine then completely seized. The vehicle was towed to Sewell Cadillac. The dealer documented that the engine would not crank or turn manually, found metal/debris in the oil and internal bearing/rod damage, and replaced the complete engine. We picked up the Escalade on 8/29/2026 at approximately 49,779 miles. After only 127 miles, at approximately 49,906 miles, I experienced another loss of propulsion while driving. The vehicle unexpectedly went into Neutral and shut off. I was able to restart it and safely move it, but it shut off again. There were no warning lights after restarting. The vehicle was towed back to the dealership. On the second repair order, the dealer documented the complaint as “vehicle turned off and went to neutral.” They found code U3000, documented “ECM software out of date” and “ECM software malfunction,” and reprogrammed the ECM using GM’s SPS system. The repair order identifies this as a “REPEAT REPAIR” related to the prior engine replacement. As far as I know, my VIN was not included in the applicable 6.2L engine recall, and I was not informed by the dealership about the known 6.2L engine issue. I am reporting this because the vehicle has experienced two sudden loss-of-propulsion events in less than 50,000 miles, including one only 127 miles after complete engine replacement. I am concerned this vehicle is unsafe to drive.

1mo ago
Engine 1

My 2024 Cadillac Escalade had the 6.2 v8 engine recall done in 6/25. I’ve put less than 8k miles on it since and just rolled 32400 miles total. While driving with my family in the car on 8/30 on the highway, it lost all power and just shut off while driving highway speeds. I was able to safely stop but very dangerous. Vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to dealer.

1mo ago
Engine 1

The engine in our escalade is starting to fail. Our cadillac dealer did their voluntary recall on our escalade at around 15,000 miles. This included a "Pico" listening forgot knock, and once it passed that test they drained the previously factory recommended 0w-20, and re filled with the now recommended 0w-40 with a filter change, and oil fill cap replacement that has 0w-40 printed in it. At around 20,000 miles, on August 16th my father in law and I performed the next oil change. My father in law has been a master technician owning his own automotive shop for almost 40 years. I used to work as a machinist, machining, building and dynoing engines. I cut open the oil filter after the oil change to inspect it, and there were flakes of bearing material throughout the filter media. I packaged all the parts of the oil filter up in a ziploc bag, and took it to my cadillac dealer the next day august 17th. I talked to, and showed a few people there the bearing material in the filter, ending in the service manager. The service manager agreed that there is something wrong with the engine, and that there shouldnt be metal in the oil filter. But he stated that the voluntary recall that they have for the engine only comes into effect if it fails the Pico test, or the engine fails, not if the engine is beginning to fail. He said he would talk to his boss, and an engineer attached to the recall, to see if there was anything else they could do. He said he would call me later in the day. He called me later and said that both people he talked to said there was nothing that cadillac could do until it has outward symptoms of a failing engine (knock) or it totally fails. Now we have a new vehicle that my wife is afraid to take anywhere because its failing cadillac knows about it, and won't do anything about it.

2mo ago
Engine 2

November 19, 2025 I brought my Cadillac Escalade to the dealership under their voluntary recall on the engine. My vehicle passed the pico compression test. The dealership then changed my current oil to a heavier oil and changed the oil cap to match the oil they put in. July 2nd 2026 my husband was driving about 55 mph and I was a passenger the we heard loud knocking and the engine quit. We had vehicles behind us my husband was shocked I instantly hit my emergency 4 way light button so we didn’t get rear ended. We coasted to the shoulder of the road thankful that we didn’t get hit by the vehicles behind us.

3mo ago
Engine 2

On June 14, 2026, while driving approximately 70 mph on a Michigan freeway, the 6.2L V8 engine began shaking violently. The vehicle lost oil pressure, warning messages appeared on the dashboard, and the vehicle completely lost propulsion and shut down while still in motion. My spouse and child were inside the vehicle. The sudden loss of power at highway speed created a serious risk of a collision, although I was able to bring the vehicle to safety. No collision, bodily injury, fire, or property damage occurred during this incident. An OnStar/Cadillac notification reported a critical engine and transmission system problem and diagnostic trouble code P0016. The vehicle was towed directly to an authorized Cadillac dealership. The dealership opened the repair order on June 15, 2026, at approximately 46,640 miles. The dealership determined that the vehicle required a replacement engine. The replacement engine later arrived, but additional required parts, including a seal kit and gasket, were still outstanding. General Motors advised in writing that there was no estimated arrival date for those parts and no confirmed repair-completion date. The vehicle and failed engine components have been in the possession of the authorized Cadillac dealership and should be available for inspection. General Motors confirmed that the engine failure and repairs are covered under warranty. I am reporting this incident because the engine failure caused a complete and unexpected loss of propulsion at highway speed, placing the vehicle occupants and surrounding motorists at risk.

3mo ago
Engine 2

After accelerating from a stop sign to about 60mph on a 2 lane road, the engine shut off and the vehicle changed to neutral. I had to glide the truck down the road and off to the side. Vehicle would not start and had to be towed to a Cadillac dealership on a flatbed.

3mo ago
Engine 2

Driving on the freeway at 70mph, vehicle lost power and slowed down with no warning. Gas pedal unresponsive. Received message on screen to start vehicle. was able to swerve to shoulder lane out of oncoming traffic's way just in time for it to come to a full stop and never start again. When attempted to start vehicle again, it was completely unresponsive. Had to call for police escort since car was in near path of oncoming traffic. Tow truck had to haul to dealership location near home (100+ miles away). Currently still receiving alerts from onstar that all vehicle functions are clear and OK with no issues "green checkmark" on all components. No recalls or service issues in the vehicle for 22k miles until failure.

4mo ago
Transmission 1

I want to report several recurring issues with my 2024 Escalade transmission:Rough/Hard Shifting: Drivers experience jerky, clunking, or harsh shifting, especially when accelerating or decelerating.Transmission Slipping: The vehicle slipped between gears, impacting performance.Delayed Engagement: A delay or clunking sound when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse.

4mo ago
Engine 2

On Sunday April 19th at approximately 12:00pm. I was driving on NJ’s garden state parkway when the car had catastrophic engine failure at highway speeds. I lost full power, including power steering, and brakes. This SUV could have killed my family and I if I was unable to use brute force to control it into the right lane. While I understand that any vehicle can experience warranty-related issues, a catastrophic engine failure at highway speeds is not a typical or acceptable occurrence. The severity of this incident has significantly impacted my confidence in both the vehicle and the brand. I am particularly concerned about the safety implications associated with the L87 6.2L V8 engine, which has been widely reported as affecting a substantial number of vehicles. Given what occurred, I no longer feel safe operating this Escalade. My wife is unwilling to drive it, and I am not comfortable having my child in the vehicle under any circumstances.

6mo ago
Engine 2

Vehicle experienced catastrophic failure while going approximately 45 miles per hour in the middle lane of one of the busiest streets in the city…my [XXX] son was in the vehicle when this occurred….I am a disabled veteran who purchased this vehicle for transportation for son and his team mates to sporting events and tournaments…the vehicle has been at the dealership for 60 days…there was one attempt around the 30th day to replace the engine…that engine was found to be faulty as well…another 30 days have passed and the vehicle has not been fixed…the dealership does not have a loaner vehicle for me…I am concerned about the safety of this vehicle and honestly am not comfortable with my wife and son experiencing additional traumatic incidents INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

6mo ago
Engine 1

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

7mo ago
Engine 2

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.

7mo ago
Engine 1

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.

8mo ago
Engine 2

Component/System Involved: Engine / Powertrain and Vehicle Electronic Control Systems, including Serial Data Gateway Module Description of Failure: While driving at highway speed (approximately 60 mph), the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion without warning. Engine power was lost while traveling on an interstate, forcing me to pull onto the shoulder without propulsion. The loss-of-power event occurred more than once during the same trip. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Cadillac dealership for inspection. Dealer diagnosis confirmed internal mechanical engine failure, including metal debris present in the engine oil, requiring full engine replacement. During diagnostic procedures, the dealership also identified electrical communication faults involving the serial data gateway module, including voltage fluctuation and wiring chafing within the vehicle harness. These faults caused loss-of-communication conditions between control modules and required repair. Safety Risk: The loss of propulsion occurred at highway speed with passengers present in the vehicle, creating a serious safety hazard. Sudden power loss on an interstate increased the risk of collision due to the inability to maintain speed or maneuver safely in traffic. Confirmation / Inspection: The failure was confirmed by an authorized Cadillac dealership. The engine was removed and replaced due to internal damage. Electrical communication faults related to the serial data gateway module were also confirmed and repaired. Warning Indicators: No warning lamps or alerts were displayed prior to the loss of propulsion. Communication faults were identified during post-failure diagnostics. Current Status: The vehicle has undergone engine replacement and electronic repairs and is currently under post-repair monitoring due to the severity and safety implications of the failure. Availability for Inspection: The vehicle and repair documentation should be available through dealership

9mo ago

51 total

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