Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure. This special coverage covers if an engine failure occurs in the vehicle as a result of the condition described above for a period of 10 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. For vehicles covered by Vehicle Service Contracts, all eligible claims with repair orders on or after May 23, 2025, are covered by this special coverage and must be submitted using the labor operation code
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2022 Cadillac Escalade engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2022 Cadillac Escalade have filed 49 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 39,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
49
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Escalade | 7 |
| 2019 Escalade | 16 |
| 2020 Escalade | 8 |
| 2021 Escalade | 36 |
| 2022 Escalade (this page) | 49 |
| 2023 Escalade | 78 |
| 2024 Escalade | 27 |
| 2025 Escalade | 6 |
| 2026 Escalade | 8 |
1crash
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 49 engine complaints filed for the 2022 Cadillac Escalade, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Engine accounts for 69% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 3 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 49 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Under Field Actions N252494000, N252494001, the service procedure includes performing a PICO test on vehicle engines within the identified suspect VIN population. If the engine passes the PICO test, the engine oil will be changed from 0W20 to Mobil 1 Supercar 0W40 dexosR. From that point forward, the engine must use 0W40 dexosR oil products for all future oil change services.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition that could cause the engine coolant control valve to fail an onboard vehicle diagnostic test. If this condition were to occur, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) will illuminate, and a diagnostic trouble code will set. Additionally in some cases, the engine cooling fans may run after the engine is switched off. Dealers are to replace the engine coolant control valve as necessary. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the camshaft actuator magnet to correct customer concerns of engine related shudder.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Multiple owners describe their 2022 Escalade's engine abruptly dying while driving at highway speed—65 to 85 mph—with zero warning lights and no chance to pull over safely. The engine locks up, shifts to neutral, and will not restart. Towing and full engine replacement are the only fix. Failures occur as early as 20,000 miles and have happened even shortly after a dealer's recall inspection supposedly cleared the engine.
Metal shavings in the oil, faulty crankshafts, and bad main bearings are the culprits owners and dealers cite. One owner experienced three engine failures in one year; others are on their second replacement. Oil consumption issues started early for some owners—low-oil warnings at 2,000 miles—but dealers initially said it was "within specs." GM's recall campaign 25V274000 changed the oil to 0W40 and performs a "pico test" to flag bad engines, but that test failed to catch defects in vehicles that seized weeks later. Dealers report 6- to 8-week waits (or longer) for replacement engines, and some replacement units are remanufactured, not new. One dealership's original pico test equipment was replaced by GM after roughly five vehicles failed inspection; since the new gear arrived, zero failures have been detected, raising questions about test reliability. Owners waiting for recall parts report GM cut the recall department's work hours instead of ramping up. The vehicle becomes a liability: one owner's trade-in value collapsed because a stop-sale was issued; another faces a potential lemon-law fight.
Same Cadillac Escalade engine reports on nearby years: 2019 · 2021 · 2023 · 2024
Failure modes owners describe
Complete engine shutdown and seizure — catastrophic failure with no warning
The engine abruptly shuts down or seizes while driving at highway speeds, often with loss of all motive power and inability to restart. Most commonly occurs between 25,000 and 85,000 miles. Multiple narratives report metal shavings, bearing failure, crankshaft defects, or connecting rod issues as root causes.
When: 25,000–85,000 miles; many occur within first year of ownership or shortly after recall service
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of engine power at highway speed with no warning lights; Engine stalls or shifts to neutral without warning; Loud knocking or ticking sound preceding failure; Low oil pressure warning (when present); Metal shavings found in oil or oil filter; Engine locked up and unable to restart
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), Crankshaft failure, Connecting rod failure, Main bearing failure, Metal contamination in engine
Repairs/costs cited: Full engine replacement required; dealers report wait times of 6–8 weeks or longer for replacement engines. Some owners receive remanufactured engines rather than new units. Parts have been in short supply per multiple complaints.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 25V274000 includes an inspection protocol using a 'pico test'; initial inspection may clear vehicles despite subsequent failure. GM has been slow to respond to recall-related service requests and cases; some owners report cut hours at recall department. Some vehicles have failed a second or third replacement engine.
Fuel pump or fuel pump control module failure
Vehicle stalls or loses power due to fuel pump power control module malfunction, sometimes resulting in complete shutdown requiring towing and restart.
When: Around 40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls or stops without warning; Inability to restart or requires restart cycles; Loss of power while making turns or at low speed
Codes mentioned: Fuel pump power control module failure
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel pump power control module replaced by dealer; one owner reports multiple stall incidents before this repair was identified.
Excessive oil consumption and low oil warnings
Vehicle displays low oil warnings prematurely or burns oil at abnormal rates. Some owners report the issue begins immediately after purchase or shortly after dealer oil changes.
When: 2,000–50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Premature 'Low Engine Oil' warning; Rapid oil consumption; Low oil pressure warning
Codes mentioned: Oil consumption test (passed per dealers despite continued issues)
Repairs/costs cited: Oil consumption testing performed; dealers initially claimed 'within specs.' Recall service includes oil change to 0W40 specification and new oil cap.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 25V274000 prescribes oil viscosity change to 0W40; however, this remediation has not prevented subsequent engine failures in many cases.
Engine vibration, rough idle, and abnormal noises
Vehicle exhibits ticking, knocking, or roaring sounds from the engine, particularly at idle or startup, often accompanied by rough running and hesitation. Dealers sometimes attribute noise to AWD mode despite customer using 2WD.
When: Early in ownership or after recall service; one case at 45,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud ticking or knocking from engine; Rough idle or hesitation; Random shaking or vibration; Roaring sound preceding power loss; Lifter noise at startup
Codes mentioned: Abnormal engine noise — cause not confirmed in all cases, Lifter failure
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports lifter replacement; tapping noises persist after engine replacement in another case. Dealers have difficulty diagnosing root cause in some instances.
Reduced engine power or hesitation
Engine experiences loss of power, hesitation, or reduced responsiveness while driving, sometimes followed by complete shutdown.
When: 36,000–80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle hesitates or loses power during acceleration; Reduced motive power on highway; Loss of power while towing; Inability to respond as needed when making turns
Codes mentioned: Faulty crankshaft, Engine failure
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required; one case diagnosed with faulty crankshaft.
Failed recall inspection — pico test uncertainty
Some owners pass the pico test required under recall campaign 25V274000 but experience engine failure weeks or months later. One owner reports dealer pico equipment was replaced by GM after ~5 vehicles failed, and no failures have been detected since the new equipment arrived, raising questions about test validity.
When: Fall 2025 or later (around time of recall inspection)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle passes pico test; Engine failure occurs post-inspection; Concerns about test methodology and equipment reliability
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 25V274000 pico test (passed)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair performed at time of passing inspection; engine replacement required after subsequent failure.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaign 25V274000 includes pico testing; GM has replaced dealer pico test equipment, but test results lack transparency and detailed documentation per multiple owner complaints.
Synthesized from 49 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
As i was driving on the highway in the left lane at approximately 85mph, without any warning lights from the vehicle, the car completely shut off. I had to cross over three lanes of traffic on a busy highway with the car completely stalled out to get to the breakdown lane. The vehicle was towed to my local Cadillac dealership where I was later informed that the engine had completely seized. The…
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that the message "Low Engine Oil" was displayed prematurely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the oil consumption test. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The…
Took my car to the shop yesterday due to heating a ticking sound coming from the engine. This is the new engine that was replaced AFTER a catastrophic engine failure on May 16, 2025. The service department inspected my vehicle and found metal shards in the oil filter. They need to keep the vehicle because it will need another new engine. This will be the third new engine in a year since the…
My engine was replaced in January of 2025 before the actual recall. I have the serial [XXX] for my new engine . I need to know the build date of this engine so that I can know if my 2nd engine is a new engine with the corrected crankshaft or the remaufactured engine with the defective crankshaft.GM refuses to tell me the build date I have a right to know. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO…
After waiting months to get my vehicle checked for recall N252494000 NHTSA 25V274 I was told my vehicle passed inspection. When I asked to see the detailed results of the pico test I was told there are no detailed results and I was not shown anything proving my vehicle was tested and whether it passed or failed. My invoice states "Performed pico test test took multiple tries to complete having…
My engine all of a sudden went dead in the middle of an intersection. I was unable to put the vehicle in neutral and move it so it was stuck in the middle of an intersection until the tow truck arrived. In addition, it had to be dragged due to this issue - which I’m sure isn’t good for it.
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH and making a turn, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where the fuel pump power control module was replaced. The vehicle was repaired.…
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed an undisclosed failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine…
Had engine trouble with your 2022 Cadillac Escalade?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2022 Cadillac Escalade?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 49 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 36,000 and 50,000 miles, with the median around 39,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 36,000; a quarter make it past 50,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2022/Cadillac/Escalade.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.