General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
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The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 71 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV has 71 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 37 complaints, typically surfacing around 37,300 miles (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Escalade ESV | 21 | 2 |
| 2021 Escalade ESV | 63 | 10 |
| 2022 Escalade ESV | 52 | 4 |
| 2023 Escalade ESV (this page) | 71 | 4 |
| 2024 Escalade ESV | 20 | 2 |
| 2025 Escalade ESV | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 Escalade ESV | 4 | 3 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →On December 19, 2023, when pulling out of a parking lot onto the street, pressing the gas vehicle jerked and would not accelerate. No lights on dash. Drove less than 1 minute and turned down a side street, to get out of traffic while going slow/no power. Stopped at stop sign,…
UNKNOWN. The car decelerated on the freeway from 80 mph by automatically going into N. Once we managed to pull over to the shoulder, the car would not turn on again or shift gears. The dealership thinks it's an engine failure and they have multiple escalades in the shop for the…
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…
Engine light is on solid. Veichile did stall while driving at Highway and vehicle will shake stop at red light. Noise when vehicle moving.
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Engine failure increases the risk of a crash.
Without a warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, which can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
A broken suspension bolt can result in misalignment of the rear wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. RQ26001 on NHTSA →
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA25007 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 37 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 37,300 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 71 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Typical failure occurs around 37,300 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 37 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 37,300 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 37,300 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 71 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.