Cadillac Escalade ESV: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
543 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Cadillac Escalade ESV, model years 2003 to 2026. 3 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2023 (engine 7.2×); 2021 (engine 6.1×); 2022 (engine 4.9×). Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 12 | — | 1 | |
| 2004 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 22 | — | 1 | |
| 2005 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 14 | — | 1 | |
| 2006 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 1 | |
| 2007 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 39 | — | 4 | |
| 2008 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 17 | — | 4 | |
| 2009 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 6 | — | 5 | |
| 2010 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 4 | — | 3 | |
| 2011 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 13 | — | 5 | |
| 2012 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 3 | — | 3 | |
| 2013 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 2 | — | 4 | |
| 2015 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 8 | — | 6 | |
| 2016 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 15 | — | 3 | |
| 2017 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 38 | — | 1 | |
| 2018 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 15 | — | 1 | |
| 2019 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 34 | — | 1 | |
| 2020 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 22 | — | 2 | |
| 2021 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 74 | engine 6.1× | 10 | |
| 2022 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 60 | engine 4.9× | 4 | |
| 2023 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 92 | engine 7.2× | 4 | |
| 2024 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 23 | — | 2 | |
| 2025 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 14 | — | 1 | |
| 2026 Escalade ESVFEW REPORTS | 11 | — | 3 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Cadillac models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: