Vehicle: 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV VIN: [XXX] Engine: 6.2L V8 L86 Mileage: Less than 59,000 miles I am reporting a serious premature engine failure involving the 6.2L L86 engine in my 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The vehicle has been properly maintained with regular oil changes and routine service. On September 8, 2026, the vehicle developed a chirping sound during startup. After driving, the chirping stopped, but a ticking noise occurred when the vehicle was restarted. I immediately had the vehicle evaluated by an independent mechanic. The mechanic kept the vehicle for two nights so that a cold-start evaluation could be performed. On September 10, I was informed that the engine noise was caused by lifter failure. The vehicle was then towed to a Cadillac dealership in [XXX]. On XXX, the Cadillac dealership diagnosed lifter failure and camshaft damage. The vehicle had not experienced a loss of oil pressure, noticeable loss of power, hesitation, or other significant warning symptoms before the failure. I am concerned because General Motors has issued technical service bulletins addressing lifter failures and ticking noises involving the 6.2L L86 engine and the Cadillac Escalade, including GM bulletin 15-06-01-002 and GM bulletin 19-NA-218. The vehicle has less than 59,000 miles. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document this engine failure and review whether similar failures involving this engine and vehicle warrant further investigation or action. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV engine problems
21 complaints (62% of all complaints for this car).
- owner complaints
- 21
- of this car's complaints
- 62%
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Cadillac Escalade ESV engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
At 60,000 miles the lifter failed and bent a pushrod rod while driving 65mph on the interstate. I had to slow my driving to 40mph in heavy traffic and "limp" it to the dealership. When I drove it to the local Cadillac dealership, they confirmed what had happened. There were no warning lamps prior to this happening. This is a common failure due to the weak lifters in GM's AFM/DOD feature. If these engines had the same lifters/cam as the Corvettes and Camaros that don't have AFM/DOD, these engines would be a lot more reliable.
11/26/25 at 85,400 miles on the v8 6.2L L86 engine, I began experiencing rough idle, loss of engine power and propulsion, a ticking/ knocking noise at idle and when RPMs increased as well as blinking engine warning light. Diagnostics/Repair work was done by Reliable GMC/Cadillac of Roseville to fix an ignition coil that was giving the engine error code. 2/24/26 At 86,697 miles, I began having rough idle worse than before, loss of power when accelerating and driving, knocking sounds that increased with acceleration in RPMs as well as a blinking engine warning light. All spark plugs and wiring were changed by Cadillac which resolved engine error codes for misfire. Diagnostics/Repair was done by Reliable GMC/Cadillac of Roseville. 3/30/26 at 87,246 (only 549 miles since the previous work up,) the car began to idle rough, and have a audible rhythmic tapping and knocking when accelerating and increasing RPMs. During driving, I experienced flashing engine light, and then sudden loss of power and control of vehicle. 3/30/26 Veh towed toThompson GMC, of Placerville, CA diagnosed vehicle with full engine failure from broken connecting rods and crankshaft of engine. Dealership is recommending full engine replacement, costing approx $23,000. This engine failure occurred on XXX in [XXX] …a dangerous, steep and curvy 2 lane highway. The engine light and loud forceful knocking happened almost simultaneously, without warning. I was forced to perform a dangerous maneuver to exit the highway into a gas station. Had I not done so, the engine failure could have caused full control loss of the vehicle. Traveling approx 50-65mph with my wife, [XXX] son and 2 daughters, an engine failure put my entire family at risk of serious injury or death. Had I not acted quickly, the outcome would have been catastrophic if not fatal. The vehicle is currently at Thompson GMC, [XXX] and available for further inspection. We believe this may be related to the federal safety agency EA25007. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
Rough running engine at idle. The vehicle also shows low oil pressure at idle 13psi. Took to several service technicians and was told this is unfortunately a flaw in the engine design and there is not a known current remedy. Also they are surprised that this model was not covered under the same recall campaign that later models are as they are nearly identical engines. The transmission also gave out on this same vehicle at 85k miles.
I was driving on the freeway on Cruise Control going 80 mph. All the sudden my speedometer dropped and I had no power. My Transmission Light Started Blinking Cruise Control stopped working and my Car Started Shaking Violently and Sounded Clunky. I had to pull over to the shoulder immediately. I Called my Mechanic and he told me not to drive it any Further So we Towed the vehicle to his shop. There was absolutely no warning signs. This was the only sign something was wrong.
It had a rough idle and took it to the dealer. Cam shaft failure most likely due to faulty lifters and engine replacement needed. Similar to known issues on this year and on years that are involved in recall. This could lead to engine failure and loss of propulsion like the newer years. Car has been properly maintained and serviced at dealer.
Engine has low oil pressure at idle
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.
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.”
Questions about the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV engine
Does the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV have engine problems?
Owners have filed 21 complaints about the engine of the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV, 62% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV engine problems start?
Not enough complaints include the mileage to tell.
Was there a recall on the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV engine?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Cadillac Escalade ESV have bad engine?
The Cadillac Escalade ESV model years with the most engine complaints are 2023 (74 complaints), 2021 (61 complaints) and 2022 (49 complaints).
Other 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV problems
Transmission 9Electrical 5Fuel system 3Body 2Brakes 2Driver assistance 2Acceleration 1Lights 1Seats 1
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