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2021 Cadillac Escalade Na problems

The most common problem on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na is engine and cooling. Its complaint count is close to a typical Escalade Na model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
73/100
Owner complaints
17
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
817
Worst area
Engine

The worst 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Engine
    7
  • Brakes
    3
  • Electrical
    3
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Lights
    2

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Engine
    7
  • Brakes
    3
  • Electrical
    3
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Lights
    2
  • Airbags
    1
  • Body
    1
  • Seat belts
    1
  • Transmission
    1

Recalls 4

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump: control/drive moduleReported September 23, 2021 · 14,939 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The fuel pump power control module may cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently, which can interrupt fuel flow to the engine, and cause an unexpected engine stall.
Risk
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel pump power control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 14, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212332040.

Recall number 21V739000 · Recall details

Steering: steering control moduleReported June 17, 2021 · 26,847 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Risk
Increased steering effort, particularly at lower speeds, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020; Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006; or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N212333900.

Recall number 21V455000 · Recall details

Seat belts: critical fastenersReported December 23, 2020 · 470 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Risk
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8785, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.

Recall number 20V811000 · Recall details

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelReported December 17, 2020 · 3,203 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV vehicles. The front passenger seat belt and airbag status telltale lights located in the overhead console in these vehicles may be set to "night mode" when the vehicle is started using remote start or when the vehicle is turned off and re-started after approximately ten minutes without opening the door. In daytime, if night mode is active, the telltale lights may not be visible, and fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays" and 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk
If the telltale lights are not visible, the driver and front passenger may not know that the front passenger is unbuckled or has a deactivated air bag, increasing the risk of passenger injury in a crash.
Remedy
The body control module (BCM) software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319980.

Recall number 20V790000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na

Defect investigations

Loss of motive power due to engine failureOpened January 16, 2025, closed October 23, 2025

On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in some cases more severe consequences such as broken connecting rods leading to engine damage, or engine failure. If the engine fails during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. On April 24, 2025, GM issued recall 25V‑274 to address the concern with L87 engines produced between March 1, 2021, and May 31, 2024. GM cited the root cause as a supplier manufacturing and quality issues. GM’s recall remedy will be either an oil change to an oil with a different viscosity or engine replacement depending on the results of the remedy inspection procedure. To date, ODI has received 1,157 allegations of engine bearing failure. GM submitted 55,464 reports in total, with 29,752 unique VINs. ODI continues to receive allegations of L87 engine failures which fall outside of the scope of recall 25V‑274. Based on GM’s recall, ODI will close this PE. the federal safety agency will continue to investigate complaints of engine failure outside the scope of recall 25V‑274 as part ofEngineering Analysis (EA25007). To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to

PE25001

Air Bag MalfunctionOpened April 9, 2021, closed August 24, 2023

On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through 2021 CT4 and CT5 passenger cars, Sierra and Silverado trucks (1500/2500/3500 models), XT4 and MY 2021 Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon SUVs.Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 21-NA-005, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) B0001-1B or B0012-0D. It cites rust particles in the connection terminal interface of the driver air bag inflator housing as the cause of the air bag MIL illumination. Illumination of the air bag MIL under these circumstances may result in a non-deployment of the frontal driver air bag during a frontal collision and increased risk of injury to the driver.GM stated a correlation exists between production delays due to the pandemic shutdown and premature corrosion initiation on the surface of the air bag inflator housing, which, in some cases, caused rust development during a seven (7) month period of vehicle production. In the rare instance when a rust particle dislodges from the driver air bag inflator housing and enters the air bag connector prior to assembly, an intermittent resistance spike at the air bag connector may result. The condition generates excessive resistance in the air bag electrical system when the steering wheel horn cover is manipulated or the steering wheel is turned. This excessive resistance is momentary. A crash commanding air bag deployment would need to occur exactly when the momentary excessive resistance occurs. Thus, there is a very low likelihood the hazard will present a risk during a crash of sufficient severity to warrant a commanded deployment. This failure mechanism occurs early in life and results in an air bag MIL illumination that corresponds to a DTC warning the driver that the vehicle requires service. The vehicle's air bag remains functional while the MIL is illuminated, and the DTC is present.Once the connection of the driver air bag module to the clockspring is made at the plant, or at the dealership for service, there is no longer an opportunity for rust migration into the connection point. The connector is sealed and has gold terminals, eliminating the expectation of fretting corrosion. All subject vehicles passed standard corrosion validation testing for extensive corrosion with no issue of air bag non-deployment.There is a low rate of occurrence: 1.41 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV) for all related occurrences, and 0.04 IPTV for occurrences with a mention of visible rust and/or corrosion on the air bag inflator housing. The average occurrence mileage for the subject vehicles is approximately 2,100. Every occurrence related to the alleged defect experienced an air bag MIL illumination and there are no verified allegations of air bag non-deployment within all data sources.To date, there have been no reported fires, crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. In view of the low rate, and the nature of early-life failure, the high detectability of failures, and low potential hazard to drivers, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at under the following identification numbers: 11537927, 11528888, 11525020, 11521401, 11506057, 11493107, 11486767, 11441525, 11433146, 11425658, 11423440, 11385267, 11376429, 11373466, 11366995.

PE21010

Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na 817

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 817 bulletins for the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na

What 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Nov 8, 2023 · Transmission · 39,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the message "Service Transmission Now - Unable to Shift Soon" was displayed. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

Filed Apr 19, 2023 · Airbags, Body · TX · crash

On 2/21/23, at 1245, I hit the rear bumper of my 2021 Cadillac Escalade when I backed up after I had scraped the driver side of my door panel as I drive thru a gated parking area. I started driving forward, turned left onto the back row of parking area. Suddenly the car accelerated very fast like from 0-60 mph. I quickly tried to step on the brake but the car kept accelerating. I tried to steer the steering wheel away from a parked car that it was headed directly for. The steering wheel locked & wouldn’t turn. The car proceeded to hit a Hyundai. It knocked the Hyundai out of its way & continued to surge forward where it hit another parked dodge ram double cab truck. That’s when the Cadillac stopped. The air bag partially deployed just slightly past the steering wheel. I had absolutely no control of the car.

Filed Apr 7, 2023 · Lights · FL

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V827000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN tool showed no present recall.

Filed Mar 1, 2023 · Brakes · TX

My wife pulled out of a parking lot and was driving down the road at approximately 30mph when the brakes stopped working entirely. There was no response when she pushed on the brake pedal. The car displayed 3 warnings on the driver display: BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE 62 MPH TOP SPEED SERVICE STABILITRAK SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM My wife was able to coast into the next parking lot and go uphill to bring the car to a stop. If this had happened on the highway, this brake failure could have killed my wife and children because the BRAKES ENTIRELY STOPPED WORKING. This is a critical safety issue. Reporting it to the federal safety agency now to work with Cadillac to get this fixed before someone dies driving a 2021 Cadillac Escalade.

Filed Feb 25, 2023 · Engine · IN

As far as the findings from the diagnosis, the dealer advised that inspection found crank bearing failure. The engine has been ordered but does not have an ETA at this time.

Filed Jan 16, 2023 · Engine · UT

I was driving with my family of five on I-15 in Utah County, UT, on 01-14-23 when the ability to accelerate was impacted. We noticed a strange noise from the engine compartment too. After about ten seconds of the strange noise and as I was attempting to cross four lanes of traffic to pull over, the car gave an oil pressure problem reading and shut off as we were in the process of coming to a complete stop. My wife and three kids were traumatized by the incident and I was rattled too. After a few hours, I was able to get towed with the help of State Farm (my insurance company) at my expense (my portion was $143.75 paid by my Visa card). The vehicle was towed to Jerry Seiner Cadillac in SLC, UT. I am now without a family vehicle and no loaners were available, according to the service writer. He said that I will likely have to rent a car while I wait for a new engine. He also said that there are two Cadillac's at the dealership that have been waiting on new engines since May 2022. My family cannot bear the expense of this engine failure, the depreciation of the vehicle while it sits waiting for a new engine, the trauma and danger the incident put us through, and the time I am spending to try to resolve the issue. I'm worried that other will have a similar experience and am writing about this incident to ensure that it's documented.

Filed Dec 5, 2022 · Engine · IN

Friday evening I was left stranded on the side of the road in my 2021 Cadillac Escalade with less than 30k miles that I actually purchased brand brand new about a year or so ago. The vehicle slowed to a crawl in the fast Lane of I65 as cars and semis whipped past me as I attempted to use any last moment to get the shoulder. I finally get to the shoulder and contact Cadillac customer service to get a tow who after approximately 2 hours of supposedly searching for tow technical they come back and tell me they can't find someone to accept the contract. When I say that that is unacceptable I guess they expand the search and come back and tell me that a tow truck that is 2 hours away is coming. At that exact time I got on google myself myself and found a tow truck that got to me in 15 minutes. That then takes me to this morning where I called the service department myself and was informed by John that its is on the batter charger and I will hear back in an hour as I informed him at that moment that I had no vehicle, but he informed me that he couldn't do anything till after they found the issue. Fast forward to the call I receive at 12:20 multiple hours later where I'm informed that it is an issue with the engine of a 2021 Cadillac Escalade with less than 30k and the best that could be done is get me a rental car in Lafayette an hour away from me I contacted the dealership today and have been informed since i intend to consult with an attorney they can no longer speak with me.

Filed Aug 19, 2022 · Seat belts · CA

Hello, I own two 2021 Cadillac Escalades that I brought into my local Cadillac dealership to get the recent "Third Row Seatbelt Retention" remedied. They both return with no repairs needed after a thorough inspection was completed. May I ask how long does it take for my vehicles to be cleared/remedied on the website? My dealership has already sent in the paperwork to the federal safety agency to get it evaluated. VIN: [XXX] VIN: [XXX] Thank you INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Filed Jun 2, 2022 · Brakes, Electrical · MI

4/24/2022 Vehicle locks in neutral in major roads as your driving And motor seized I have several videos last night as of 5/01/2022 vehicle locked into park as I was going 50 miles with oncoming traffic I was in fear of danger thank god was able to pull off into side ditch

Filed Nov 19, 2021 · Lights · NJ

2021 cadillac escalade. Consumer stated that the tail lights on the vehicle were intensely bright.

Compare the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na

Other model years

2021

Questions about the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na

Is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na reliable?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na, close to a typical Escalade Na model year.

What is the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na year score?

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na scores 73 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Cadillac Escalade Na: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na?

Engine and cooling, with 7 complaints. Next is brakes (3).

How many recalls does the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Na have?

4 recalls, covering fuel system, gasoline, steering and seat belts.

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